Serum lipoprotein (a) levels in liver diseases caused by hepatitis.

ABSTRACT

Lipoprotein (a) [LP(a)] is a genetic variant of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and is mainly synthesized in liver. We conducted a study to evaluate the association of serum [Lp(a)] level with hepatitis viral infections. A total of 130 patients including 50 patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH), 30 with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 30 with cirrhosis of liver and 20 patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) were analysed for different hepatitis viral markers and Lp(a) level in their serum samples. For comparison, 50 healthy persons were also tested for Lp(a) level. Serum Lp(a) level in patients in all the disease groups was significantly reduced compared to that observed in controls. Lp(a) level could not be detected in 40 per cent cases with AVH, 46.6 per cent with CAH, 70 per cent with cirrhosis and 80 per cent of FHF patients. On correlating Lp(a) level to viral etiology in these patients, it was found that the extent of diminution in Lp(a) level did not follow any trend with some particular viral infection and was recorded nearly same in all the infections. The findings of this study suggested that serum Lp(a) level was significantly (P<0.001) reduced in patients with liver diseases irrespective of the viral etiology.