The role of risk factors in heart attacks occurring in men with pre-existing ischaemic heart disease

The importance of three risk factors--serum total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and cigarette smoking--on the risk of new major ischaemic heart disease events in men who already have evidence of ischaemic heart disease was assessed. Data from the initial examination in a large prospective study of cardiovascular disease in middle aged men (the British Regional Heart Study) were used to separate 7710 men into three groups on the basis of a resting electrocardiogram, a standardised chest pain questionnaire, and recall of a doctor's diagnosis of angina or of a previous heart attack: (group 1) no evidence of ischaemic heart disease (75%), (group 2) evidence of ischaemic heart disease short of a definite myocardial infarction (20%), (group 3) definite myocardial infarction (6%). In the average follow up period of 7.5 years, 443 men suffered a new major event caused by ischaemic heart disease (fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death). Age standardised event rates were determined for each of the three groups for varying levels of the established risk factors. Cigarette smoking is strongly associated with the event rate in group 1 but in men with existing heart disease, especially group 3, differences in risk between the smoking categories were smaller. The strong relation between systolic blood pressure and event rate persisted in groups 1 and 2 but not in group 3. The positive association between serum concentration of total cholesterol and the event rate was strongest in group 1 and weaker in groups 2 and 3, though it remained highly significant. These observations, taken together with the results of previous prospective studies and intervention trials, suggest that the important association between serum total cholesterol and the risk of heart attack persists in men with pre-existing ischaemic heart disease, including myocardial infarction. Therefore, in these men the reduction of serum total cholesterol concentration may be at least as important as it is in men without evidence of ischaemic heart disease.     

The role of risk factors in heart attacks occurring in men with pre-existing ischaemic heart disease.

The importance of three risk factors--serum total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and cigarette smoking--on the risk of new major ischaemic heart disease events in men who already have evidence of ischaemic heart disease was assessed. Data from the initial examination in a large prospective study of cardiovascular disease in middle aged men (the British Regional Heart Study) were used to separate 7710 men into three groups on the basis of a resting electrocardiogram, a standardised chest pain questionnaire, and recall of a doctor's diagnosis of angina or of a previous heart attack: (group 1) no evidence of ischaemic heart disease (75%), (group 2) evidence of ischaemic heart disease short of a definite myocardial infarction (20%), (group 3) definite myocardial infarction (6%). In the average follow up period of 7.5 years, 443 men suffered a new major event caused by ischaemic heart disease (fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death). Age standardised event rates were determined for each of the three groups for varying levels of the established risk factors. Cigarette smoking is strongly associated with the event rate in group 1 but in men with existing heart disease, especially group 3, differences in risk between the smoking categories were smaller. The strong relation between systolic blood pressure and event rate persisted in groups 1 and 2 but not in group 3. The positive association between serum concentration of total cholesterol and the event rate was strongest in group 1 and weaker in groups 2 and 3, though it remained highly significant. These observations, taken together with the results of previous prospective studies and intervention trials, suggest that the important association between serum total cholesterol and the risk of heart attack persists in men with pre-existing ischaemic heart disease, including myocardial infarction. Therefore, in these men the reduction of serum total cholesterol concentration may be at least as important as it is in men without evidence of ischaemic heart disease.     

Predictors of coronary bypass grafting in a population of middle-aged men.

