title: Serum apolipoprotein(a) concentrations and Apo(a) phenotypes in patients with liver cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 84 patients with liver cirrhosis and 185 control subjects with normal liver function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccarese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonolo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brizzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Secchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garrucciu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spanedda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calvia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asara
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maioli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Realdi
mesh_terms: D001054:Apolipoproteins A / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001054:Apolipoproteins A