ABSTRACT
Coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of death world wide. lipoprotein[a] [Lp [a]] is a cholesterol rich plasma lipoprotein. Its structure and composition closely resembles low density lipoproteins [LDL]. Elevated Lp [a] is the most common familial lipoprotein disorder in patients with premature Coronary Artery Disease [CAD]. To study the pattern of plasma LP[a] levels in Sudanese patients who presented with coronary artery disease [CAD]. This is a case control study. 30 patients randomly selected from a pool of 624 patients admitted to the coronary care unit [C.C.U] in Elshaab Teaching Hospital with acute coronary syndrome in the period from April 2004 to July 2005 while 30 patients with non ischaemic cardiac problems admitted to the same hospital were randomly selected as a matched control group. Serum LP[a], cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDLC] concentrations were determined using the conventional enzymatic colorimetric methods. LP[a], cholesterol and LDL levels were all significantly high in patients with CAD [P <0.005, 0.003 and 0.001 respectively]. Lp[a] is also high in patients blew 60years of age. High LP[a] correlates with high cholesterol, LDL and other risk factors. The role of Lp[a] as an independent risk factor is less well established as 3 [20%] patients only of the 15 patients with no other risk factors had high LP[a] level. This study demonstrated significant Lp[a] level in patients with other risk factors of CAD [including cholesterol and LDL]