[Is there a relationship between sex, age, Lp(a) blood levels, lipid values, and atherosclerotic carotid lesions?].

Recently many studies have been leaded out to identify the risk factors for development of atherosclerosis in cerebral vessels. To value the relationship between lipidic parameters with lipoprotein(a) and the degree of atherosclerotic stenosis of carotids, we have examined with colorsonographic assay the carotid vessels in a sample of 292 patients (171 men, 117 women, average age 71 years, DS +/- 12); we have measured the concentration of lipidic parameters [total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, Apo A, Apo B100, triglycerides and Lp(a)]. HDL Cholesterol showed an inverse relationship to carotid atherosclerosis: that relationship was not statistically significant. Men had much more atherosclerosis than women (p < 0.05) and the degree of stenosis was related to age (p < 0.01). Only in patients under 70 years old, total cholesterol concentration showed a positive association with the size of the atherosclerotic plaques. Lp(a) was neither associated with the degree of carotid atherosclerotic stenosis in all patients of our sample or when selected for age.