APOLIPOPROTEIN A-II LEVELS AND CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE IN SUBJECTS WITH AND WITHOUT DIABETES - A STUDY WITH USE OF A SPECIFIC RADIOIMMUNOASSAY FOR APOLIPOPROTEIN A-II

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apolipoprotein (apo) A-I , and apo A-II levels were measured in 1,219 normal subjects with no c linical evidence of coronary artery disease, 81 subjects without diabe tes but with ''significant'' coronary artery disease determined by cor onary arteriography, and 151 subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabe tes mellitus (48 with clinical coronary artery disease and 103 without such disease). In the normal subjects, apo A-II levels were less infl uenced by age, gender, and use of medications than were apo A-I or HDL -C levels. HDL-C, apo A-I, and apo A-II levels were significantly lowe r in subjects who had coronary artery disease with or without diabetes than in control subjects. After adjustments were made for age and sex , however, apo A-II levels were no longer significantly different betw een subjects with diabetes who had and those who did not have coronary artery disease. In subjects without diabetes, apo A-II may provide so me advantages over apo A-I and HDL-C in the assessment of risk of coro nary artery disease because it is influenced less by age, gender, and medications. In subjects with diabetes, however, apo A-II levels are s imilar in the presence or absence of coronary artery disease.