Role of inflammation, autotaxin and lipoprotein (a) in degenerative aortic valve stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease

Aim. To study the relationship between the concentration of lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a)) and autotaxin (ATX) in patients with and without degenerative aortic valve stenosis (AoS) in the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD).Material and methods. The study included 461 patients (mean age, 66±11 years, men, 323), 354 of whom had CAD with stenosis ≥50% in at least one coronary artery according to angiography. Degenerative AoS was diagnosed with ultrasound. The control group consisted of 107 patients without CAD and degenerative AoS. Concentrations of Lp (a), ATX, lipids and blood cells were measured for all patients.Results. CAD without degenerative AoS (group 1) was diagnosed in 307 patients, while 47 patients had CAD and degenerative AoS (group 2). Patients in both groups were older than patients in the control group (66±10, 74±8, and 61±13 years, respectively). The ATX level was lower in group 1 (median [25; 75%]: 495 [406; 583] ng/ml) than in the control group (545 [412; 654] ng/ml) or group 2 (545 [476; 605] ng/ml) (p<0,05 for all). Lp (a) was lower in the control group (14,5 [5,5; 36,0] mg/dl) than in group 1 (24,9 [9,7; 58,4] mg/dl) (p<0,005) and group 2 (23,8 [9,9; 75,7] mg/dL) (p<0,05). According to the logistic regression, an increased ATX level, regardless of age and other risk factors, was associated with degenerative AoS only in patients with CAD, while age and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were associated with the development of degenerative AoS both in patients with CAD and the general group.Conclusion. An elevated Lp (a) level is associated with CAD regardless of the aortic valve involvement, while an increased concentration of ATX and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with CAD were associated with degenerative AoS regardless of age and other risk factors.