Prevention & lipidsCross-sectional study
Physician perspectives on Lp(a) testing and management in patients with cardiovascular disease: interviews from seven countries across five world health organization regions from INTERASPIRE
- Cross-sectional interview study (sub-study of the INTERASPIRE cohort)
- telephone interviews
- 7 countries
- questionnaire-based
Telephone interviews by trained research assistants in national languages using specially developed questionnaires
Authors' conclusion
Whilst most physicians believe that Lp(a) testing would benefit patients and their relatives, there is marked heterogeneity in access to Lp(a) testing. Interpretation of an elevated Lp(a) varies widely and about one-third of physicians were unsure or did not know.
Study context
- Population
- Physicians involved in INTERASPIRE (secondary prevention) in China, Colombia, Kenya, Nigeria, Malaysia, Poland, UAE
- Participants
- 245 physicians
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Physician perspectives on Lp(a) testing and management
- Access to Lp(a) measurement
- 43%
- Of those with access, measured routinely (significant variation between countries)
- 50%
- Would request testing in premature coronary disease
- 91%
- Would request testing after second or recurrent coronary event
- 81%
- Would request testing with first-degree relatives with high Lp(a)
- 82%
- Received Lp(a) results in mass units
- More than two-thirds
- Defined elevated Lp(a) as >50 mg/dL (most common definition)
- 25%
- Unsure or did not know definition of elevated Lp(a)
- 32%
- Believed Lp(a) testing beneficial
- 94%
- Would advise testing of first-degree relatives
- 81%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Physician perspectives on Lp(a) testing and management in patients with cardiovascular disease: interviews from seven countries across five world health organization regions from INTERASPIRE. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 29 August 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf527
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it