Clinical significance of serum lipoprotein (a) in elderly patients with aortic valve sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Calcified aortic valve disease is increasing with explosively in the elderly. Elevated serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a))plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thus, we investigated the relationship between aortic valve sclerosis and serum Lp (a) levels in elderly patients. Methods: Echocardiography was performed in 97 subjects (77 ± 7 years, 48 males and 49 females); Lp (a), fasting plasma glucose, and blood pressure were measured at the time of the study. Aortic valve sclerosis was assessed using echocardiography. Results: Aortic valve sclerosis was observed in 63 patients (sclerosis group; 24 males and 39 females) and not in 34 subjects (non-sclerosis group; 24 males and 10 females). Univariable analysis revealed that age. Lp (a) level, and the number of females were higher in the sclerosis group than in the non-sclerosis group (age; 78 ± 7 vs 74 ± 7 years, p=0.0090, Lp (a); 34 ± 29 vs 20 ± 12 mg/dl, p=0.0095, female;39vs10, p=0.0041). Blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting blood glucose did not seem to affect aortic valve sclerosis. In all of 9 patients with serum Lp (a) greater than60mg/dl aortic valve sclerosis was present. In discriminative analysis, gender (female) (λ=0.9038, p=0.0020) and Lp (a) (λ=0.8316, p=0.0053) were related to aortic valve sclerosis. Conclusion: Elevated serum Lp (a) was observed in elderly patients with aortic valve sclerosis.