Predicting risk of valvular heart disease

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet and Herlev Hospital have identified a clear link between narrowed heart valves and a special lipoprotein in the blood. In the long term, the research may well help to prevent valvular heart disease. The new findings have just been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) - in which the opening of the aortic valve is narrowed - affects 2-7 percent of the Danish population aged over 65 years. The disease can be fatal, and the only effective treatment at the moment is valve surgery. The condition can be inherited.

"Based on extensive population surveys, we have shown that high levels of lipoprotein(a) in the blood constitute a significant risk factor for developing aortic stenosis in the general Danish population. Thus, the 10 percent of the population with the highest levels of lipoprotein(a) in their blood are two to three times more likely to develop the disease simply on these grounds," says Clinical Professor at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and consultant at Rigshospitalet, Anne Tybj?rg-Hansen.

The researchers have also shown that the risk of developing aortic stenosis is greatest among people born with a special variant of the so-called LPA gene, a gene variation which means increased levels of lipoprotein(a) throughout a person's entire life. Genetic studies in Denmark support previous international research in the area which shows that the LPA gene plays a key role in the development of aortic stenosis.

The new findings have just been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology...

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