Correlation between lipoprotein(a) and aortic valve sclerosis assessed by echocardiography (the JMS Cardiac Echo and Cohort Study)

An elevated serum level of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) may be an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic disease, but the relation of Lp(a) to aortic valve (AV) sclerosis has not been determined. We measured serum concentrations of Lp(a) and investigated their relation to the presence of echocardiographic AV sclerosis in residents of a rural village in Japan. We measured serum Lp(a) levels in 347 men ana 437 women aged 35 to 90 years (mean ± SD: 62 ± 11 years) who participated in mass screening examinations in Wara village, Gifu, Japan. AV sclerosis was assessed by longand short-axis 2-dimensional echocardiographic views and continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography. AV sclerosis was graded as follows: 0 = normal AV; 1 = increased echo density; 2 = thickening or calcific deposits ≥3 mm; and 3 = same as 2 with mildly restricted motion (pressure gradient