SERUM-INSULIN AND LIPOPROTEIN(A) CONCENTRATIONS - THE JICHI-MEDICAL-SCHOOL COHORT STUDY

OBJECTIVE - To examine the relationship between serum insulin and lipo protein(a) [Lp(a)] concentrations in both sexes in a large population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The authors conducted a cross-sectional investigation of fasting serum concentrations of insulin and Lp(a), o ther blood tests, blood pressures, anthropological measurements, physi cal activity index, smoking habit, alcohol consumption, and menopause. The subjects were 1,121 men and 1,480 women, ranging between 30 and 9 0 years of age, who were voluntary participants in the Jichi Medical C ohort Study and who resided in one of five rural communities in Japan. RESULTS - In men, insulin, age, BMI, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and fibrinogen were significantly correlated with Lp(a). In w omen, insulin, age, IDL cholesterol, fibrinogen, and activated coagula tion factor VII were significantly correlated with Lp(a). However, all correlations were weak in either sex. Insulin was inversely correlate d with Lp(a) in both sexes. However, the coefficients were weak (r = - 0.16 in men and r = -0.06 in women). In the partial correlation analys es, Lp(a) was not significantly associated with insulin in either sex. The result was not influenced by selecting the subjects on the basis of detectable values of insulin and Lp(a) and stratifying them by seru m glucose level. CONCLUSIONS - There was no significant relationship f ound between serum insulin and Lp(a) concentrations in either sex of t he cohort, which indicates that Lp(a) does not play a role in the incr eased risk of cardiovascular disease in hyperinsulinemic subjects.