Estimation Of The Lipoprotein (A) in Acute Ischaemic Stroke

Abstract

Background and objectives Lipoprotein(a) is considered as an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. The present study was aimed to evaluate the role of lipoprotein(a) as a marker for ischaemic stroke. Methodology The present one year cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2015 to December 2015. A total of 100 patients presenting with Iscahemic stroke in the Department of Medicine and Department of Neuro-Medicine, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belagavi were studied. All the patients were investigated for Lipoprotein(a) levels. Results Majority of the patients that is, 78% were males and male female ratio was 3.45:1. The most common age group was 61 to 70 years (28%) and the mean age was 56.04 ± 14.02 years. Weakness (79%), altered sensorium (53%), were the common presentations Hypertension (29%), was the most common risk factor followed by diabetes mellitus (20%). More than half of the study population (55%) had raised Lipoprotein A levels (≥30 mg/dL). The mean lipoprotein(a) levels were 32.95 ± 15.24 mg/dL and ranged between 12.2 to as high as 86.2 mg/dL. Majority of the patients (81%) had raised cholesterol levels and mean cholesterol levels were 175 ±40.88 mg/dL. Most of the patients had raised Low density lipoprotein levels (68%) and the mean LDL levels were 124 ±44.8 mg/dL. 68% of the patients had raised Triglyceride levels and mean triglyceride levels were noted as 134.1 ±56.97 mg/dL. Raised lipoprotein(a) levels were associated with hypercholesteolaemia (p<0.001), LDL (p=0.047), raised triglycerides levels (p=0.021) and risk factors viz. diabetes mellitus, and both diabetes mellitus and hypertension (p<0.001). However raised lipoprotein(a) was independent of sex (p=0.961), age (p=0.646) and HDL levels (p=0.373). Conclusion and interpretation Lipoprotein(a) is raised in patients with ischaemic stroke. Furthermore, the rise in lipoprotein a levels is associated with hypercholesterolaemia, raised LDL levels, hypertriglyceridemia and diabetes mellitus. However, the rise in lipoprotein(a) levels are not influenced by sex, age and HDL.