LIPOPROTEIN (A) - ITS ROLE IN CHILDHOOD THROMBOEMBOLISM

Purpose. Elevated lipoprotein (a) [LP (all concentrations are independ ent risk factors of coronary heart disease or stroke in young adults. To clarify its role in childhood thromboembolism, Lp (a) was measured in 72 children with thromboembolism. Methods. In addition to Lp (a), d efects of the protein C anticoagulant system, antithrombin, and antiph ospholipid antibodies were investigated in children with arterial (n = 36) or venous (n = 36) thrombosis. Results. Enhanced Lp (a) >50 mg/dL was diagnosed in 8 out of 36 children with arterial and 5 out of 36 p atients with venous thrombosis. Of the 72 children, 25 showed the fact or V Leiden mutation, 10 showed protein C deficiency, 2 showed antithr ombin deficiency, and 4 showed primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Thre e children with increased Lp (a) were heterozygous for the factor V Le iden mutation, and 1 girl showed additional protein C deficiency. Conc lusions. Data of this study indicate that increased concentrations of Lp (a) play an important role in childhood thrombosis.