Serum apolipoprotein(a) concentrations and Apo(a) phenotypes in patients with liver cirrhosis

The liver is the major site of apolipoprotein(a) synthesis, and an inverse correlation between the size of apolipoprotein(a) isoforms and its serum levels have been described. We evaluated the Apo(a) serum levels and its isoforms in patients with liver cirrhosis at different stages of the disease (Childe Turcotte classification), and during the characteristic phase of liver synthesis decline.

We studied 84 patients with liver cirrhosis and 185 control subjects with normal liver function.

Apo(a) serum levels were significantly lower (p < 0.01) in cirrhotic patients and, after 24 months, six patients showing a change from class A to class B had a statistically significant decrease in Apo(a) concentrations (p = 0.0313). Moreover, our data showed an inversion of the small/large isoforms ratio in patient with cirrhosis in spite of the reduction in plasma concentration.

We showed a reduction of Apo(a) serum concentrations in a large number of patients with cirrhosis and, for the first time, during the characteristic phase of liver synthesis decline, confirming the liver as the major site of Apolipoprotein(a) synthesis. Moreover we showed in the cirrhotic patients that the normal correlation between Apo(a) isoforms and Apo(a) concentrations is not conserved and the low levels are not dependent upon a high prevalence of large isoforms.