BACKGROUND: Coronary bypass grafting is a procedure which is usually undertaken because of extensive coronary heart disease, whereas acute myocardial infarction may occur with patients with moderate or even minimal disease. Having undergone coronary bypass grafting may thus serve as a marker for extensive coronary atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for future coronary bypass grafting as a first coronary event, and to compare them with risk factors for a first acute myocardial infarction. DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. METHOD: In the Multifactor Primary Prevention Study, 7388 men aged 47-55 years and free of previous acute myocardial infarction or stroke were investigated between 1970 and 1973. During 28 years of follow-up 1664 men (22%) had an acute myocardial infarction or died from coronary disease. One hundred and forty six men (2%) underwent coronary bypass grafting with no prior acute infarction. RESULTS: Serum cholesterol was a stronger predictor of coronary bypass grafting than of acute myocardial infarction. Compared to men with serum cholesterol of 5.0 or lower, men with serum cholesterol 5.1-6.4, 6.5-7.4 and over 7.4 mmol/l had age-adjusted hazard ratios for acute myocardial infarction of 1.22 (1.00-1.49), 1.66 (1.35-2.03) and 2.04 (1.65-2.51). Corresponding hazard ratios for coronary bypass grafting were 1.57 (0.66-3.70), 3.44 (1.47-8.03) and 5.21 (2.20-12.31) (95% confidence interval). In contrast, smoking was a weaker risk factor for coronary bypass grafting than for acute myocardial infarction with no discernible increase in risk except in very heavy smokers (25 g/day or more; n=193); hazard ratio 2.19 (1.02-4.66). Elevated blood pressure predicted coronary bypass grafting and acute myocardial infarction equally well. In multivariate analysis an increase in serum cholesterol of 1 mmol/l was associated with an odds ratio of 1.56 (1.38-1.76) for coronary bypass grafting but only 1.30 (1.24-1.36) for AMI (P for difference in odds ratio 0.004). CONCLUSION: Elevated serum cholesterol is a stronger predictor for future coronary bypass grafting than for acute myocardial infarction. Moderate smoking was not associated with coronary bypass grafting. Different manifestations of coronary disease have different risk factor patterns, suggesting that secular changes in risk factor pattern could potentially influence the clinical expression of the disease.     

Excess mortality associated with increased pulse pressure among middle-aged men and women is explained by high systolic blood pressure

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of death from coronary heart disease, stroke, all cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality associated with pulse pressure among the middle-aged population. METHODS AND DESIGN: A prospective 15-year follow-up cohort study was conducted of two independent cross-sectional random samples of the population who participated in baseline surveys in 1972 or 1977. Each survey included a self-administered questionnaire with questions on smoking and antihypertensive drug treatment, measurements of height, weight and blood pressure and the determination of the serum cholesterol concentration. Multivariate analyses were performed by using Cox proportional hazard models. SETTING: The provinces of North Karelia and Kuopio in eastern Finland PARTICIPANTS: Men and women aged 45-64 years with no history of myocardial infarction or stroke at the time of the baseline survey were selected. In total 4333 men and 5270 women took part in this follow-up study. RESULTS: The relative risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality increased with the increasing pulse pressure in individuals aged 45-64 years independent of the diastolic blood pressure level. Only in women with diastolic blood pressure > or = 95 mmHg was the relative risk of fatal stroke not statistically significant. After adjustment for systolic blood pressure, the positive association between mortality and increasing pulse pressure disappeared. CONCLUSION: Increasing pulse pressure is a predictor of death from coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease and all causes in men and women aged 45-64 years, but the increase in risk is entirely associated with the increase in systolic blood pressure.     

HDL, HDL2, and HDL3 subfractions, and the risk of acute myocardial infarction. A prospective population study in eastern Finnish men

BACKGROUND. We investigated the association of cholesterol concentrations in serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) and its subfractions HDL2 and HDL3 with the risk of acute myocardial infarction in 1,799 randomly selected men 42, 48, 54, or 60 years old. METHODS AND RESULTS. Baseline examinations in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study were done during 1984-1987. In Cox multivariate survival models adjusted for age and examination year, serum HDL cholesterol of less than 1.09 mmol/l (42 mg/dl) was associated with a 3.3-fold risk of acute myocardial infarction (95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.7-6.4), serum HDL2, cholesterol of less than 0.65 mmol/l (25 mg/dl) was associated with a 4.0-fold risk of acute myocardial infarction (95% CI, 1.9-8.3), and serum HDL3 cholesterol of less than 0.40 mmol/l (15 mg/dl) was associated with a 2.0-fold (95% CI, 1.1-4.0) risk of acute myocardial infarction. Adjustments for obesity, ischemic heart disease, other cardiovascular disease, maximal oxygen uptake, systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive medication, serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations reduced the excess risks associated with serum HDL, HDL2, and HDL3 cholesterol in the lowest quartiles by 52%, 48%, and 41%, respectively. Additional adjustments for alcohol consumption, cigarettes smoked daily, smoking years, and leisure time energy expenditure reduced these excess risks associated with low HDL, HDL2, and HDL3 cholesterol levels by another 26%, 24% and 21%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS. Our data confirm that both total HDL and HDL2 levels have inverse associations with the risk of acute myocardial infarction and may thus be protective factors in ischemic heart disease, whereas the role of HDL3 remains equivocal.     

