Article

Association between low-molecular weight apolipoprotein(a) isoforms and obesity in Italian women.

Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Section of Internal Medicine, Vascular and Metabolic Diseases, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, P.le C. Golgi, Italy.
Obesity research (impact factor: 4.95). 09/2004; 12(8):1322-6. DOI:10.1038/oby.2004.166
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Low-molecular weight (MW) apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] isoforms are closely associated with an increased incidence of atherothrombotic disease, prevalence of which is higher in obese individuals, particularly in women. The hypothesis of this study was to assess whether there are differences in the distribution of apo(a) phenotypes between obese patients and healthy controls.
One hundred three obese Italian women (BMI > or = 30.0 kg/m2) were enrolled in the study, and apo(a) phenotyping was performed in all subjects. The prevalence of low-MW apo(a) isoforms, detected in plasma samples of our obese women, was compared with that found in a control group of 84 normal-weight, never-obese (BMI < 25.0 kg/m(2)), age-matched women.
The distribution of apo(a) isoforms in the population of obese women was significantly different from that found in normal-weight female subjects. In particular, the percentage of subjects in the obese group with at least one apo(a) isoform of low MW was significantly higher than that in the control group (51.4% vs. 32.1%, p = 0.0079).
Our results seem to suggest the possibility that small-sized apo(a) isoforms may be used together with other traditional risk factors to better assess the overall predisposition to atherothrombotic disease in obese women.

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Keywords

age-matched women
 
atherothrombotic disease
 
control group
 
healthy controls
 
low MW
 
Low-molecular weight
 
low-MW apo(a)
 
MW
 
never-obese
 
normal-weight female subjects
 
obese group
 
obese individuals
 
obese patients
 
obese women
 
one apo(a)
 
plasma samples
 
small-sized apo(a)
 
traditional risk factors
 
women