Lipoproteina(a) is a feature of the presence, diffuseness, and severity of coronary artery disease in Saudi population.
OBJECTIVE
To study lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels in Saudi patients with angiographically defined coronary artery disease and to see its relationship with its severity and diffuseness.


METHODS
This cross sectional study was carried out at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2006-2007. One hundred and forty-seven individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 49 healthy individuals matched for age and body mass index were studied. Among CAD patients, 133 underwent angiography. Blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) and Lp(a).


RESULTS
Coronary artery disease patients had higher Lp(a) levels than controls (25.78 +/- 25.09 mg/dl versus 14.57 +/- 11.81 mg/dl, p=0.0030). Patients without stenosis (10.97 +/- 8.06 mg/dl) and one vessel involvement (19.67 +/- 17.33 mg/dl) had significantly lower levels of Lp(a) compared to double (31.88 +/- 32.17 mg/dl) and triple (29.70 +/- 28.12 mg/dl) vessel disease. Lipoprotein(a) levels correlated significantly with coronary vessel score (r=0.234, p=0.033) and Gensini score (r=0.256, p=0.02). Smoking (odds ratio [OR]: 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.020-2.510; p=0.04), TG levels (OR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.251-4.932; p=0.03) and Lp(a) levels (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.033-3.687; p=0.025) significantly predicted CAD severity. High risk levels of Lp(a) >/= 30 mg/dL were present in 66.7% of CAD patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Lipoprotein(a) levels are significantly higher in Saudi patients with CAD compared to healthy individuals, and are associated with more severe and diffuse blockage of the coronary vessels.
Habib
Syed S
SS
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. shahidhabib44@hotmail.com
Abdel-Gader
Abdelgalil M
AM
Kurdi
Mohammad I
MI
Al-Aseri
Zohair
Z
Soliman
Mona M
MM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides