Biomaterial Database

Lipoprotein(a): a causal independent risk factor for coronary heart disease? 2009

Vilmundur Gudnason

Icelandic Heart Association Research Institute, Kopavogur, Iceland. v.gudnason@hjarta.is

OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to put the research of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] into context with the recent advances in genetic studies and risk assessment of coronary heart disease (CHD). RESULTS Lp(a) has become an established independent but moderate risk factor for the development of CHD. The blood level of Lp(a) is largely controlled by the LPA gene locus itself, and a number of recent genetic studies of the LPA gene have confirmed this. The impact of the LPA gene on the risk of CHD is less well established The size of these effects is moderate and will make it difficult to obtain added predictability to risk assessment using conventional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS Although there is highly suggestive evidence for a causal relationship between Lp(a) levels and CHD, large well prepared 'Mendelian randomization' studies are needed to fully explore that relationship. The moderate effect of Lp(a) on cardiovascular risk as well as the difficulty in lowering Lp(a) blood levels makes it less useful in the practice of medicine and public health.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003324	Coronary Artery Disease	Pathological processes of CORONARY ARTERIES that may derive from a congenital abnormality, atherosclerotic, or non-atherosclerotic cause.	Arteriosclerosis, Coronary,Atherosclerosis, Coronary,Coronary Arteriosclerosis,Coronary Atherosclerosis,Left Main Coronary Artery Disease,Left Main Coronary Disease,Left Main Disease,Arterioscleroses, Coronary,Artery Disease, Coronary,Artery Diseases, Coronary,Atheroscleroses, Coronary,Coronary Arterioscleroses,Coronary Artery Diseases,Coronary Atheroscleroses,Left Main Diseases
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D015415	Biomarkers	Measurable and quantifiable biological parameters (e.g., specific enzyme concentration, specific hormone concentration, specific gene phenotype distribution in a population, presence of biological substances) which serve as indices for health- and physiology-related assessments, such as disease risk, psychiatric disorders, ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE and its effects, disease diagnosis; METABOLIC PROCESSES; SUBSTANCE ABUSE; PREGNANCY; cell line development; EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES; etc.	Biochemical Markers,Biological Markers,Biomarker,Clinical Markers,Immunologic Markers,Laboratory Markers,Markers, Biochemical,Markers, Biological,Markers, Clinical,Markers, Immunologic,Markers, Laboratory,Markers, Serum,Markers, Surrogate,Markers, Viral,Serum Markers,Surrogate Markers,Viral Markers,Biochemical Marker,Biologic Marker,Biologic Markers,Clinical Marker,Immune Marker,Immune Markers,Immunologic Marker,Laboratory Marker,Marker, Biochemical,Marker, Biological,Marker, Clinical,Marker, Immunologic,Marker, Laboratory,Marker, Serum,Marker, Surrogate,Serum Marker,Surrogate End Point,Surrogate End Points,Surrogate Endpoint,Surrogate Endpoints,Surrogate Marker,Viral Marker,Biological Marker,End Point, Surrogate,End Points, Surrogate,Endpoint, Surrogate,Endpoints, Surrogate,Marker, Biologic,Marker, Immune,Marker, Viral,Markers, Biologic,Markers, Immune
D017270	Lipoprotein(a)	A lipoprotein that resembles the LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS but with an extra protein moiety, APOPROTEIN (A) also known as APOLIPOPROTEIN (A), linked to APOLIPOPROTEIN B-100 on the LDL by one or two disulfide bonds. High plasma level of lipoprotein (a) is associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.	Lipoprotein (a),Lipoprotein (a-),Lipoprotein Lp(a),Lipoprotein a
D018570	Risk Assessment	The qualitative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of beneficial influences. (Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 1988)	Assessment, Risk,Benefit-Risk Assessment,Risk Analysis,Risk-Benefit Assessment,Health Risk Assessment,Risks and Benefits,Analysis, Risk,Assessment, Benefit-Risk,Assessment, Health Risk,Assessment, Risk-Benefit,Benefit Risk Assessment,Benefit-Risk Assessments,Benefits and Risks,Health Risk Assessments,Risk Analyses,Risk Assessment, Health,Risk Assessments,Risk Benefit Assessment,Risk-Benefit Assessments