title: Lipoprotein(a) is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in NIDDM patients in South India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asian Indians have been reported to have very high prevalence rates of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the absence of traditional risk factors. Recently, elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] have been reported to be associated with premature CAD in migrant Asian Indians. However, there are very little data regarding Lp(a) in CAD patients from the Indian subcontinent and virtually none in individuals with NIDDM. The objective of this study was to assess the role of Lp(a) as a marker for CAD in South Indian NIDDM patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated serum Lp(a) in 100 control subjects, 100 NIDDM patients without CAD, and 100 NIDDM patients with CAD. Lp(a) values were transformed into natural logarithms. Statistical analysis included Student's t test, one-way analysis of variance, and chi2 test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations with CAD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lp(a) levels were significantly higher in NIDDM patients with CAD compared with NIDDM patients without CAD and control subjects (geometric mean 24.6, 15.1, and 19.4 mg/dl, respectively, P < 0.05). Results of logistic regression analysis showed that Lp(a), age, and HDL were associated with CAD. In NIDDM patients with CAD, there was no correlation between Lp(a) and serum cholesterol, triglyceride, or HDL cholesterol levels, but there was a weak association with LDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggests that serum Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for CAD in NIDDM patients in South India.
authors.affiliation: Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Gopalapuram, Chennai, India. drmohan@02giasmd01.vsnl.net.in
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deepa
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Haranath
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Premalatha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rema
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Sastry
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Enas
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol