Lack of association of lipoprotein(a) levels with coronary calcium deposits in asymptomatic postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine the relationship of lipoprotein(a ) (Lp(a)) and other cardiac risk factors to coronary atherosclerosis as mea sured by calcification of coronary arteries in asymptomatic postmenopausal women. BACKGROUND Lipoprotein(a) is considered a risk factor for coronary heart di sease. Coronary calcium deposition is believed to be a useful noninvasive m arker of coronary atherosclerosis in women. However, to our knowledge, ther e are no reports of the relationship of Lp(a) to coronary calcium in postme nopausal women. METHODS In 178 asymptomatic postmenopausal women (64 +/- 8 years), we measu red Lp(a) and other cardiac risk factors: age, hypertension, diabetes, low- density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking status, body mass index, physical activity level and duration of hormone replacement therapy. Electron-beam c omputed tomography was done to measure coronary calcium (calcium score). We analyzed the relationship between calcium score and cardiac risk factors u sing multivariate analysis. RESULTS Although calcium score correlated with traditional risk factors of age, diabetes, hypertension and smoking, it did not correlate with Lp(a) in the asymptomatic postmenopausal women. Similar multivariate analyses were done in the subjects age >60 years and in the subjects with significant cor onary calcium deposit (calcium score greater than or equal to 50). These an alyses also have failed to show an association of levels of Lp(a) with coro nary calcium deposits. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that in asymptomatic postmenopausal women, Lp(a) le vels do not correlate with coronary atherosclerosis as measured by coronary calcium deposits. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2000;35:314-20) (C) 2000 by the Ameri can College of Cardiology.