title: Relation of small artery compliance and lipoprotein (a) in patients with atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lipoprotein (a) is suggested to cause endothelial dysfunction, alteration of elastic arterial properties, and decreased arterial compliance. We investigated the relation of arterial compliance and lipoprotein (a) serum [Lp(a)] levels in patients with atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study included 118 consecutive patients with atherosclerosis. Noninvasive computerized pulse wave analysis was used to measure large and small artery elasticity indices in a nondiseased vessel area. Compliance parameters were correlated to Lp(a) levels. Stratified and multivariate analyses were performed to adjust for confounding factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Small artery elasticity index was inversely correlated with Lp(a) serum levels (r = -0.64, P <.001). The association between Lp(a) and small artery elasticity index remained significant adjusting for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and lipid-lowering medication (r = -0.37, P <.0001). Lp(a) accounted for approximately 60% of the variation of small artery compliance in nondiabetic patients (n = 80) (r = -0.76, P <.0001), in diabetic patients (n = 38) no significant correlation between Lp(a) and small artery compliance was observed (r = -0.27, P =.09). No correlation was found between large artery elasticity index and Lp(a).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small artery compliance was negatively correlated to Lp(a) in nondiabetic patients with atherosclerosis. Increased Lp(a) serum levels might cause endothelial dysfunction measurable by decreased small artery elasticity index in these patients. Elastic properties of diabetic vessels were not directly related to Lp(a) serum levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology, Medical Faculty, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. martin.schillinger@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schillinger
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mlekusch
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haumer
authors.forename: Schila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabeti
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maca
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003187:Compliance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D017270:Lipoprotein(a)