PLASMA-LIPOPROTEIN (A) LEVELS SHOWING AGE-RELATED-CHANGES IN DIABETICAND HYPERTENSIVE INDIVIDUALS

We measured plasma levels of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] in 117 individual s. A highly significant relationship between Lp(a) and increasing age was found in hypertensive patients but not in normals. These patients also showed marked variation in both total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels. In diabetic subjects, despite t he significant elevation in TG and very low-density lipoprotein-choles terol, the increase in Lp(a) concentration was not significant, probab ly due to a more rapid clearance of triglyceride rich particle apo (a) of Lp(a) compared to the slower apo (a) catabolism in the LDL density range.