Lack of association of lipoprotein(a) levels with coronary calcium deposits in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to determine the relationship of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and other cardiac risk factors to coronary atherosclerosis as measured by calcification of coronary arteries in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.


BACKGROUND
Lipoprotein(a) is considered a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Coronary calcium deposition is believed to be a useful noninvasive marker of coronary atherosclerosis in women. However, to our knowledge, there are no reports of the relationship of Lp(a) to coronary calcium in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
In 178 asymptomatic postmenopausal women (64 +/- 8 years), we measured Lp(a) and other cardiac risk factors: age, hypertension, diabetes, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking status, body mass index, physical activity level and duration of hormone replacement therapy. Electron-beam computed tomography was done to measure coronary calcium (calcium score). We analyzed the relationship between calcium score and cardiac risk factors using multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Although calcium score correlated with traditional risk factors of age, diabetes, hypertension and smoking, it did not correlate with Lp(a) in the asymptomatic postmenopausal women. Similar multivariate analyses were done in the subjects age >60 years and in the subjects with significant coronary calcium deposit (calcium score > or =50). These analyses also have failed to show an association of levels of Lp(a) with coronary calcium deposits.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that in asymptomatic postmenopausal women, Lp(a) levels do not correlate with coronary atherosclerosis as measured by coronary calcium deposits.
Nishino
M
M
Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, USA. mnishino@orh.go.jp
Malloy
M J
MJ
Naya-Vigne
J
J
Russell
J
J
Kane
J P
JP
Redberg
R F
RF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D002118:Calcium