Abstract
Lp (a) is a LDL-like lipoprotein, whose high concentration in serum is associated with angina, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction. Apo (a) exhibits 7 phenotypes according to their mobility on SDS-PAGE, called F, B, S1-4, and 0 (null; not detectable). Attempts were made to investigate the relation of Lp (a) concentration with these phenotypes in Japanese controls (n=198) and patients with cerebral infarction (Cortical artery type : n=51, Perforating artery type : n=47). The median Lp (a) concentration in patients with cerebral infarction of cortical artery type is 16.8 mg/dl, which is significantly higher than serum Lp (a) concentrations in healthy controls (13.0 mg/dl), and also those in patients with cerebral infarction of perforating artery type (12.6 mg/dl) (p<0.05). The mean Lp (a) concentration is relatively low in S3, S4, and 0 type (12.9, 10.2, 7.9 mg/dl), and high in S1, S2 type (20.8, 19.5 mg/dl). When mean Lp (a) concentration of each phenotype were compared among these 3 groups-healthy controls and patient with cerebral infarctions of cortical artery type and perforating artery type-, no significant difference were observed. On the other hand, phenotype frequencies are quite differen between healthy controls and cerebral infarction of cortical artery type. S3, S4, and 0 type occupies 59.0% in healthy controls but 47.0% in cerebral infarction of cortical artery type S1, S2 type occupies 10.8% in former but 31.4% in the latter. No significant difference were observed between healthy controls and patients with cerebral infarction of perforating artery type. Apo (a) phenotype, probably inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, is considered useful for risk assessment of cerebral infarction.
