title: Serum lipoprotein(a) level as long-term predictor of cardiovascular mortality in a large sample of subjects in primary cardiovascular prevention: data from the Brisighella Heart Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels have been re-evaluated as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed whether serum Lp(a) levels can significantly influence long-term survival in subjects with an equal general cardiovascular (CV) risk profile. We prospectively evaluated a sample of 1215 adult subjects from the Brisighella Heart Study cohort (M: 608; F: 607; aged 40-69) who had no cardiovascular disease at enrolment. According to the CUORE project risk-charts (Italian-specific risk-charts), individuals were stratified into a low-(n=865), an intermediate-(n=275) and a high-(n=75) cardiovascular risk groups. Kaplan-Meier 25-year survival analysis was carried out examining apart each class of risk and the log-rank statistic was used to estimate, when statistically possible, the survival time of the subjects stratified into quartiles of Lp(a).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects at high and intermediate CV risk aged 56-69years (regardless of gender) and women aged 40-55years with a low CV risk profile who had lower Lp(a) levels showed a significant benefit on CV mortality (P<0.05 always) and, indicatively, on the estimated survival time (even P<0.05). The ROC curves constructing for each CV risk group using Lp(a) as test-variable and death as state-variable identified serum Lp(a) as an independent long-term CV mortality prognosticator for subjects at high CV risk (AUC=0.63, 95%CI [0.50-0.76], P=0.049) and women with an intermediate CV risk profile (AUC=0.7, 95%CI [0.52-0.79], P=0.034).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the light of our finding and at the best of the previous knowledge, dosing Lp(a) is confirmed as important in subjects at high or medium risk (even if in primary prevention for CV diseases), especially in women.
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: federicafogacci@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fogacci
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Arrigo Francesco Giuseppe
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Addato
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Agostini
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosticci
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertagnin
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis and Metabolic diseases Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept., University of Bologna, Italy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D017270:Lipoprotein(a)
keywords: Cardiovascular mortality; Lipoprotein(a); ROC curve; Survival analysis