Study Links Proteins, Heart Disease

Johns Hopkins University has published the first study toestablish a link between proteins and heart disease. Lipoproteina and apolipoprotein a, also known as Lp(a) and apo(a),are cholesterol-carrying proteins and may now be used aspredictors of cardiovascular problems.

Researchers monitored 833 dialysis patients for 2 yearsand found that those with high levels of Lp(a) had a 38%higher risk of heart disease. Patients whose apo(a) particleswere of the smallest size had a 58% higher risk of heart disease.For those patients with both high levels of Lp(a) andthe smallest size particles of apo(a), an even greater risk ofheart disease existed-73%. The results of this study, whichwere published in the Journal of the American Society ofNephrology, demand further research to determine whateffect adjusting these levels and sizes will have on the risk ofcardiovascular problems.