Epidemiology
Lp(a) at or above 30 mg/L independently predicts ASCVD in 265 Beijing haemodialysis patients, alongside age, low albumin and diabetes (BMC Nephrol 2024)
Original title: Association between lipoprotein (a) and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events among maintenance hemodialysis patients in Beijing, China: a single-center, retrospective study
In a retrospective cohort of 265 patients on maintenance haemodialysis at Beijing Tongren Hospital, followed for a median 71 months, 78 patients (29.4%) developed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and 118 (47%) died, with 58 of those deaths (49.1%) attributed to ASCVD. Serum Lp(a) correlated positively with LDL cholesterol and negatively with haemoglobin, triglycerides, serum iron, creatinine, and albumin. Multivariate Cox regression identified Lp(a) at or above 30 mg/L, older age, lower serum albumin, and a history of diabetes as independently associated with ASCVD incidence. The findings support serum Lp(a) as a clinically useful biomarker for estimating ASCVD risk specifically in Chinese maintenance haemodialysis patients, a population where this relationship had previously been unclear.
Original abstract
Background: Serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the general population, its association with ASCVD incidence in Chinese maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between Lp(a) levels and ASCVD incidence among MHD patients in Beijing, China.
Methods: This retrospective, observational cohort study included MHD patients at Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 1, 2013 to December 1, 2020, and followed until December 1,2023. The primary outcome was ASCVD occurrence. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate ASCVD-free survival in MHD patients, with stratification based on Lp(a) levels. Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between Lp(a) levels and the occurrence of ASCVD.
Results: A total of 265 patients were enrolled in the study. The median follow-up period were 71 months.78 (29.4%) participants experienced ASCVD events, and 118 (47%) patients died, with 58 (49.1%) deaths attributed to ASCVD. Spearman rank correlation analyses revealed positive correlations between serum Lp(a) levels and LDL-c levels, and negative correlations with hemoglobin, triglyceride, serum iron, serum creatinine, and albumin levels. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that Lp(a) levels ≥ 30 mg/L, increased age, decreased serum albumin levels, and a history of diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with ASCVD incidence.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated an independent and positive association between serum Lp(a) levels and the risk of ASCVD in MHD patients, suggesting that serum Lp(a) could potentially serve as a clinical biomarker for estimating ASCVD risk in this population.
Summary written by lp-a.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.