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Background: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. There is as yet controversy on serum Lp(a) concentrations in the elderly population.
Methods: We investigated 2128 medical outpatients who consecutively attended our laboratory between January 2006 and June 2008 for Lp(a) and routine serum lipid assessment. The cohort included 299 (88 men and 211 women) elderly outpatients aged ≥ 75 yrs and 1829 (828 men and 1001 women) patients aged < 75 yrs.
Results: Compared with those aged < 75 yrs, elderly male patients had an overall more favourable traditional lipid profile, including lower values of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, total to HDL-C ratio, atherogenic index of plasma and higher values of HDL-C. Conversely, no significant differences could be observed between women aged < 75 yrs and the elderly patients. In both genders, elderly patients had significantly higher Lp(a) median con- centrations. However, after stratification of patients according to the current 300 mg/L cardiovascular risk threshold for Lp(a), the percentages of those ≥ 75 yrs having Lp(a) levels above this threshold were marginally, but not significantly, higher in both genders (men: 28 % versus 25 %, p = 0.499; women: 35 % versus 30 %, p = 0.374).
Conclusions: The results of the present investigation suggests that elderly patients have similar or even greater Lp(a) values than those observed in a general population aged < 75 yrs. Accordingly, elevated serum Lp(a) concentrations may be compatible with longevity.
DOI: Clin. Lab. 2010;56:463-466
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