A cross-epidemiologic study concerning cardiovascular risk factors in
a random sample population of Mexico City was carried out in 1991 and
1992. Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels in 404 men and 311 women aged 20-9
0 years were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay on fasting plasma
. Men and women showed similar age-adjusted Lp(a) values. For the whol
e population the median Lp(a) was 6.9 mg/dL and the prevalence of high
Lp(a) (> 30 mg/dL) was 14%. Small positive correlations between Lp(a)
and plasma cholesterol (r(s) = 0.16) and low density lipoprotein chol
esterol (LDL-C) (r(s) = 0.21), and a negative one with insulin (r(s) =
-0.13) were found. In a multiple regression analysis, insulin and LDL
-C were the variables that best explained the variation of Lp(a) in ou
r sample. Our data show that Lp(a) in our population is similar to tha
t found in other populations. An association of Lp(a) with myocardial
infarction was observed (high Lp(a) was seen in 33% of atherosclerotic
individuals versus 14% in healthy subjects) but did not reach statist
ical significance.