[Lp(a) lipoprotein in patients on maintenance hemodialysis--a study from apo(a) isoform].

: It has been suggested that lipid abnormalities may be involved in the development of cardiovascular disorders in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Hypertriglyceridemia commonly accompanies this condition and is associated with decreased concentrations of HDL-cholesterol. Recent clinical interest has been paid to the disturbances of Lp(a) and apo (a) isoform in relation to cardiovascular disorders. Although high concentrations of Lp(a) are associated with ischemic heart disease, we are unaware of the availability of such data concerning patients on maintenance hemodialysis. We therefore compared levels of Lp(a) and the frequency of occurrence of their isoforms in 310 patients (chronic glomerulonephritis, N = 221; diabetic nephropathy, N = 77; polycystic kidney disease, N = 12) on maintenance hemodialysis and in 212 normal subjects. The following results were obtained. (1) HD patients showed significantly elevated levels of Lp(a) compared to normal subjects. (2) Studies of apo (a) isoform showed that HD patients showed high frequency of S2 and low frequency of S4. (3) HD patients, especially long-term patients, showed high frequency of double band (S2/S3). (4) There were no significant differences in the levels of Lp(a) and in the frequency of apo(a) isoform among 3 different etiological studies.