Background: Lipoprotein A (LpA) is an intriguing lipoprotein with unquestio
nable genetic determination which is expressed early in life. The increasin
g interest in LpA is due to its established recognition as an important ind
ependent risk factor for premature atherosclerosis in cardiovascular diseas
es. Coronary heart disease is a major cause of morbidity and premature mort
ality in Kuwait. The present study was designed to measure serum LpA concen
trations in Arab newborns to establish reference values for LpA in newborns
and its relationship to factors present in the mother and baby.
Methods: Serum LpA concentration was analyzed in the cord blood of 107 Arab
newborns by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: The mean and median LpA were 54.8 mg/L and 33 mg/L, respectively (
range 1-500 mg/L). The frequency distribution of LpA in cord blood was skew
ed to the right, with the highest frequencies of LpA below 100 mg/L. Mean L
pA levels were significantly higher in female infants compared with male in
fants at birth (77.27 +/- 108.12 mg/L vs 40.2 +/- 41.43 mg/L, P < 0.05). Li
poprotein A concentrations in newborns were not influenced by material char
acteristics or type of delivery. Moreover, neonatal LpA concentration did n
ot correlate with birthweight (BW) or body mass index (BMI).
Conclusions: Lipoprotein A concentration at birth is low and is not related
to maternal characteristics. Additionally, the development of circulating
LpA in serum at birth was independent of BW and BMI.