APOLIPOPROTEIN(A), FIBRINOPEPTIDE-A AND CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN MIDDLE-AGED MEN

The association between apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)], fibrinogen, fibrin opeptide A (FPA) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was analyzed in Eastern Finnish men aged 50 to 60 years. Apo(a) correlated directl y with carotid bifurcation(r = 0.26, p = 0.001), but not with common c arotid IMT. Men in the lowest quartile of apo(a) had thinner (p = 0.01 3) IMT in bifurcation [1.59 mm (95% CI 1.49; 1.68)] compared to the me n in the highest [1.91 mm (95% CI 1.73; 2.09)] apo(a) quartile. The di fference remained (p = 0.038) after adjusting for confounders. Plasma fibrinogen was not related to carotid IMT, whereas FPA correlated with common carotid (r = 0.21, p = 0.016) and carotid bifurcation (r = 0.2 1, p = 0.018) IMT. These associations abolished after adjusting for th e confounders. The data suggest that apo(a) associate with carotid ath erosclerosis independent of other risk factors for ischemic cardiovasc ular diseases.