Background: Lipoprotein (a) is suggested to cause endothelial dysfunction, alteration of elastic arterial properties, and decreased arterial compliance. We investigated the relation of arterial compliance and lipoprotein (a) serum [Lp(a)] levels in patients with atherosclerosis.
Methods: Prospective study included 118 consecutive patients with atherosclerosis. Noninvasive computerized pulse wave analysis was used to measure large and small artery elasticity indices in a nondiseased vessel area. Compliance parameters were correlated to Lp(a) levels. Stratified and multivariate analyses were performed to adjust for confounding factors.
Results: Small artery elasticity index was inversely correlated with Lp(a) serum levels (r = -0.64, P <.001). The association between Lp(a) and small artery elasticity index remained significant adjusting for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and lipid-lowering medication (r = -0.37, P <.0001). Lp(a) accounted for approximately 60% of the variation of small artery compliance in nondiabetic patients (n = 80) (r = -0.76, P <.0001), in diabetic patients (n = 38) no significant correlation between Lp(a) and small artery compliance was observed (r = -0.27, P =.09). No correlation was found between large artery elasticity index and Lp(a).
Conclusions: Small artery compliance was negatively correlated to Lp(a) in nondiabetic patients with atherosclerosis. Increased Lp(a) serum levels might cause endothelial dysfunction measurable by decreased small artery elasticity index in these patients. Elastic properties of diabetic vessels were not directly related to Lp(a) serum levels.