Study Tests Potential Biomarkers of Post-Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Risk
Lipoprotein(a) concentrations (LPA) and LPA genetic variants were not associated with mortality in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), according to the findings of a recent study.
The study included data from 3313 patients with established CHD involved in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health study (LURIC). Patients were categorized into 4 groups based on the levels of lipoprotein(a) concentration in plasma, and were followed for a median 9.9 years. Researchers analyzed the association between all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and lipoprotein(a) and 2 LPA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking status, estimated glomerular filtration rate, LDL-cholesterol concentration, and use of lipid-lowering therapy.
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In addition, researchers used data from 5 independent studies that included 10,195 patients with CHD to validate the results for lipoprotein(a) concentrations, and used 22 studies that included 106,353 patients with CHD to replicate the results for genetic associations.
The highest concentration of lipoprotein(a) and presence of LPA SNP was associated with increased severity of CHD.
However, no associations were found between LPA SNPs and lipoprotein(a) concentrations and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in participants involved in LURIC, or in participants involved in the studies used to validate the results.
“In patients with prevalent coronary heart disease, lipoprotein(a) concentrations and genetic variants showed no associations with mortality,” the researchers concluded.
“We conclude that these variables are not useful risk factors to measure to predict progression to death after coronary heart disease is established.”
—Melissa Weiss
Reference:
Zewinger S, Kleber ME, Tragante V, et al. Relations between lipoprotein(a) concentrations, LPA genetic variants, and the risk of mortality in patients with established coronary heart disease: a molecular and genetic association study [published May 26, 2017]. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30096-7.