Diabetes Care, Vol 21, Issue 11 1819-1823, Copyright © 1998 by American Diabetes Association
Lipoprotein(a) is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in NIDDM patients in South India
V Mohan, R Deepa, SP Haranath, G Premalatha, M Rema, NG Sastry and EA Enas
Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Gopalapuram, Chennai, India. drmohan@02giasmd01.vsnl.net.in
OBJECTIVE: Asian Indians have been reported to have very high prevalence
rates of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the absence of traditional risk
factors. Recently, elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] have been
reported to be associated with premature CAD in migrant Asian Indians.
However, there are very little data regarding Lp(a) in CAD patients from
the Indian subcontinent and virtually none in individuals with NIDDM. The
objective of this study was to assess the role of Lp(a) as a marker for CAD
in South Indian NIDDM patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We estimated
serum Lp(a) in 100 control subjects, 100 NIDDM patients without CAD, and
100 NIDDM patients with CAD. Lp(a) values were transformed into natural
logarithms. Statistical analysis included Student's t test, one-way
analysis of variance, and chi2 test. Multiple logistic regression analysis
was used to identify associations with CAD. RESULTS: Lp(a) levels were
significantly higher in NIDDM patients with CAD compared with NIDDM
patients without CAD and control subjects (geometric mean 24.6, 15.1, and
19.4 mg/dl, respectively, P < 0.05). Results of logistic regression
analysis showed that Lp(a), age, and HDL were associated with CAD. In NIDDM
patients with CAD, there was no correlation between Lp(a) and serum
cholesterol, triglyceride, or HDL cholesterol levels, but there was a weak
association with LDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS:
The data suggests that serum Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for CAD in
NIDDM patients in South India.