High-Risk Lipoprotein(a) Levels in Saudi Women and Its Relationship to Menopause and Adiposity

Lipoprotein(a) is an inherent CVD risk biomarker that varies by race, and the levels of Lp(a) in Saudi women are relatively unexplored. We aimed to examine the effect of age and menopause on Lp(a) and explore the correlation between adiposity and cardiometabolic risk factors with Lp(a) in Saudi women. The third aim was to determine the predictors of elevated Lp(a) in this population. In this cross-sectional study of 229 women, we compared Lp(a) serum levels, adiposity indices, and lipid and glycemic profiles between menopausal groups. We used immunoturbidimetry to measure serum Lp(a) and BIA to assess body composition. We evaluated the relationship between Lp(a) and our parameters using ANOVA and Spearman’s correlations. Regression was used to determine the predictors of high-risk Lp(a) levels. The mean of Lp(a) was 28.37 mg/dL, and the concentration increased significantly in postmenopausal (premenopausal 20.98 ± 12.30; perimenopausal 29.92 ± 9.53; postmenopausal 32.49 ± 9.83 mg/dL; p < 0.001. High-risk levels were 57.1% in postmenopausal and 19.1% in premenopausal. The magnitude of Lp(a) increased significantly after age 50. Lp(a) was significantly associated with age and cholesterol and negatively associated with % FFM. Lp(a) increased by 0.41 units for every year of age, indicating the strongest correlation.