Plasma Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A(2) Levels Correlated with the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in Long-Term Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

The circulating levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) can be a simple, but practical and useful marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). As limited studies are available in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), further studies are needed to establish the clinical application of Lp-PLA(2) in DM practice. The present study investigated the correlation between Lp-PLA(2) and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), a recent marker of arterial stiffness, in DM patients according to their diabetes duration. Clinical data, including the plasma Lp-PLA(2) mass and CAVI values, were collected from CVD-free type 2 DM female patients (n = 65, mean age 62 years, mean hemoglobin A1c 7.0%). The Lp-PLA(2) level of patients with a diabetes duration of <10 years (n = 40:20.2 IU/mL) was not significantly different from that of patients with a diabetes duration of ≥10 years (n = 25:20.5 IU/mL), while the CAVI level was significantly higher in patients with ≥10 years (9.0) than in those with <10 years (8.1; p < 0.05). A stepwise multiple regression analysis found a positive correlation between the Lp-PLA(2) and CAVI levels (β = 0.43, p < 0.01) in patients with a diabetes duration of ≥10 years. This correlation between Lp-PLA(2) and CVAI suggests the possible use of Lp-PLA(2) in DM patients with long-term disease. Further studies on Lp-PLA(2) are warranted in DM practice in relation to the disease duration.