Genetic variants lowering lipoprotein(a) and LDL cholesterol together cut coronary artery disease risk
People who carry loss-of-function variants in both LPA and PCSK9 had an odds ratio of 0.73 for coronary artery disease compared to noncarriers, Wang and colleagues report in Nature Cardiovascular Research. The study analyzed 408,039 UK Biobank participants. Carriers of either variant alone showed lower CAD risk than noncarriers, with odds ratios of 0.91 for LPA and 0.81 for PCSK9. Among statin users, lipoprotein(a) reduction was linearly associated with CAD risk. A phenome-wide association study found cardiometabolic benefits without detected adverse effects. The findings were replicated in 65,171 individuals from the Mass General Brigham Biobank.
Therapies that target both lipoprotein(a) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol pathways at the same time may offer greater protection against coronary artery disease than either approach alone.
Written by the Genomes desk from the primary source cited and linked above and checked against it. Research use only; not medical advice. Corrections: [email protected].