Serum cholesterol as a prognostic factor after myocardial infarction: the Framingham Study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relation between serum cholesterol levels and the long-term risk for reinfarction, death from coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality in persons who recover from myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal study. SETTING: A geographically defined population-based cohort of adults participating in the Framingham Heart Study. PATIENTS: Men (n = 260) and women (n = 114), 33 to 88 years of age (mean age, 62 years), who had a history of myocardial infarction. MEASUREMENTS: A complete physical examination, including electrocardiographic evaluation, blood pressure measurement, height and weight measurements, determination of smoking habits, and casual determinations of blood glucose and serum cholesterol, was done approximately 1 year after recovery from initial myocardial infarction. Patients were followed after infarction for the occurrence of reinfarction or death (mean follow-up, 10.5 years; range, 0.8 to 31.6 years). MAIN RESULTS: The mean cholesterol level after infarction was 5.21 mmol/L (242.8 mg/dL); 20% of patients had levels below 5.17 mmol/L (200 mg/dL), and 22% had levels of 7.11 mmol/L (275 mg/dL) or more. Compared with patients who had cholesterol levels below 5.17 mmol/L, patients with levels of 7.11 mmol/L or more were at increased risk for reinfarction (relative risk, 3.8; 95% Cl, 1.6 to 8.7), death from coronary heart disease (relative risk, 2.6; Cl, 1.4 to 4.8), and all-cause mortality (relative risk, 1.9; Cl, 1.2 to 2.9) based on multivariate Cox regression analyses adjusted for other coronary risk factors. Intermediate cholesterol levels (5.17 mmol/L to 7.11 mmol/L) were generally not associated with increased risk. The association between elevated serum cholesterol and increased risk was strongest in men; however, elevated cholesterol levels were found to be most strongly related to death from coronary disease and to all-cause mortality in persons who were 65 years of age or more. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have recovered from a myocardial infarction and who have high cholesterol levels are at an increased long-term risk for reinfarction, death from coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality. Our results confirm the prognostic value of cholesterol levels measured after myocardial infarction and support the role of lipid management in this population.     

High stored iron levels are associated with excess risk of myocardial infarction in eastern Finnish men.

BACKGROUND. Iron can induce lipid peroxidation in vitro and in vivo in humans and has promoted ischemic myocardial injury in experimental animals. We tested the hypothesis that high serum ferritin concentration and high dietary iron intake are associated with an excess risk of acute myocardial infarction. METHODS AND RESULTS. Randomly selected men (n = 1,931), aged 42, 48, 54, or 60 years, who had no symptomatic coronary heart disease at entry, were examined in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD) in Eastern Finland between 1984 and 1989. Fifty-one of these men experienced an acute myocardial infarction during an average follow-up of 3 years. On the basis of a Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for age, examination year, cigarette pack-years, ischemic ECG in exercise test, maximal oxygen uptake, systolic blood pressure, blood glucose, serum copper, blood leukocyte count, and serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglyceride concentrations, men with serum ferritin greater than or equal to 200 micrograms/l had a 2.2-fold (95% CI, 1.2-4.0; p less than 0.01) risk factor-adjusted risk of acute myocardial infarction compared with men with a lower serum ferritin. An elevated serum ferritin was a strong risk factor for acute myocardial infarction in all multivariate models. This association was stronger in men with serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration of 5.0 mmol/l (193 mg/dl) or more than in others. Also, dietary iron intake had a significant association with the disease risk in a Cox model with the same covariates. CONCLUSIONS. Our data suggest that a high stored iron level, as assessed by elevated serum ferritin concentration, is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.     

