IS A(N INBORN) DEFICIENCY OF PROSTACYCLIN SYNTHESIS STIMULATING PLASMA FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED LIPOPROTEIN(A)

Patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome as well as those with a la ck in the prostacyclin synthesis stimulating plasma factor (PF) are pr one to develop thrombophilia and are at a higher clinical risk for vas cular disease. As patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome have bee n reported to show elevated lipoprotein (Lp)(a) levels, we re-examined all our patients known to have an inborn or an acquired persistent de ficiency of PF. Their non-affected relatives served as controls. In ad dition, 36 patients suffering from clinically manifested atheroscleros is as well as 16 healthy adults, all of them having elevated Lp(a) lev els (>30 mg/dl), were screened for a PF deficiency. In fact, all the p atients with a deficient PF activity showed elevated Lp(a) values. Whi le the prevalence of PF deficiency ranges about 1-2%, in 7 (19%) patie nts with clinically manifested atherosclerosis and 3 (19%) healthy adu lts with elevated Lp(a) this defect was found. The findings demonstrat e an association between PF deficiency and Lp(a), indicating a biochem ical interaction which needs to be further elucidated.