Lipoprotein(a) Concentrations Correlate With LDL-C in Children With Type 1 and 2 Diabetes.

Context: Elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease especially in patients with diabetes. Adult levels of Lp(a) are thought to be is expressed by the second year of life.

Objective: We hypothesized that Lp(a) would be influenced by low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), race, and HbA1C.

Methods: Retrospective electronic medical record review of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) (n = 607) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) (n = 93).

Results: Total of 700 subjects, ages 12-19 years with T1D (n = 607) and T2D (n = 93), 49% were male, mean age was 13.2 ± 3.08 years, and the median Lp(a) was 8.00 mg/dL, IQR 5.00-12.00. The Black subjects had an increased relative risk (RR) of higher Lp(a) compared with White subjects (RR 1.25,  < .0001). Among patients with T1D, Black people had an increased relative risk of higher Lp(a) than White people (RR 1.23,  = .0002). In T2D, Black subjects have 43% higher risk of having elevated Lp(a) than White subjects (RR 1.43,  = .268). In T1D, a 5 mg/dL increase in LDL-C results in 2% increase in Lp(a) ( < .0001). In T2D, a 5 mg/dL increase of LDL-C results in an increase of Lp(a) by 3%. LDL-C and BMI are independently associated with Lp(a) (RR = 1.02,  < .001; RR = 0.98,  < .001).

Conclusion: Our data suggest that Lp(a) is associated with LDL-C in children with diabetes. Lp(a) is differentially increased at higher concentrations of LDL-C. Black children with diabetes have a significant burden of Lp(a) concentrations compared with White children.