Correlation between plasma lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) and peripheral arterial disease

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) is a recently identified and potentially useful plasma biomarker for cardiovascular diseases. However, its role in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) remains unclear. The objective of this study was to assess the independent association of Lp-PLA(2) and other inflammatory markers with the reduced ankle-brachial blood pressure index (ABI), a marker of PAD. We performed a cross-sectional study in 982 individuals aged ≥40 years who were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. PAD was defined as an ABI <0.9 in at least one leg. The individuals were further divided into two groups, 145 with PAD and 837 without PAD. Following adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, the odds ratios of PAD when comparing the highest to the lowest quartiles were 3.24 (95% CI, 1.68–3.94) for Lp-PLA(2), 2.14 (95% CI, 1.07–3.11) for homocysteine, 1.93 (95% CI, 1.02–4.01) for fibrinogen, 2.26 (95% CI, 1.32–5.74) for apolipoprotein B and 1.3 (95% CI, 0.75–2.49) for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). When Lp-PLA(2) and inflammatory markers were simultaneously included in the full model, the corresponding odds ratios were 1.81 (95% CI, 1.14–3.68) for Lp-PLA(2), 1.15 (95% CI, 0.49–2.69) for homocysteine, 1.21 (95% CI, 0.88–5.57) for fibrinogen, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.51–3.85) for apolipoprotein B and 1.23 (95% CI, 1.12–3.51) for hsCRP. Lp-PLA(2) levels were significantly and independently associated with PAD following adjustment for other inflammatory markers. These findings reflect the potential role of circulating Lp-PLA(2) as a marker of atherosclerosis.