Risk factors for myocardial infarction and death due to ischemic heart disease and other causes

As part of a study of the male population in an industrial city in Sweden, one third of all male inhabitants of Göteborg born in 1913 were invited to an examination in 1963. Of those invited, 855 (88 percent) accepted. This report examines the incidence of nonfatal myocardial infarction and death from ischemic heart disease and other causes in this group of men during the ensuing 10 years.There were 61 deaths; autopsy was performed in 56 cases. Nineteen men died of ischemic heart disease and 18 of cancer; 12 men died violently. Thirty-one men survived an acute myocardial infarction. Cigarette smoking and registration with the Temperance Board at the time of the initial examination were more common in men who later had a nonfatal myocardial infarction or died of ischemic heart disease or other causes than in surviving subjects and men who did not have an infarction. Dyspnea was more common in men who died of ischemic heart disease but was less common in those who died of other causes than in the remaining subjects. Values for systolic blood pressure were higher and those for peak expiratory flow lower in men who died of ischemic heart disease. Serum cholesterol values were higher and those for serum triglycerides tended to be higher in men who died of ischemic heart disease than in other subjects. Heart size tended to be greater in those who had nonfatal or fatal ischemic heart disease. Obesity, the level of physical activity, fasting blood glucose levels, coffee consumption, hematocrit and erythrocyte sedimentation rate as determined at age 50 years had no predictive value for assessing the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal ischemic heart disease or death from other causes before age 60. The results indicate that many so-called risk factors have a different relation to fatal than to nonfatal ischemic heart disease.     

Early and late coronary deaths in the US Railroad study predicted by major coronary risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to explore the duration of the association of major coronary risk factors measured on a single occasion with coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths during 40 years in a population sample of middle-aged men. DESIGN: Measurement of age, systolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, and cigarette smoking was made on a single occasion in 2376 cardiovascular disease free men, aged 40-59, belonging to the US Railroad cohort of the Seven Countries Study enrolled in the late 1950s. During 40 years of follow up 627 men died from typical CHD (sudden death coronary death or definite myocardial infarction). METHODS: Eight partitioned proportional hazards models were solved, one for each independent 5-year block of follow up, to predict the risk of CHD death. Eight 5-year partitioned hazard scores, derived from the coefficients, were cumulated for each risk factor. RESULTS: The resulting curves showed a regularly increasing time trend in risk for coronary deaths as a function of serum cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and cigarette smoking, for the first 30-35 years of follow up followed by a loss of predictive power thereafter. The curves fit straight lines, with large squared correlation coefficients ranging from 0.96 to 0.99. There was a relatively constant strength in the association of risk factors levels with events, which are predicted irrespective of the distance from risk factor measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of major coronary risk factors taken on a single occasion in middle-aged men maintained a regular and almost monotonic relationship with the subsequent occurrence of CHD deaths for at least 30-35 years of follow up.     

Body weight and weight gain during adult life in men in relation to coronary heart disease and mortality. A prospective population study.

AIMS: To assess the risk of death from coronary disease, and all causes associated with body mass index and weight gain from age 20 to middle age. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, 6874 men aged 47 to 55 years at baseline and free of a history of myocardial infarction were followed with respect to mortality from coronary disease and from all causes over an average follow-up of 19.7 years, and with respect to non-fatal myocardial infarction for 11.8 years. High body mass index predicted death from coronary disease, but only at levels above 27.5 m.kg-2. Men with stable weight (defined as +/- 4% change from age 20) had the lowest death rate from coronary disease and the lowest risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction. Relative risk of coronary death increased with increasing weight gain, from 1.57 (1.14-2.15) (after adjustment for age, physical activity, and smoking) in the group who gained 4 to 10%, to 2.76 (1.97-3.85) in men with a weight gain of more than 35% (P for trend 0.0001), compared to men who remained stable. After further adjustment for serum cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and diabetes, relative risks were reduced but still significantly elevated in all weight gain groups (P for trend 0.004). Data concerning non-fatal myocardial infarction were available for the first 11.8 years and showed a relative risk of 3.35 (2.05-5.47) after adjustment for age, physical activity, and smoking in men with a weight gain of more than 35%. CONCLUSION: Weight gain from age 20, even a very moderate increase, is strongly associated with an increased risk of coronary death and non-fatal myocardial infarction.     

GGT levels in type II diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome (does diabetes have any effect on GGT levels in acute coronary syndrome?)

Elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level is independently correlated with conditions associated with increased atherosclerosis, such as obesity, elevated serum cholesterol, high blood pressure and myocardial infarction. It is demonstrated that serum GGT activity is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction and cardiac death in patients with coronary artery disease. Diabetes is also a well-known cardiovascular risk factor and an equivalent of coronary artery disease. Although the relationship between GGT and coronary artery disease has been reported, there are limited data exploring the changes of GGT in acute coronary syndromes, especially in patients with diabetes. So, this study aimed to determine changes in GGT level in diabetic and non-diabetic acute coronary syndromes. This trial was carried out at Kosuyolu Cardiovascular Training and Research Hospital and Van Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital, Turkey. A total of 219 patients (177 men and 42 women) presenting with acute coronary syndrome) and 51 control subjects between September 2007 and September 2008 were included in the study. Serum γ-glutamyltransferase and serum lipoprotein levels were determined. The resuls indicated that serum GGT levels were higher in acute coronary syndrome patients compared with control. In subgroup analyses, there was no difference between diabetic and non-diabetic subgroups. There was also weak correlation between GGT and blood glucose levels. There was no correlation between GGT and serum lipoprotein levels. In conclusion, serum GGT levels were higher in acute coronary syndrome patients. In subgroup analyses, There was no difference between diabetic and non diabetic subgroup.     

Serum lipids and lipoproteins after myocardial infarction: associations with cardiovascular mortality and experience in the Aspirin Myocardial Infarction Study

Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were measured at baseline in 4021 men and 503 women (myocardial infarction survivors) participating in the Aspirin Myocardial Infarction Study (AMIS). A cohort of participants (1824 men and 226 women) had, in addition, a determination of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and an estimate of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. In comparison with values obtained for normal Americans by the Lipid Research Clinics Prevalence Study Group, AMIS participants had higher serum cholesterol, higher serum triglyceride, higher LDL cholesterol, and lower HDL cholesterol levels. These values were the most disparate in the women and younger men. The serum total cholesterol, the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol, and the serum triglyceride level were significantly related (p less than 0.05) to the 3-year cardiovascular mortality rate for men less than 55 years of age (univariate relationships). For men older than 55 years, these relationships were not statistically significant. After adjustment for multiple risk factors, serum cholesterol and the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol remained significant risk factors for cardiovascular death and the combined incidence of cardiovascular death or nonfatal myocardial infarction in men less than age 55 years.     

Resting heart rate as a predictive risk factor for sudden death in middle-aged men

OBJECTIVE: A relative hyperadrenergic tone related to abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system is suspected in the mechanisms of sudden death. Therefore, we assessed the role of an elevated basal heart rate in the occurrence of sudden death in a long-term cohort study. METHODS: 7746 subjects aged 42--53 years, underwent ECG and physical examination conducted by a physician under standardized conditions, provided blood samples for laboratory tests, and answered questionnaires administered by trained interviewers. The vital status was obtained from specific inquiries up to the time of retirement and then by death certificates. Men with known ischemic heart disease were further excluded from analysis which was conducted on the 7079 remaining subjects. RESULTS: After an average follow-up period of 23 years, there were 2083 deaths, among which were 603 cardiovascular deaths including 118 sudden deaths and 192 following myocardial infarction. The crude risk of sudden death increased linearly with the level of resting heart rate and the risk in men in the highest quintile of heart rate was 3.8 fold than in those in the lowest quintile, whereas rates were approximatively twice higher for fatal myocardial infarction, cardiovascular and total mortality (all P<0.01). When age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, tobacco consumption, parental history of myocardial infarction and parental history of sudden death, cholesterol level, diabetic status, and sport activity were simultaneously entered into the survival model, resting heart rate remained an independent risk factor for sudden death (P=0.03) but not for fatal myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: An elevated heart rate at rest was confirmed as an independent risk factor for sudden death in middle-aged men.     

Importance of coronary risk factors in the presence or absence of myocardial ischemia

Smoking history, systolic blood pressure, and serum cholesterol concentration were studied for their value in predicting 5-year coronary mortality in middle-aged and older Finnish men. Total experience consisted of 188 deaths from ischemic heart disease during 20,245 person-years. Initially, the men were divided into 3 groups according to the degree of myocardial ischemia: (1) previous myocardial infarction; (2) ischemic heart disease without infarction; and (3) no myocardial ischemia.

