Lipoprotein(a) levels greater 30 mg/dL linked to increased 30-year risk for major CV events and coronary heart disease
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Among women, very high levels of lipoprotein(a) are associated with an increased risk for future cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Cardiology.
Ask Tybjærg Nordestgaard, M.D., Ph.D., from Brigham and Women”s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues examined spline models, clinical thresholds, and percentiles of baseline lipoprotein(a) levels as 30-year determinants of cardiovascular risk in a cohort study conducted among female health professionals participating in the Women”s Health Study.
The analyses included 27,748 women with baseline lipoprotein(a) measurements and 23,279 women of European ancestry with rs3798220 genotype information, among whom there were 3,707 and 3,165 major cardiovascular events, respectively, during a median of 27.8 years of follow-up. The researchers found that the 30-year risk for major cardiovascular events and coronary heart disease was increased in association with lipoprotein(a) levels greater than 30 mg/dL or the 75th percentile (31 mg/dL). Increased risks for ischemic stroke and cardiovascular death were seen in association with levels greater than 120 mg/dL or the 99th percentile (131 mg/dL). For levels greater than 120 mg/dL versus less than 10 mg/dL or above the 99th percentile versus below the 50th percentile, multivariable adjusted hazard ratios were 1.54 and 1.74 for major cardiovascular events; 1.80 and 2.06 for coronary heart disease; 1.41 and 1.85 for ischemic stroke; and 1.63 and 1.86 for cardiovascular death, respectively. Among women with genotype information, rs3798220 minor allele carriers had a higher risk for major cardiovascular events.
“Screening for elevated lipoprotein(a) in the general population may be considered,” the authors write.
Two authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry; one author reported a patent for LPA polymorphism (rs3798220) and aspirin use for CVD prevention.
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