title: Changes in lipoprotein(a) concentration after orthotopic heart transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated concentrations of lipoprotein(a) have been considered an important risk factor in the development of premature cardiovascular disease and have been proposed as a risk factor in the development of accelerated cardiac allograft vasculopathy after orthotopic heart transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively measured lipoprotein(a), fasting cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations before (n = 38), 6 months (n = 38), and 1 year (n = 21) after orthotopic heart transplantation. The mean age of the patients was 52 +/- 2 years. Eighty-seven percent of the patients were men, 82% were white, and 61% had ischemic cardiomyopathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean lipoprotein(a) concentration was lower 6 months after transplantation than it was before the operation (23 +/- 3 mg/dL vs 17 +/- 3 mg/dL; P =.014) and remained low 1 year after transplantation (23 +/- 3 mg/dL vs 18 +/- 4 mg/dL; P = not significant). In contrast, mean cholesterol concentration was higher 6 months after transplantation (171 +/- 8 mg/dL vs 221 +/- 8 mg/dL; P <.001) and 1 year (171 +/- 8 mg/dL vs 205 +/- 10 mg/dL; P <.01) than it was before transplantation. Triglyceride concentration was higher 1 year after transplantation than it was before the operation (146 +/- 13 mg/dL vs 184 +/- 20 mg/dL; P =.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lipoprotein(a) concentrations decrease during the 6 months after transplantation and stay low for at least 1 year after the operation. Additional studies are needed to ascertain the effect these changes in lipoprotein(a) concentration on the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, USA. ddenofrio@lifespan.org
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DeNofrio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rader
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Acker
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Loh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol