Genetics
Lp(a) causally raises abdominal aortic aneurysm risk, UK Biobank analysis of 1,026 cases (JACC Basic Transl Sci 2026)
Original title: Lipoprotein(a) Is Associated With Increased Risk of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
UK Biobank analysis of 1,026 abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) cases and 469,989 controls, testing Lp(a)'s association with AAA risk independent of traditional risk factors including apoB. Elevated Lp(a) was associated with increased AAA risk, including at clinically relevant thresholds, after adjusting for apoB and other risk factors. Multivariable Mendelian randomisation confirmed a causal relationship between Lp(a) and AAA independent of apoB. The authors conclude Lp(a) is a modifiable risk factor and potential therapeutic target for AAA, a condition with limited medical treatment options, and recommend AAA be considered as an outcome in future Lp(a)-lowering clinical trials.
Original abstract
Lp(a) is a genetically determined lipoprotein targeted by emerging therapies. In a UK Biobank analysis (1,026 abdominal aortic aneurysm [AAA] cases, 469,989 controls), elevated Lp(a) was associated with increased risk of AAA, including at clinically relevant thresholds while controlling for traditional risk factors, including ApoB. Multivariable Mendelian randomization confirmed a causal relationship between lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and AAA independent of apolipoprotein B. These findings support Lp(a) as a modifiable risk factor and potential therapeutic target for AAA, a condition with limited medical treatment options. AAA should be considered as an outcome in future clinical trials of Lp(a)-lowering therapies.
Summary written by lp-a.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 17 August 2026. Methods.