Statins
Lp(a) of 97.5 mg/L predicts coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetes, and six months of rosuvastatin does not budge it (Rev Assoc Med Bras 2025)
Original title: Association between lipoprotein(a) and coronary heart disease risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus and evaluation of statin treatment effects
This retrospective study of 120 patients with type 2 diabetes, 90 with coronary heart disease (CHD) confirmed by angiography who received rosuvastatin for over six months and 30 without CHD or macrovascular complications and untreated, found Lp(a) levels higher in both mild and severe CHD groups than in the disease-free controls. Logistic regression identified Lp(a) as independently associated with CHD risk, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.729, and a value of 97.5 mg/L offered high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing CHD. After six months of rosuvastatin, HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A rose and other lipid parameters fell, but the Lp(a) reduction was not statistically significant. The study reinforces Lp(a) as an independent CHD risk marker in type 2 diabetes and confirms, in a diabetic population specifically, that statin monotherapy does not meaningfully lower Lp(a).
Original abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between lipoprotein(a) and coronary heart disease risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and evaluate the effectiveness of statin therapy.
Methods: This retrospective analysis included 120 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Of these, 90 patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease via coronary angiography received rosuvastatin treatment for over 6 months. The remaining 30 patients exhibited no coronary heart disease or other diabetic macrovascular complications and had not received any lipid-lowering treatment. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease were categorized into two groups based on the severity of coronary lesions. Baseline characteristics and blood lipid data were compared among groups. Logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate the association between lipoprotein(a) and coronary heart disease risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to evaluate the diagnostic value of lipoprotein(a) for coronary heart disease.
Results: Compared with the control group, lipoprotein(a) levers were higher in both the mild and severe groups. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that lipoprotein(a) is independently associated with the risk of coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for lipoprotein(a) was 0.729. When lipoprotein(a) was 97.5 mg/L, the diagnosis of coronary heart disease had high sensitivity and specificity. After statin therapy, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A levels increased, while other lipid parameters decreased. However, the lipoprotein(a) level decrease was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Lipoprotein(a) is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Lipid-lowering therapy with statins alone cannot reduce lipoprotein(a) levels.
Summary written by lp-a.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.