ABSTRACT
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) has reached epidemic proportions and has been attributed as the foremost cause of mortality worldwide. In the search for the causative factors, both genetic and non-genetic, Lipoprotein (a) has emerged as a powerful predictor for premature CAD. Lp(a) is a macromolecular complex found in human serum, strictly under genetic control, highly variable and resembling the low density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate its predictive role by estimating its levels in patients with and without coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosed by angiographic procedure. It was observed that Lp(a) levels increase with increasing severity of the disease albeit insignificantly. The observations made in the present study need to be substantiated by large scale studies.