RELATION BETWEEN SEX-HORMONES AND SERUM-LIPOPROTEIN AND LIPOPROTEIN(A) CONCENTRATIONS IN PREMENOPAUSAL OBESE WOMEN

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is generally considered to be a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, but little is known about the possible influence of obesity on the circulating levels of this li poprotein. The present study was undertaken to examine this aspect in 136 menstrually active women by comparing the serum concentrations of Lp(a) between 72 obese and 64 age-matched nonobese women. Since an adv erse effect of androgens and a protective effect of estrogens have bee n described for plasma lipoprotein profiles in obese women, the relati on between the circulating levels of Lp(a) and those of these other ho rmones was also investigated in obese patients. In addition. other lip oproteins, anthropometric parameters (body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio), and insulin were evaluated. The levels of Lp(a) were not sign ificantly different (Mann-Whitney U test chi2, 3.59; p=0.0582 [NS]) be tween obese (rank sum, 5,367) and control (rank sum, 3,949) women; in addition, the percentage of patients with high Lp(a) levels (cutoff de fined at 30 mg/dL) did not differ between the two groups (obese women, 30%; control, 21.8%;chi2, 0.90; two-sided p=0.341 [NS]). Moreover, no correlation was found between Lp(a) and body mass index. Lastly, when the Lp(a) prevalence odds ratio for obesity was examined by adjusting the levels of this lipoprotein for age, triglycerides, total choleste rol, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, the probability value ( 0.88) was far from significant. In obese women, no correlation was fou nd between the logarithmically transformed Lp(a) concentrations and al l the other variables evaluated in the study. In conclusion, the prese nt study shows that the circulating levels of Lp(a) are not influenced by body weight and cardiovascular risk factors commonly associated wi th obesity, such as enhanced androgenic activity, hyperinsulinemia, ad verse lipoprotein profile, and abdominal fat accumulation.