Lipoprotein(a) levels in formerly small-for-gestational-age children

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is an independent and inherited risk factor for coro nary artery disease. Concentrations of Lp(a) have been widely described in adolescents, but little is known about its concentration in children born s mall for gestational age (SGA), To assess the influence of intrauterine gro wth on Lp(a) levels we examined 50 children born SGA and 21 children born a dequate for gestational age (AGA). Lp(a) blood levels (mean +/- SD) of the SGA children differed significantly (p < 0.05) from AGA children (22.3 +/- 22.1 vs. 10.9 +/- 7.6 mg/dl). 14 out of 50 adolescents of the SGA group but 1 out of 21 of the AGA group had elevated Lp(a) (>30 mg/dl) concentrations (p < 0.05). These children also had higher triglyceride (1.0 +/- 0.6 mmol/ l vs. 0.74 +/- 0.38 mmol/l) levels (p< 0.05) compared to children with Lp(a ) levels <30 mg/dl, Adolescents with Lp(a) levels >30 mg/dl showed a signif icant inverse relation between Lp(a) levels and gestational age (r = -0.68, p < 0.005). We hypothesize that impairment of fetal growth might influence serum Lp(a) levels in later life, Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.