Mechanisms
Serum Lp(a) predicts aortic stiffness with an AUC of 0.77 in 148 long-term peritoneal dialysis patients (Med Sci Monit 2024)
Original title: Serum Lipoprotein(a) Levels as a Predictor of Aortic Stiffness in Patients on Long-Term Peritoneal Dialysis
In a cross-sectional study of 148 patients on long-term peritoneal dialysis for end-stage kidney failure, aortic stiffness, defined as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) above 10 m/s, was present in 32 patients (21.6%). Multivariate logistic regression found the odds ratio for aortic stiffness was 1.007 (95% CI 1.003-1.011, P = 0.001) per 1 mg/L increase in Lp(a). Multivariate linear regression identified Lp(a) (P < 0.001), age (P = 0.003), waist circumference (P = 0.008), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.010), and diabetes (P < 0.001) as positively associated with cfPWV. Lp(a) discriminated aortic stiffness from non-stiffness with an area under the ROC curve of 0.770 (95% CI 0.694-0.835, P < 0.0001). Serum Lp(a) is independently associated with both continuous cfPWV and categorical aortic stiffness in this peritoneal dialysis population, supporting its use as a vascular aging marker in patients with kidney failure.
Original abstract
BACKGROUND Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality in patients with kidney failure. Aortic stiffness (AS), measured primarily by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), reflects vascular aging and precedes end-organ failure. This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum Lp(a) levels and cfPWV in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). MATERIAL AND METHODS In this cross-sectional study, which included 148 patients with long-term PD for end-stage kidney failure, cfPWV was measured using a cuff-based method. AS was defined as a cfPWV exceeding 10 m/s, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine serum Lp(a) levels. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the clinical correlates of AS. RESULTS There were 32 (21.6%) patients diagnosed with AS. Based on the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for AS was 1.007 (95% confidence interval, 1.003-1.011; P=0.001) for every 1 mg/L increase in Lp(a) levels. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that Lp(a) (P<0.001), age (P=0.003), waist circumference (P=0.008), systolic blood pressure (P=0.010), and diabetes mellitus (P<0.001) were positively associated with cfPWV. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for Lp(a) in differentiating AS from non-AS was 0.770 (95% confidence interval, 0.694-0.835; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Serum Lp(a) level was independently associated with cfPWV and AS in patients with PD.
Summary written by lp-a.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.