Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A₂ -- A New CHD Risk Factor?

Researchers have speculated about the relation between atherosclerosis and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂, an enzyme also known as platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase and that is regulated by mediators of inflammation. These investigators examined the prognostic importance of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ and other potential inflammatory markers for coronary heart disease (CHD) events in 580 subjects who had suffered such events and 1160 controls who were matched for age and smoking status. All participants were drawn from a Scottish trial in which 6595 men with hypercholesterolemia and no history of MI had been assigned randomly to pravastatin (40 mg daily) or placebo.

Levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase…