Lipoprotein(a) levels are increased in healthy young subjects with parental history of premature myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Most but not all studies in children, adolescents and young adults with a family history of coronary artery disease have reported an increase in lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) concentrations. The aim of this study was to assess if healthy children, adolescents and young adults with a parental history of premature myocardial infarction (PHPMI) have increased Lp(a) levels and are at higher risk of elevated (>30 mg/dl) Lp(a) concentrations.


RESULTS
One hundred fifty healthy children, adolescents and young adults with PHPMI (55% males; age 18+/-6.7 years) and 150 age- (+/-1 year) and gender-matched control subjects participated in the study. Concentrations of total plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, apolipoprotein (Apo) A-I and B, triglycerides and Lp(a) were determined after fasting for 14 h. Participants with PHPMI had higher concentrations of LDL-cholesterol (107.9+/-31.1 vs. 99.2+/-28.7 mg/dl, p=0.01), Apo B (89.6+/-26.4 vs. 82.8+/-20.2 mg/dl, p=0.011) and Lp(a) (26.7+/-34.0 vs. 19.2+/-23.2 mg/dl, p=0.012) and lower HDL-cholesterol concentrations (47.9+/-11.3 vs. 50.7+/-13.9 mg/dl, p=0.038) than participants without PHPMI. Thirty percent of PHPMI positive subjects had elevated Lp(a) concentrations vs. 16.7% of PHPMI negative subjects (p=0.009; relative risk 2.14; 95% CI 1.23-3.73). In a conditional logistic regression analysis, Lp(a) concentration was significantly and independently associated with PHPMI.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthy young subjects with PHPMI have increased Lp(a) levels, a higher risk for elevated Lp(a) concentrations within an unfavourable lipid profile.
Gaeta
Giovanni
G
Division of Cardiology, A. Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy. giovanni.gaeta@tin.it
Cuomo
Sergio
S
Capozzi
Giovanbattista
G
Foglia
Maria C
MC
Barra
Silvia
S
Madrid
Alfredo
A
Stornaiuolo
Vincenzo
V
Trevisan
Maurizio
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol