Lipoprotein(a) and lipid profile in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is well-known risk factor for cardiac embolic events, especially cerebrovascular events. The association between AF and lipid markers was evaluated. Among all these markers, lipoprotein(a), or (Lp(a), was also investigated. The aim of our study was to evaluate the characteristics of the lipid profile in patients with AF, focusing on Lp(a) levels.One hundred and one patients with AF were included in the study group. We used 101 patients without AF, matched by sex and age with the study group, as the control group. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, Lp(a), and the LDL/HDL, COL/LDL, and COL/HDL indexes were measured. The study was performed in Spain with a Caucasian population.Among all the variables included there was statistical difference only between groups in the COL/HDL index, showing a greater value in the group of patients with AF. No difference was found in Lp(a) levels between the groups.Although some studies have tried to show a possible relationship between AF and high Lp(a) levels, we found no such relationship in our study, although ethnic differences could explain, at least in part, these results in our patients when compared with other ethnic populations.