Lack of association between carotid intima-media thickness and apolipoprotein (a) isoforms in a sample of Spanish general population

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between apolipoprotein (a) isoforms and early atherosclerosis, assessed by carotid artery intima-media thickness in a sample of adults of the general population of Burgos, a city in the north of Spain.

Design and methods: Lipids, lipoprotein (a), number of carotid atherosclerotic plaques, if any, and the intima-media thickness in the far wall of both common carotid arteries by B-mode ultrasound were determined in a group of 171 adults from the general population of Burgos, Spain. Apolipoprotein (a) isoforms were determined in a random subset of 119 subjects.

Results: Increasing age, male sex, and past personal cardiovascular history were significantly associated with increased left, right, or average intima-media thickness of both carotid arteries in multivariate analysis. No statistically significant association was found between apolipoprotein (a) isoforms and mean carotid intima-media thickness by bivariate or multivariate regression analysis.

Conclusions: In this sample of the general Spanish population, no association was found between apolipoprotein (a) isoforms and carotid artery intima-media thickness.