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Title Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) Impact and role as cardiovascular risk marker
Author/s Margaretha Persson
Department/s Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö
Full-text Available as PDF
Defence date 2008-10-25
Defence time 09:15
Defence place Medicinens Aula, Medicinska kliniken, Ingång 35, Universitetssjukhuset MAS, Malmö
Opponent Professor Olov Wiklund
Publication/Series Lund University Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series
Publishing year 2008
Volume 2008:99
Pages 136
Document type Dissertation
Language English
Publisher Dept of Clinical Sciences in Malmö.
Abstract English Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is today considered a novel specific vascular inflammatory biomarker. The general aim of this thesis was to study the role and impact of Lp-PLA2 as cardiovascular (CV) risk marker in an epidemiologic perspective. Specific aims were to explore the cross-sectional association of Lp-PLA2 with traditional CV risk factors, to asses the genetic influence of PLA2G7 on plasma levels of Lp-PLA2, and to study the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in relation to Lp-PLA2. Data from the population-based “Malmö Diet and Cancer” CV cohort (n=6103) was used. Information on Lp-PLA2 was available on 5393 subjects (41 % men) with a mean follow-up of 10.6 years. National and local registers were used to retrieve the incidence of coronary events (CE), ischemic stroke and mortality.
Lp-PLA2 (assessed as activity or mass) increases with age, is higher in males and in current smokers. Lp-PLA2 is strongly correlated with blood lipids (especially LDL-cholesterol), however, is weakly correlated to glucose and to the extent of carotid asymptomatic atherosclerosis (i.e. intima-media thickness and plaque).
Genetic variation at the PLA2G7 gene locus significantly influences plasma Lp-PLA2 activity and mass levels, in a position and sex-specific manner.
Both elevated levels of Lp-PLA2 activity and mass, respectively, are independent of blood lipids, hs-CRP and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors, associated with an increased risk for incident ischemic stroke. No similar independent relationship was observed between Lp-PLA2 and CE.
Lp-PLA2 activity, compared with mass, is more strongly correlated to all five components constituting the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and increased more linearly with number of MetS components. Elevated levels of Lp-PLA2 activity was related to increased risk for incident CVD regardless of MetS. High Lp-PLA2 levels and presence of MetS were additive predictors of those who experienced a CV event.
It is concluded that both genetic and life-style factors are related to elevated levels of Lp-PLA2. Lp-PLA2 is independently associated with increased CVD risk, in particular ischemic stroke. There is an additive effect of Lp-PLA2 to presence of MetS on incident CVD risk, which may identify an especially high risk individual.
Subject Medicine and Health Sciences
Keywords cohort study, cardiovascular disease, epidemiology, Lp-PLA2, PLA2G7 gene, metabolic syndrome, risk factor, stroke
ISBN/ISSN/Other ISSN: 1652-8220
ISBN: 978-91-86059-52-1
Supervisor Bo Hedblad
Supervisor Göran Berglund
Part of The epidemiology of Lp-PLA(2): Distribution and correlation with cardiovascular risk factors in a population-based cohort.
Part of Lp-PLA(2) activity and mass are associated with increased incidence of ischemic stroke A population-based cohort study from Malmö, Sweden.
Part of Elevated Lp-PLA2 Levels Add Prognostic Information to The Metabolic Syndrome on Incidence of Cardiovascular Events Among Middle-Aged Nondiabetic Subjects.

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