Hughes J K, Mendelsohn D
Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
S Afr Med J. 1990 Nov 17;78(10):567-70.
Lipoprotein (Lp)(a) represents a quantitative genetic trait. Elevated Lp(a) levels (greater than 25-30 mg/dl) have been linked epidemiologically to cardiovascular disease. A high Lp(a) level seems to be an additional independent risk factor for the accelerated progression of atherosclerosis, although the exact mechanism involved is not yet known. Individuals with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) have also been shown to have elevated Lp(a) levels, but again the reason for this is unclear. A preliminary investigation of serum Lp(a) levels in 30 apparently healthy individuals, 38 FH patients and 34 individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) was conducted. Lp(a) levels were distributed over a wide range, varying from barely detectable to above 84.0 mg/dl. A greater incidence of elevated Lp(a) levels (greater than 30 mg/dl) was found in both the FH group (71%) and the CAD group (41%) compared with 'normal' individuals (30%). Analysis of the circulating Lp(a) level may be useful in determining an individual's long-term risk for cardiovascular disease.
脂蛋白(a)[Lp(a)]是一种数量性状基因。从流行病学角度来看，Lp(a)水平升高（大于25 - 30毫克/分升）与心血管疾病相关。尽管具体机制尚不清楚，但高Lp(a)水平似乎是动脉粥样硬化加速进展的另一个独立危险因素。家族性高胆固醇血症（FH）患者的Lp(a)水平也已被证明升高，不过其原因同样不明。对30名表面健康的个体、38名FH患者和34名冠状动脉疾病（CAD）患者的血清Lp(a)水平进行了初步调查。Lp(a)水平分布范围广泛，从几乎检测不到到高于84.0毫克/分升不等。与“正常”个体（30%）相比，FH组（71%）和CAD组（41%）中Lp(a)水平升高（大于30毫克/分升）的发生率更高。分析循环Lp(a)水平可能有助于确定个体患心血管疾病的长期风险。
