Lipoprotein Apheresis for Lipoprotein(a)-Associated Cardiovascular Disease: Prospective 5 Years of Follow-Up and Apolipoprotein(a) Characterization.

OBJECTIVE: Lipoprotein(a)-hyperlipoproteinemia (Lp(a)-HLP) along with progressive cardiovascular disease has been approved as indication for regular lipoprotein apheresis (LA) in Germany since 2008. We aimed to study the long-term preventive effect of LA and to assess hypothetical clinical correlations of apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)) by analyzing genotypes and phenotypes. APPROACH AND RESULTS: This prospective observational multicenter study included 170 patients with Lp(a)-HLP and progressive cardiovascular disease (48.9 years median age at diagnosis) despite other cardiovascular risk factors, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol had maximally been treated (mean baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: measured, 2.56 mmol/L [98.9 mg/dL] and corrected, 1.72 mmol/L [66.3 mg/dL]). Patients were prospectively investigated during a 5-year period about annual incidence rates of cardiovascular events. In addition, apo(a) isoforms and polymorphisms at the apo(a) gene (LPA) were characterized. One hundred fifty-four patients (90.6%) completed 5 years of follow-up. Mean Lp(a) concentration before commencing regular LA was 108.1 mg/dL. This was reduced by a single LA treatment by 68.1% on average. Significant decline of the mean annual cardiovascular event rate was observed from 0.58±0.53 2 years before regular LA to 0.11±0.15 thereafter (P<0.0001); 95.3% of patients expressed at least 1 small apo(a) isoform. Small apo(a) isoform (35.2%) carrying phenotypes were not tagged by single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs10455872 or rs3798220. CONCLUSIONS: Results of 5 years of prospective follow-up confirm that LA has a lasting effect on prevention of cardiovascular events in patients with Lp(a)-HLP. Patients clinically selected by progressive cardiovascular disease were characterized by a highly frequent expression of small apo(a) isoforms. Only Lp(a) concentration seemed to comprehensively reflect Lp(a)-associated cardiovascular risk, however.

Lipoprotein apheresis in patients with maximally tolerated lipid-lowering therapy, lipoprotein(a)-hyperlipoproteinemia, and progressive cardiovascular disease: prospective observational multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) hyperlipoproteinemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is not affected by treatment of other cardiovascular risk factors. This study sought to assess the effect of chronic lipoprotein apheresis (LA) on the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with progressive cardiovascular disease receiving maximally tolerated lipid-lowering treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a prospective observational multicenter study, 170 patients were investigated who commenced LA because of Lp(a)-hyperlipoproteinemia and progressive cardiovascular disease. Patients were characterized regarding plasma lipid status, lipid-lowering drug treatment, and variants at the LPA gene locus. The incidence rates of cardiovascular events 2 years before (y-2 and y-1) and prospectively 2 years during LA treatment (y+1, y+2) were compared. The mean age of patients was 51 years at the first cardiovascular event and 57 years at the first LA. Before LA, mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and Lp(a) were 2.56±1.04 mmol·L(-1) (99.0±40.1 mg·dL(-1)) and Lp(a) 3.74±1.63 µmol·L(-1) (104.9±45.7 mg·dL(-1)), respectively. Mean annual rates for major adverse coronary events declined from 0.41 for 2 years before LA to 0.09 for 2 years during LA (P<0.0001). Event rates including all vascular beds declined from 0.61 to 0.16 (P<0.0001). Analysis of single years revealed increasing major adverse coronary event rates from 0.30 to 0.54 (P=0.001) for y-2 to y-1 before LA, decline to 0.14 from y-1 to y+1 (P<0.0001) and to 0.05 from y+1 to y+2 (P=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with Lp(a)-hyperlipoproteinemia, progressive cardiovascular disease, and maximally tolerated lipid-lowering medication, LA effectively lowered the incidence rate of cardiovascular events. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: https://drks-neu.uniklinik-freiburg.de. Unique identifier: DRKS00003119.