Epidemiology
In 200 primary-care patients without cardiovascular disease, elevated Lp(a) tracked with neither more risk factors nor worse lipid parameters (J Clin Med 2024)
Original title: Lipoprotein (a) and the Occurrence of Lipid Disorders and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients without Diagnosed Cardiovascular Disease
This cross-sectional study of 200 primary-care patients without diagnosed cardiovascular disease compared conventional cardiovascular risk factors and lipid parameters between those with Lp(a) below 30 mg/dL (70% of the sample) and those at or above 30 mg/dL. Standard lipid concentrations did not differ between groups, and the distribution of impaired lipid parameters and other cardiovascular risk factors was similar overall (p = 0.41 and p = 0.16, respectively). The high-Lp(a) group had fewer patients over 60 (15.0% vs. 32.9%, p = 0.01) and with BMI 25 kg/m2 or above (46.7% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.026), but more with previously diagnosed hyperlipidaemia (65.0% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.02). The authors conclude that in this primary-care population, an elevated Lp(a) concentration was not related to the burden of conventional cardiovascular risk factors or other major lipid abnormalities, suggesting Lp(a) carries risk information independent of, rather than correlated with, the standard risk-factor profile.
Original abstract
Background: Elevated lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] concentrations are linked mainly to genetic factors. The relationship between Lp(a) and other lipid disorders or cardiovascular (CV) risk factors has been less investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of lipid disorders and other CV risk factors according to Lp(a) concentrations. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 200 primary-care patients who had not been diagnosed with CV disease was conducted. The following risk factors were assessed: older age, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus or dyslipidemia, smoking, lack of physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. The following lipid parameters were measured: total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and small, dense LDL (sdLDL-C). Patients were divided into two groups based on their Lp(a) concentrations: <30 mg/dL and ≥30 mg/dL. Results: In 70% of patients, the Lp(a) concentration was <30 mg/dL. The concentrations of lipid parameters did not differ between the groups. The rate of patients with sdLDL-C >1.0 mmol/L was higher in the low-Lp(a) group (10.0 vs. 1.7%, p = 0.04), with no significant differences regarding the other analyzed lipid disorders (p > 0.05). Both in the low- and high-Lp(a) group, most patients had two other abnormal lipid factors (45.0% and 60.0%, respectively). The distribution of impaired lipid parameters (p = 0.41) and other CV risk factors (p = 0.16) was similar in both groups. There was a lower rate of patients >60 years old (15.0% vs. 32.9%, p = 0.01) and with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (46.7% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.026) in the high-Lp(a) group, and previously diagnosed hyperlipidemia was more prevalent in this group (65.0% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.02). The occurrence of other cardiovascular risk factors did not differ significantly between the Lp(a) groups (p > 0.05). In the high-Lp(a) group, the highest proportion (25.0%) had two CV risk factors, and in the low-Lp(a) group, 31.4% had four CV risk factors. Conclusions: An elevated Lp(a) concentration is not related to the number of conventional CV risk factors or other impairment major lipid parameters.
Summary written by lp-a.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.