Epidemiology
Lp(a) does not correlate with coronary calcium in asymptomatic postmenopausal women, a study of 178 women (J Am Coll Cardiol 2000)
Original title: Lack of association of lipoprotein(a) levels with coronary calcium deposits in asymptomatic postmenopausal women
This study measured Lp(a) and cardiac risk factors in 178 asymptomatic postmenopausal women (mean age 64) to assess their relationship with coronary calcium score, measured by electron-beam computed tomography. Coronary calcium score correlated with traditional risk factors, including age, diabetes, hypertension and smoking, but not with Lp(a). This lack of correlation persisted in subgroup analyses restricted to women over 60 and to those with significant coronary calcium (score at or above 50). The findings show Lp(a) does not correlate with coronary atherosclerosis, as measured by coronary calcium deposits, in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.
Original abstract
Objectives: This study sought to determine the relationship of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and other cardiac risk factors to coronary atherosclerosis as measured by calcification of coronary arteries in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.
Background: Lipoprotein(a) is considered a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Coronary calcium deposition is believed to be a useful noninvasive marker of coronary atherosclerosis in women. However, to our knowledge, there are no reports of the relationship of Lp(a) to coronary calcium in postmenopausal women.
Methods: In 178 asymptomatic postmenopausal women (64 +/- 8 years), we measured Lp(a) and other cardiac risk factors: age, hypertension, diabetes, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking status, body mass index, physical activity level and duration of hormone replacement therapy. Electron-beam computed tomography was done to measure coronary calcium (calcium score). We analyzed the relationship between calcium score and cardiac risk factors using multivariate analysis.
Results: Although calcium score correlated with traditional risk factors of age, diabetes, hypertension and smoking, it did not correlate with Lp(a) in the asymptomatic postmenopausal women. Similar multivariate analyses were done in the subjects age >60 years and in the subjects with significant coronary calcium deposit (calcium score > or =50). These analyses also have failed to show an association of levels of Lp(a) with coronary calcium deposits.
Conclusions: We conclude that in asymptomatic postmenopausal women, Lp(a) levels do not correlate with coronary atherosclerosis as measured by coronary calcium deposits.
epidemiologyplaque imagingwomen
Summary written by lp-a.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.