PROGNOSTIC IMPORTANCE OF PLASMA LIPOPROTEIN-ANALYSES IN PATIENTS WITH UNSTABLE CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE

The lipoprotein (Lp) pattern was analysed in patients with suspected unstable coronary artery disease (UCAD), to compare the pattern as a prognostic instrument regarding subsequent coronary events with smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and with the result of an early exercise test. Included were 295 patients with UCAD. Blood samples for Lp values were obtained in the acute phase and after one year. Apolipoprotein-A1, Apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B), Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) HDL-Cholesterol, Cholesterol (Chol) and Triglycerides (TG) were estimated in serum. During the 1-year follow-up coronary events (myocardial infarction, cardiac death, coronary artery by-pass surgery) occurred in 48 patients. The severity of CAD, overweight, smoking and beta-blockade influenced the Lp-pattern. Chol-, TG- and Apo-B-levels were highest in the group with a coronary event. Apo-B turned out to be the second best predictive variable in multiple regression analysis, in men. In women no such analysis was done because of very few coronary events during follow-up. Nevertheless, the exercise test variables, ST depression and pain were more predictive of coronary events than Apo-B in men.