title: The relationship of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) to risk factors of coronary heart disease: initial results of the prospective epidemiological study on company employees in Westfalia.
abstract: Lp(a) concentrations were determined in 987 male and 477 female company employees in Westfalia, in the age range 17-70 years. These values were then related to age and to the following risk factors: obesity, smoking, hypertension, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, hyperbetalipoproteinaemia, hypoalphalipoproteinaemia, hyperglycaemia and hyperuricaemia. The Lp(a) values showed a similar markedly skewed distribution for both men and women. The median for men was 0.039 g/l, for women 0.050 g/l. In both sexes only about 25% of all Lp(a) values were above 0.10 g/l. Raised Lp(a) values (greater than 0.30 g/l) were found in 6.5% of males and in 6.1% of females. A significantly higher frequency of raised Lp(a) values (greater than 0.30 g/l) was found in: post-menopausal women (11.3% as against 4.1%, p less than 0.01); females with hypercholesterolaemia (19.0% when cholesterol values were greater than or equal to 6.73 mmol/l, 10.8% when cholesterol values were between 5.70-6.72 mmol/l, 3.0% when cholesterol values were less than 5.70 mmol/l, p less than 0.001); and females with hyperbetalipoproteinaemia (22.6% when LDL cholesterol values were greater than or equal to 4.92 mmol/l, 5.0% when LDL cholesterol values were less than 4.92 mmol/l, p less than 0.001). 12.0% of men with hypoalphalipoproteinaemia (HDL cholesterol values less than 0.907 mmol/l) had Lp(a) values greater than 0.30 g/l, as against 5.5% of men with HDL cholesterol values greater than or equal to 0.907 mmol/l (p less than 0.01). This percentage rate increased to 16.9% when hypertriglyceridaemia (greater than or equal to 2.28 mmol/l triglycerides) was also present. All other risk factors which were examined and their combinations had no significant influence on the prevalence of raised Lp(a) concentrations.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005860:Germany, West; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol