Lipoprotein indicator of four types of heart disease

ODT 27.3.2007

University of Otago researchers have proved a seldom measured lipoprotein is a strong indicator for four kinds of heart disease.

Doctors already knew bloodborne Lipoprotein(a), otherwise known as Lp(a), was a risk factor for coronary artery disease.
But the Otago team’s just-published research showed it was also a risk factor for stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The research, published in respected American journal Clinical Chemistry, came from protein measured in 1255 patients from Otago.

Vascular Research Group leader Dr Greg Jones and Lipoprotein Research Group leader Dr Sally McCormick said it was the first time Lp(a) was studied in this way in a single population.

The group was already heavily medicated for lowering other vascular risk factors, such as triglycerides and cholesterol, Dr Jones said.

The team wanted to see whether Lp(a) stood out when the new generation of statins was being used — and it did.

Genetics helped determine a person’s Lp(a) level. That, with the fact it was not lowered much by by drugs or diet, was why doctors did not test for it, he said.
Measuring it should help them manage the other risk factors, and help make choices between lifestyle intervention and medication.

“If Lp(a) is low, you might recommend a lifestyle intervention, but if it is high, a more aggressive approach to controlling other risk factors may be more appropriate.”

It was valuable to have a risk factor marker that was relevant to a range of vascular disease, he said.

Dr McCormick’s laboratory would now focus on finding a way to lower Lp(a) levels. A drug may be developed.