Abstract
BackgroundThere is little data on the relationship between novel cardiovascular risk factors and silent coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients. We investigated whether Lipoprotein(a), homocysteine and apolipoprotein(a) polymorphism are associated with angiographically assessed asymptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients.Methods1,971 type 2 diabetic patients without clinical signs of cardiovascular diseases and with a negative history of CAD were consecutively evaluated. Among them, 179 patients showed electrocardiographic abnormalities suggestive of ischemia or previous asymptomatic myocardial infarction. These 179 patients were subjected to a non-invasive test for CAD (ECG stress testing and/or scintigraphy). Among patients with a highly positive stress testing (n = 19) or a positive scintigraphy (n = 74), 75 showed an angiographically documented CAD (CAD group). Seventy-five patients without CAD (NO CAD group) were matched by age, sex and duration of diabetes to CAD patients. In NO CAD patients an exercise ECG test, a 48-hour ambulatory ECG and a stress echocardiogram were negative for CAD.ResultsLipoprotein(a) levels (22.0 ± 18.9 versus 16.0 ± 19.4 mg/dl; p < 0.05), homocysteine levels (13.6 ± 6.6 versus 11.4 ± 4.9 mmol/l; p < 0.05) and the percentage of subjects with at least one small apolipoprotein(a) isoform (70.7% versus 29.3%; p < 0.0001) were higher in CAD than NO CAD group. Logistic regression analysis showed that apolipoprotein(a) polymorphism (OR:8.65; 95%CI:3.05–24.55), microalbuminuria (OR:6.16; 95%CI:2.21–17.18), smoking (OR:2.53; 95%CI:1.05–6.08), HDL (OR:3.16; 95%CI:1.28–7.81), homocysteine (OR:2.25; 95%CI:1.14–4.43) and Lipoprotein(a) (OR:2.62; 95%CI:1.01–6.79) were independent predictors of asymptomatic CAD.ConclusionsThe present investigation shows an independent association of Lipoprotein(a), homocysteine and apo(a) polymorphism with silent CAD. Other studies are needed to establish whether these parameters are suitable for CAD screening in diabetic patients.
Highlights
There is little data on the relationship between novel cardiovascular risk factors and silent coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients
The present study shows that high Lp(a) levels and apo(a) phenotypes of low MW are associated with silent CAD in diabetic patients with normal ECG and in those with ECG abnormalities
The present study shows an independent association between low HDL levels and silent CAD; no previous studies found any independent associations between lipid parameters and presence of asymptomatic CAD [10,33,34], except for MiSAD study, that reported an independent association between total cholesterol and silent myocardial ischemia in men [11]
Summary
There is little data on the relationship between novel cardiovascular risk factors and silent coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients. We investigated whether Lipoprotein(a), homocysteine and apolipoprotein(a) polymorphism are associated with angiographically assessed asymptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients. Lipoprotein(a) -Lp(a)- and plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) are risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) [1,2]. Silent CAD is a strong predictor of future coronary events and early death, in diabetic patients [12,13]. An association of high Lp(a) levels and apo(a) phenotypes with silent CAD has been found in diabetic patients with normal resting ECG [23]. No studies investigated the relationship between Hcy and silent CAD
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