Association of serum lipoprotein(a) with ultrasonographically determined early atherosclerotic changes in the carotid and femoral arteries in kidney transplanted patients

Abstract

Objectives To evaluate the association of serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] with carotid intimal media thickness (IMT) and carotid femoral plaque occurrence in kidney transplant patients. Patients and methods Fifty-four subjects included 29 group 1 normal healthy persons and 25 group 2 kidney transplant patients underwent carotid IMT measurements and carotid femoral plaque assessment by B-mode ultrasonography. Also we measured cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-C, LDL-C and Lp(a) as well as BUN and creatinine. Results There was a significant difference between Lp(a) in the two groups ( P = .016). There was a significant difference between carotid IMT of the two groups ( P < .001). Moreover there was a significant difference between the plaque scores of kidney transplant patients and the normal group ( P = .05). There were no correlations between carotid IMT and plaque score in normal subjects or in kidney transplant patients ( P > .05). There was a significant correlation between carotid IMT with age in Group 1 ( P = .035). No correlation between carotid IMT and serum Lp(a) was seen in the two groups. No significant correlations between plaque score and serum Lp(a) were observed. There was no correlation between duration of transplant and thickening of intimal media complex in this group. In this group a positive correlation was demonstrated between carotid IMT with serum LDL-C ( P < .001). Conclusions Age was the most important factor associated with thickening of intimal media complex in normal subjects and in plaque formation in the renal transplant group. Serum LDL-C may be associated with thickening of intimal media complex in kidney transplant patients. Serum Lp(a) may not be a significant factor in thickening of the intimal media complex or plaque occurrence in kidney transplant patients.