title: Analysis of the association between plasma PCSK9 and Lp(a) in Han Chinese.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been reported that proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors can significantly reduce lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], and the mechanism for Lp(a) reduction remains unclear. Recently an interesting clinical research with a small sample showed a positive correlation between plasma PCSK9 and Lp(a) levels in diabetes. Here we aimed to use a relatively large sample to investigate whether such an association exists in Han Chinese.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 783 inpatients were consecutively enrolled and composed of 172 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 611 non-T2DM subjects. Plasma PCSK9 level was measured by ELISA, and its association with Lp(a) was assayed by Spearman's correlation and multiple regression. Clinical and biochemical parameters were determined in all subjects studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in PCSK9 and Lp(a) levels were found between T2DM and non-T2DM patients. PCSK9 level was not related to Lp(a) level either in T2DM or non-T2DM group in bivariate correlation and multiple linear regression analysis. Additionally, no association between the levels of PCSK9 and Lp(a) was found in well, poorly controlled T2DM patients or in T2DM patients with or without coronary artery disease (CAD). Besides, no difference was found among the PCSK9 values across tertiles of Lp(a) level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no association of plasma PCSK9 levels with Lp(a) level in Han Chinese with or without T2DM, suggesting that Lp(a) reduction by PCSK9 inhibitors may not be achieved simply through PCSK9 pathway at least in Chinese.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: S-H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: R-X
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: C-G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: Y-L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: N-Q
authors.initials: NQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qing
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: C-J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, BeiLiShi Road 167, Beijing, 100037, China. 13901010368@163.com.
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000071449:Proprotein Convertase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); C472125:PCSK9 protein, human; D000071449:Proprotein Convertase 9
keywords: Atherosclerosis; LDL-receptor; Lipoprotein(a); Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9; Type 2 diabetes mellitus