Relationship between lipoprotein(a) and whole blood reducing viscosity: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has been confirmed as a causal risk factor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but its role on circulation is not completely clear and is still being explored. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the relationship between Lp(a) and whole blood reducing viscosity (WBRV), to better understand the role of Lp(a) in circulatory and cardiovascular diseases. We retrospectively analyzed the data of consecutive subjects in the physical examination center of the Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University Medical College from January 2022 to May 2022. Pearson or spearman correlation analysis was used to test the statistical relationship between 2 continuous variables according to whether they are normal; 131 participants were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The low-density lipoprotein concentration was associated with whole blood viscosity at low-shear (R = 0.220, P = .012), middle-shear (R = 0.226, P = .01), and high-shear viscosity (R = 0.212, P = .015), as well as plasma viscosity (R S = 0.207, P = .018). Lp(a) was not associated with whole blood viscosity at low, middle, and high shear rates, but was associated with WBRV at low shear (R S = 0.204, P = .019) and middle shear rates (R S = 0.197, P = .024). Lp(a) is associated with high WBRV, which may impart more insights into the role of Lp(a) in cardiovascular disease.