Physiological within-day Variation in Lipoprotein(a): Is a Once-in-a-lifetime Measurement Sufficient for Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation?
Abstract
AIMS: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular events, independent of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Because the Lp(a) concentration is largely determined by genetic factors, some dyslipidemia guidelines recommend a once-in-a-lifetime measurement of Lp(a). Furthermore, a non-fasting lipid profile assessment is allowed for initial screening of dyslipidemia. Although the LDL-C concentration decreases slightly throughout the day, the within-day variation of Lp(a) remains unknown. We aimed to investigate whether the Lp(a) concentration remains stable throughout the day. METHODS: Lp(a) concentrations were measured at seven time points throughout the day in 34 patients using a latex turbidimetric immunoassay. The Lp(a) values are expressed in molar units, which are equivalent to those determined by a mass spectrometry-based reference measurement procedure. RESULTS: We found that the Lp(a) concentrations decreased by 2.9±5.2 nmol/L at 14:00 (p＜0.05), 3.6±4.8 nmol/L at 20:00 (p＜0.001), and 2.9±5.1 nmol/L at 24:00 (p＜0.05). The mean percent Lp(a) decreased significantly at 17:30 (-6.2±0.1%) and 24:00 (-7.0±0.1%) from the fasting level. CONCLUSION: The Lp(a) concentration decreases slightly, but significantly, throughout the day. Considering physiological variations, it is preferable to re-evaluate the Lp(a) concentration in those with a borderline elevation.
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BibTeX
@article{song2026physiological,
title = {{Physiological within-day Variation in Lipoprotein(a): Is a Once-in-a-lifetime Measurement Sufficient for Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation?}},
author = {Shuxin Song and Satoshi Hirayama and Haruka Inaba and Atsushi Hori and Yuna Horiuchi and Yuri Ichikawa and Yutaka Kimura and Yoshifumi Fukushima and Tsuyoshi Ueno and Yuki Uehara and Takashi Miida},
journal = {Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.5551/jat.66290},
url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jat/advpub/0/advpub_66290/_article},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Physiological within-day Variation in Lipoprotein(a): Is a Once-in-a-lifetime Measurement Sufficient for Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation?
AU - Shuxin Song
AU - Satoshi Hirayama
AU - Haruka Inaba
AU - Atsushi Hori
AU - Yuna Horiuchi
AU - Yuri Ichikawa
AU - Yutaka Kimura
AU - Yoshifumi Fukushima
AU - Tsuyoshi Ueno
AU - Yuki Uehara
AU - Takashi Miida
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis
DO - 10.5551/jat.66290
UR - https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jat/advpub/0/advpub_66290/_article
AB - AIMS: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular events, independent of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Because the Lp(a) concentration is largely determined by genetic factors, some dyslipidemia guidelines recommend a once-in-a-lifetime measurement of Lp(a). Furthermore, a non-fasting lipid profile assessment is allowed for initial screening of dyslipidemia. Although the LDL-C concentration decreases slightly throughout the day, the within-day variation of Lp(a) remains unknown. We aimed to investigate whether the Lp(a) concentration remains stable throughout the day. METHODS: Lp(a) concentrations were measured at seven time points throughout the day in 34 patients using a latex turbidimetric immunoassay. The Lp(a) values are expressed in molar units, which are equivalent to those determined by a mass spectrometry-based reference measurement procedure. RESULTS: We found that the Lp(a) concentrations decreased by 2.9±5.2 nmol/L at 14:00 (p＜0.05), 3.6±4.8 nmol/L at 20:00 (p＜0.001), and 2.9±5.1 nmol/L at 24:00 (p＜0.05). The mean percent Lp(a) decreased significantly at 17:30 (-6.2±0.1%) and 24:00 (-7.0±0.1%) from the fasting level. CONCLUSION: The Lp(a) concentration decreases slightly, but significantly, throughout the day. Considering physiological variations, it is preferable to re-evaluate the Lp(a) concentration in those with a borderline elevation.
SN - 1880-3873
SN - 1340-3478
ER -