Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2
It is well known, that inflammatory processes play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Established risk factors account for part of the cardiovascular diseases only. Lp-PLA2, a new reliable marker in the atherosclerotic risk assessment, is able to close this diagnostic gap.
Studies provide strong evidence, that the presence of Lp-PLA2 is associated with an increased risk of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome and ischemic stroke. Increased Lp-PLA2 concentrations can be found in vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques and allow discrimination between morphologically identical stable and unstable plaques. Lp-PLA2 testing is an excellent complement to angiography because it detects very small plaques not visible by medical imaging. Unlike traditional atherosclerotic risk markers Lp-PLA2 is highly specifc for vascular inflammation, has low biological variability, and plays a causative role in atherosclerotic plaque inflammation. Continue reading »