Lp(a) Levels in Global ASCVD Patients

Levels of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) in the management of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in a global population.

Key Takeaway

Lp(a)Heritage, the first, large, multicenter cross-sectional epidemiological study reporting the prevalence of elevated Lp(a) levels in patients with a history of ASCVD (N = 48,135), identified racial, ethnic, regional, and gender differences in Lp(a) levels, and demonstrated that:

• Most patients are presently managed without knowledge of Lp(a) levels
• Small population of patients with ASCVD were considered for Lp(a) measurements and its level was higher in young (18−54 years), female, and black patients
• Women and younger patients also showed higher levels of LDL-C; higher median LDL-C levels corelated with increasing Lp(a) levels
• >25% patients had Lp(a) levels above the range that was considered to elevate CV (approximately 50 mg/dL^*)
• Elevated Lp(a) levels were observed in one fourth of the global population with ASCVD and 10% of the population showed levels >100 mg/dL

Why This Matters

• Lp(a) an important genetically determined risk factor of ASCVD. However, it is not frequently measured in clinical practice for managing patients with ASCVD.
• Presently, studies on Lp(a) measurements are available in high-income countries thus, resulting in limited data availability for comprehensive population.
• This Lp(a) Heritage study reported global predominance of elevated Lp(a) levels in patients with ASCVD and identified racial, ethnic, regional and gender differences, along with analyzing the correlation with LDL-C levels.

Study Design

Multicenter, cross-sectional, epidemiological study, (between April 2019−July 2021 at 949 sites in 48 countries)

Inclusion criteria

• History of MI or IS ≥3 months and ≤10 years prior to the initial study visit or symptomatic PAD

Exclusion criteria

• Patients enrolled in clinical studies with investigational drugs

Assessments

• LDL-C and Lp(a) measurements^†: LDL-C values obtained ≤1 year b

Key Results

48,992 patients were screened and of these 48,135 eligible patients were included in the study, 13.9% had prior measurements of Lp(a) (Mean age = 62.6 years; Females = 25.9%)

Levels of Lp(a) AND LDL-C

Relationship between Lp(a) Levels, LDL-C measurements and age

Lp(a) Levels by Atherosclerotic Disease History and by  Geographic Region

• Lp(a) levels were similar in most regions except North America with highest levels (median: 48.0 mg/dL) vs all other regions combined, P <0.001. Median (IQR) LDL-C value (mg/dL) vs other regions was:
  • Lowest in North America (69.2 [53.0−93.0])
  • Highest in Eastern Europe (88.2 [68.1−117.9]) (P <0.001 for both)

Limitations

• Descriptive^†study design and unreliable statistical comparisons between subgroups
• Use of local laboratory values and different methods for Lp(a) measurement
• Use of historical data for Lp(a) and LDL-C (introducing referral bias)
• Use of both mass and molar concentration units (preventing uniform comparison of subgroups of interest)

For additional information, please refer the source publication Nissen SE, et al.

^* 50 mg/dL or 125 nmol/L
^† P values should be interpreted as exploratory (purely descriptive study, no randomized comparator group)
^‡P <0.001 for gender and race/ethnicity comparison