TOPLINE:While low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles are much more abundant than lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] particles and carry the greatest overall risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), on a per-particle basis, Lp(a) is associated with about six times the atherogenic risk for LDL, new observational research suggested. METHODOLOGY:To compare the atherogenicity of Lp(a) relative to LDL on a per-particle basis, researchers used a genetic analysis because Lp(a) and LDL both contain one apolipoprotein B (apoB) per particle. In a genome-wide association study of 502,413 UK Biobank participants, they identified genetic variants uniquely affecting plasma levels of either Lp(a) or LDL particles. TAKEAWAY:The odds ratio for CHD for a 50 nmol/L higher Lp(a)-apoB was 1.28 (95% CI, 1.24-1.33) compared with 1.04 (95% CI, 1.03-1.05) for the same increment in LDL-apoB. The working range for the Lp(a) assay used in the study did not cover the full range of Lp(a) values seen in the population.

Source: Punch January 23, 2024 22:03 UTC