Lipoprotein(a) Concentrations in Cord and Capillary Blood from Newborns and in Serum from In-Patient Children, Adolescents and Adults

Abstract

Investigations have been made up.on the distribution of lipoprotein(a) concentrations in cord and capillary blood from newborns and in serum from in-patient children and adults. Full-tenn neonates (n = 123), children aged l month to 16 years (n = 331) and adults aged between 17 and 88 years (n = 252) of age were included in the study.Lipoprotein(a) was determined using an immunoluminometric assay and a single lot of reagents. The assay had an effective measuring ränge of 1-800 mg/1. Lipoprotein(a) could be measured either in cord or capillary blood in the majority of cases. Problems arose in isolated cases, in each of which there was a large concentration difference in lipoprotein(a) between mother and child. The correlation data was: r = 0.897, n = 37, log (capillary blood) = 0.874 log (cord blood) + 0.165. The median lipoprotein(ä) concentrations in cord and capillary blood were 13.9 and 10.2 mg/1 respectively.Mediän lipoprotein(ä) concentrations increased from birth up until the 6th decade (159 mg/1), decreasing to 95 mg/1 düring the 9th decade of life. In mature newborns, the median lipoprotein(a) concentrations correlated with gestational age.The distribution of Hpoprotein(a) concentrations in serum is skewed throughout life, the ratio mean/median being 2.07 at birth, 2.71 in children and 2.72 in adults. The percentage of children with lipoprotein(a) concentrations above 250 mg/1 was 23.0 (male) and 23.8 (femäle). The corresppnding figures for adults was 38.2 for males and 28.2 for females respectively. In the group of newborns 27.7 percent had concentrations above 25 mg/1.There was ho significant difference between median lipoprotein(a) concentrations after delivery in 80 healthy mothers aged 17-35 years (92.5 mg/1) and 51 age matched in-patients (104 mg/1). Adult males had significantly higher median serum lipoprotein(a) concentrations than adult females (p < 0.05, males 144 mg/1, females 89 mg/1).

Lipoprotein(a) Concentrations in Non-Selected Hospitalised Patients Between 18 and 100 Years of Age: Comparison with Cholesterol Fractions and Triacylglycerols in Patients with Lipid Status Requests

“…A second small peak in women between 80 and 90 years of age has been observed, although the significance of this must be further investigated and may very well be regional in nature. One thing is certain from this study, and that is, those who survive to very old age have median lipoprotein(a) levels similar to those found in children and adolescents (4,7). This again supports the fact that low levels of lipoprotein(a) are of no significant additional risk for myocardial infarction.…”

“…Lipoprotein(a) was determined by means of immunoluminometric assay using two polyclonal antibodies directed against apolipoprotein(a) as already published in this journal (4,5). One lot of reagents was used throughout the study, so that consistency of results is guaranteed.…”

(Apo)lipoprotein(a) Concentrations at Birth and in the First Days and Months of Life — Studies on the Distribution of Serum Levels and the Predictive Value of Measurements Made at this Time

“…In 105 newborns the correlation coefficient was 0.931, the regression equation log (capillary blood) = 0.915 X log (cord blood) + 0.118 so that either material could be used. Discrepancies were sometimes found where the difference between maternal and neonatal concentrations were extreme (5). There was no correlation between lipoprotein(a) levels and birth weight, a point also noted by Wang et al (3).…”

“…The correlation coefficient of 0.509 is in accordance with that expected from an autosomal codominant inheritance. Previous data showed the excellent correlation between cord blood and capillary blood (5). In 105 newborns the correlation coefficient was 0.931, the regression equation log (capillary blood) = 0.915 X log (cord blood) + 0.118 so that either material could be used.…”

Time-Resolved Immunofluorometric Assay for the Quantification of Lipoprotein(a) in Serum

“…There is a wide range of Lp(a) levels in healthy individuals which does not follow a Gaussian distribution, as previously described (13). Thus, we calculated the median, the 75 th , 90 th and 95 th percentile instead of the arithmetic mean.…”