Jp. Werba et al., PLASMA TRIGLYCERIDES AND LIPOPROTEIN(A) - INVERSE RELATIONSHIP IN A HYPERLIPIDEMIC ITALIAN POPULATION, Atherosclerosis, 101(2), 1993, pp. 203-211
The relationship between plasma lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels and othe
r clinical/biochemical variables was investigated in 1200 consecutive
hyperlipidemic patients. Plasma Lp(a) concentrations were measured by
a sandwich-ELISA method, while the patients were either on diet or die
t plus lipid-lowering drugs; 38% of them had a plasma Lp(a) level > 30
mg/dl. The median plasma Lp(a) concentration and the frequency of Lp(
a) > 30 mg/dl were significantly lower in individuals with severe hype
rtriglyceridemia vs. hypercholesterolemics (HC) or mixed hyperlipidemi
cs (M-HLP), but similar to normolipidemic healthy controls. Patients w
ith isolated moderate hypertriglyceridemia had Lp(a) levels intermedia
te between HC and M-HLP subjects. The in vitro addition of triglycerid
e-rich lipoproteins to normotriglyceridemic plasma did not affect the
Lp(a) measurement. Plasma Lp(a) concentrations in the whole hyperlipid
emic population correlated negatively with triglycerides and positivel
y with total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and age, being unrelated to
either body mass index or lipid-lowering treatment. In HC patients, th
e presence of tendon xanthomas was associated with twofold higher Lp(a
) levels. These findings argue for a regulatory role of triglycerides
on plasma Lp(a) levels in hyperlipidemic patients.