rs3798220

rs3798220, also known as I4399M or Ile4399Met, is a SNP in the apolipoprotein(A) LPA gene that has been reported to be associated with elevated plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and increased cardiovascular risk, and in particular, coronary artery disease. In one study, 25,131 initially healthy Caucasian participants in the Women's Health Study were followed for ~10 years. rs3798220(C) allele carriers (3.7%) in the placebo (i.e. not receiving aspirin) group had a 2x higher risk of major cardiovascular events than non-carriers (age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.21, CI: 1.39-3.52). Among rs3798220(C) carriers, the risk was reduced more than twofold by aspirin: for aspirin compared with placebo the age-adjusted HR was 0.44 (CI: 0.20-0.94). The risk was not significantly reduced among non-carriers (age-adjusted HR=0.91, CI: 0.77-1.08). This interaction between carrier status and aspirin allocation was significant (P=0.048). In summary, rs3798220(C) carriers had higher plasma lipoprotein(a) and had double the risk of cardiovascular events, but also benefited more from taking aspirin. In another study, compared with noncarriers, carriers of the 4399M risk allele (2.7% of controls) had an adjusted odds ratio for severe CAD of 3.14 (CI: 1.51 to 6.56), and had 5-fold higher median plasma lipoprotein(a) levels (P=0.003), leading to the conclusion that the LPA I4399M SNP is associated with severe CAD and plasma lipoprotein(a) levels. celera says rs3798220 is an independent predictor of risk for *Coronary Heart Disease in men and women *event reduction from low dose aspirin therapy in women Carriers of the rs3798220(C) have higher levels of plasma Lp(a).

C;C

http://jdmoyer.com/2013/01/28/how-do-you-prevent-heart-disease/ People carrying the C allele produce higher levels of lipoprotein(a), and have more than a twofold increased risk of heart disease. Heart disease risk for rs3798220-C carriers can be somewhat mitigated by low-dose aspirin therapy, at least in women. Estrogen HRT also lowers lipoprotein-a/Lp(a) levels. Among Bantu fishermen, higher fish intake was also associated with lower Lp(a). Why are elevated Lp(a) levels associated with coronary heart disease? Lp(a) is similar to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is more likely to stick to arterial walls and clog them up (while the big HDL molecules bounce around harmlessly).