Prevention & lipidsCohort study
High lipoprotein(a) and high body mass index (BMI) jointly confer the highest risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in both primary and secondary prevention
- Prospective cohort study
- 2 cohorts (Copenhagen General Population Study (CGPS), UK Biobank)
Authors' conclusion
High lipoprotein(a) and high BMI jointly confer the highest risk of ASCVD in primary and secondary prevention.
Study context
- Population
- Women and men without (primary prevention) and with (secondary prevention) ASCVD, Copenhagen General Population Study and UK Biobank512,687 without and 14,161 with ASCVD
- Exposure
- High lipoprotein and BMI>30 vs low lipoprotein and BMI 18.5-26.9 kg/m²
- Outcome
- ASCVD
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
ASCVD, primary prevention
High Lp(a) and BMI>30 vs Low Lp(a) and BMI 18.5-26.9 kg/m²HR
CGPS
1.97(95% CI 1.61–2.40)
UK Biobank
2.19(CI 2.01–2.37)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
10-year absolute ASCVD risk, ages 70-79 (primary prevention)
- Lp(a) 95th-100th percentiles and BMI 27-30 kg/m², women
- 25%
- Lp(a) 95th-100th percentiles and BMI 27-30 kg/m², men
- 41%
- Lp(a) 1st-49th percentiles and BMI>30 kg/m², women
- 17%
- Lp(a) 1st-49th percentiles and BMI>30 kg/m², men
- 28%
ASCVD, secondary prevention
- Overall results similar; higher risks for high Lp(a) and BMI 18.5-26.9 kg/m² than for BMI≥27 kg/m² and low Lp(a)
- 3,501 developed ASCVD in secondary prevention
Original publication
High lipoprotein(a) and high BMI jointly confer the highest risk of ASCVD in both primary and secondary prevention. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 23 February 2026. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwag106
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it