Lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular risk in adult Mexicans.

A cross-epidemiologic study concerning cardiovascular risk factors in a random sample population of Mexico City was carried out in 1991 and 1992. Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels in 404 men and 311 women aged 20-90 years were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay on fasting plasma. Men and women showed similar age-adjusted Lp(a) values. For the whole population the median Lp(a) was 6.9 mg/dL and the prevalence of high Lp(a) (> 30 mg/dL) was 14%. Small positive correlations between Lp(a) and plasma cholesterol (rs = 0.16) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (rs = 0.21), and a negative one with insulin (rs = -0.13) were found. In a multiple regression analysis, insulin and LDL-C were the variables that best explained the variation of Lp(a) in our sample. Our data show that Lp(a) in our population is similar to that found in other populations. An association of Lp(a) with myocardial infarction was observed (high Lp(a) was seen in 33% of atherosclerotic individuals versus 14% in healthy subjects) but did not reach statistical significance.