U.S. researchers said a new study shows two cholesterol-carrying proteins may be important predictors of heart disease in kidney dialysis patients. The study, which appears in June issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, is the first to show a link between the proteins -- known as lipoprotein a, or Lp(a) and apolipoprotein a, or apo(a) -- and cardiovascular problems. In the study, researchers at Johns Hopkins University monitored 833 dialysis patients across the United States for two years. They found that patients with high Lp(a) levels had a 38 percent increased risk of heart disease. Apo(a) was even more strongly associated with risk. Patients with the smallest size apo(a) particles had a 58 percent increased rate of cardiovascular events, and patients with both elevated Lp(a) levels and small apo(a) size had a 73 percent increased risk of cardiovascular problems. The researchers said further study is required to determine whether adjusting Lp(a) levels or apo(a) particle size can reduce the risk. © Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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