Distribution of Lipoprotein (a) and Relationships between its Level and Blood Chemical Findings in a Rural Area in Japan

Abstract

To reveal a distribution of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) in Japan and to explore relationships between Lp(a) and conventional cardiovascular risk factors, transaminase (GOT(AST), GPT(ALT)) and γ- gulutamyltranspeptidase (y-GTP), a cross-sectional study in a healthy population was performed. We measured serum Lp(a) of 497 apparently healthy subjects aged 40-69 years old in a rural area in Japan ; 198 males and 299 females. Lp(a) frequency distributions were highly skewed to the low level. Serum Lp(a) level is significantly higher in the females (15.1+/-1.08 mg/dl) than in the males (12.0+/-1.01 mg/dl). Among males the median and mean log Lp(a) levels increased according to age. Pearson's correlation analysis showed statistically significant correlations (p<0.05) between Lp(a) and GOT, GPT, γ-GTP, total cholesterol (TCH), triglyceride, but no statistically significant correlations between Lp(a) and body mass index, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood sugar, corrected TCH for males. On the other hand, the same analysis showed no statistically significant correlation among Lp(a) and each item observed for females. We suppose Lp(a) is not related to conventional cardiovascular risk factors. J Epidemiol, 1994; 4 : 163-169.