[Reference values of lipoprotein(a) in a French population].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work is to study the effect of different biological factors that could affect Lp(a) level in a presumably healthy population and to establish reference limits.


METHODS
We selected 723 subjects (367 men and 356 women) for the age interval 4 to 64 years for evaluation.


RESULTS
The distribution of Lp(a) is not Gaussian; 50.5% of subjects had Lp(a) concentrations under 0.10 g/l and the value for the 75th percentile was 0.27 g/l and 0.57 g/l for the 90th percentile. No relationship was observed between Lp(a) concentration and cholesterolaemia, triglyceridaemia, glycaemia, inflammatory proteins (orosomucoide and CRP), overweight, tobacco consumption and oral contraceptive use. The menopause state in women was a factor correlated with increased Lp(a) but this increase was not significant. Moreover, alcohol consumption (more than 44 g per day in men and more than 22 g per day in women) was associated with lower Lp(a) values. Among familial cardiovascular risks, only paternal listing of hypertension was associated with Lp(a) concentration in men.


CONCLUSIONS
The measurement of Lp(a) in a young subject could be used as a genetic marker of cardiovascular risk associated with abnormal lipid metabolism and thrombosis phenomena.
Centre de Médecine préventive, URA CNRS 597, Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy.
J
J
Steinmetz
P
P
Tarallo
B
B
Fournier
M
M
Jaid
E
E
Caces
S
S
Vol
J
J
Tichet
G
G
Siest
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D012016:Reference Values; D012907:Smoking; D044465:White People
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D017270:Lipoprotein(a)
Valeurs de référence de la lipoprotéine(a) dans une population française.