Distribution of serum lipoprotein(a) levels--a non-parametric analysis

The distribution of serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] concentration among Japanese male adults was evaluated using non-parametric methods. The following results were obtained. 1) Among healthy male adults undergoing a medical checkup, Lp(a) showed a highly skewed distribution towards the low level. The distribution could be regarded as a power normal distribution with the power order of 1/2. The median of Lp(a) level was 14.1 mg/dl (the 25th percentile was 6.2 mg/dl and the 75th percentile was 26.7 mg/dl). 2) The values of serum Lp(a) in subjects with vasospastic angina distributed at a higher level than for subjects with normal coronary arteries as diagnosed by coronary angiography. 3) The observed serum Lp(a) concentration moved to a higher range as the number of branches with significant stenosis on the coronary angiography increased. 4) Serum Lp(a) was one of the risk factors for ischemic heart disease. Its odds ratio when the cut-off value was set at 26.7 mg/dl or 30 mg/dl was 2.52 and 2.94, respectively. Information on the distribution of serum Lp(a) concentration is useful for estimating the coronary atherogenic factor.