Mechanisms underlying the role of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) in atherosclerotic development are not completely understood. We evaluated the relationship of Lp-PLA2 with endothelial dysfunction, an early manifestation of atherosclerosis, in a cohort without known clinical cardiovascular disease. A total of 2809 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis underwent plasma Lp-PLA2 mass and activity measurement and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation testing. In adjusted linear regression models, higher Lp-PLA2 mass and activity levels were not associated with lower endothelial function (−0.04%, p = 0.51 and −0.09%, p = 0.10, respectively). Among individuals with subclinical atherosclerosis based on ankle–brachial index (ABI) or carotid intima–media thickness (IMT), Lp-PLA2 mass and activity were not associated with lower endothelial function (−0.03%, p = 0.88 and −0.31%, p = 0.16 for ABI < 1.00; 0.01%, p = 0.94 and −0.15%, p = 0.20 for abnormal carotid IMT). In summary, Lp-PLA2 is not associated with endothelial dysfunction, suggesting its role in atherosclerosis development is primarily related to other factors.
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