title: Lipoprotein (a) in chronic renal failure: effect of maintenance hemodialysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coronary artery disease accounts for significant morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Besides the higher prevalence of traditional risk factors, several uremia-related factors may play a role in accelerated atherosclerosis, such as elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)). The effect of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) on Lp(a) levels is not well understood. The present work was carried out to study the Lp(a) levels in Stage 4 and Stage 5 CKD patients as well as the effect of MHD on Lp(a) levels in patients with Stage 5 CKD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study subjects included 15 patients with Stage 4 CKD, 15 patients with Stage 5 CKD, and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Plasma Lp(a) was measured by ELISA in all the subjects at the time of entry into the study and after 4 weeks of MHD in patients with Stage 5 CKD. Patients on MHD were dialyzed two to three times weekly for 4 hr during each session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean Lp(a) levels were significantly higher in patients with CKD than in control patients. In patients with Stage 4 CKD, the Lp(a) level was 34.0 +/- 19.5 mg/dL, whereas in Stage 5 CKD the level was 49.0 +/- 30.9 and in healthy controls it was 22.2 +/- 16.4. In patients with Stage 5 CKD, 4 weeks of MHD led to a significant fall in Lp(a) levels by 23.6% (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that increases in Lp(a) levels start early during the course of CKD and become more pronounced with increased severity of disease. Initiation of MHD lowers Lp(a) levels and may have a long-term beneficial effect on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Delhi, India. opkalra1@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Om Prakash
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: Ambar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khaira
authors.forename: Jasvinder Kaur
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Gambhir
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Satish Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bhargava