The 3 main risk factors were associated, independently of each other and of age, with the relative risk of coronary death similarly in the 3 groups, whereas their absolute impact on mortality was strong among men with ischemic heart disease and even stronger among those with a prior myocardial infarction. For example, the estimated excess coronary mortality attributable to smoking 10 to 19 cigarettes per day was 6.3 deaths per 1,000 person-years in the group with no ischemia, 14.6 in the ischemia group, and 43.1 in the infarction group.

The results suggest that secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease may be important. Screening of coronary disease among middle-aged and older men also appears justified.     

性别对高血压前期患者心脑血管疾病的影响

目的 探讨不同性别对高血压前期患者的脑、冠状动脉粥样硬化的影响。方法 收集心内科行冠脉造影检查（CAG）发现冠状动脉狭窄程度在30%~70%,仅接受药物治疗未行经皮冠脉介入（PCI）治疗的高血压前期患者243例,年龄在45~75岁,根据性别分为男性组140例和女性组103例,比较两组的临床特点、住院及访随期间用药情况,比较两组患者的高血压及心血管疾病（急性心肌梗死、缺血性脑卒中）发生情况。采用Cox多因素回归分析探讨年龄、性别、血脂等危险因素与高血压前期进展为高血压及心血管疾病发生的相关性。结果 两组患者基线资料比较,女性组的年龄显著高于男性组〔(61±7)岁 vs.(59±7)岁,P<0.01〕,女性的血脂（总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇）水平也显著高于男性患者（均P<0.01）,但是男性患者的血肌酐值、左室舒张期内径及具有吸烟、饮酒史的比例显著高于女性患者（均P<0.01）。经3.1~8.7(中位数4.5）年的随访后发现高血压前期患者中男性组有71人(50.7%)进展为高血压,而女性组有52人(50.5%)进展为高血压,两组差异无统计学意义。心血管疾病方面,两组共计有72名患者发生急性心肌梗死,其中男性组心肌梗死发生率显著高于女性组（37.1% vs. 19.4%,P<0.01）,而女性组缺血性卒中发生率显著高于男性组（11.6% vs. 4.3%,P<0.05）,高盐饮食的亚组中男性组35人发生急性心肌梗死,女性组仅13人,其男性的心肌梗死发生率高于女性组（50.7% vs. 25.5%,P<0.01）。为进一步探讨高血压及心血管疾病的危险因素,采用Cox多因素回归分析后发现,在高血压前期人群中,高盐饮食为高血压及心血管疾病独立的危险因素,高盐饮食为男性心血管疾病发生独立的危险因素（均P<0.05）。结论 在高血压前期人群中,高盐饮食会加重高血压及心血管疾病的发生及进展,尤其是男性患者,男性高血压前期人群发生急性心肌梗死危险更高,而女性组中缺血性卒中发生率更高。     

Effect of the metabolic syndrome and hyperuricemia on outcome in patients with coronary artery disease (from the Bezafibrate Infarction Prevention Study)

Hyperuricemia appears to be related to metabolic syndrome (MS), but its impact on cardiovascular risk in patients with MS is unclear. We evaluated the impact of hyperuricemia on cardiovascular risk in patients with MS. Of 2,963 patients with coronary artery disease enrolled in the Bezafibrate Infarction Prevention study, 1,410 had MS, as established by the presence of ≥3 of the following 5 criteria: serum fasting glucose >110 mg/dl, triglycerides >150 mg/dl, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <40 mg/dl in men and <50 mg/dl in women, systolic and diastolic blood pressures >130 and 80 mm Hg, respectively, and body mass index >28 kg/m2. The remaining 1,553 patients had no MS. Primary end points were defined as occurrence of acute myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid levels >7.0 mg/dl in men and >6.0 mg/dl in women, respectively. Higher rate of primary end point was noted in hyperuricemic patients (n = 284) versus normouricemic patients (n = 1,126) with MS (20.1% and 15.3%, respectively, p = 0.05). After adjustment for age, gender, smoking, diabetes, previous myocardial infarction, hypertension, New York Heart Association classes II to IV, estimated glomerular filtration rate, body mass index, total cholesterol, triglycerides, diuretics, antiplatelets, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, β blockers, and bezafibrate treatment, hyperuricemic patients with MS demonstrated significantly higher risk for the primary end point compared to normouricemic patients with MS (hazard ratio 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.00 to 2.17, p = 0.05). In conclusion, hyperuricemia is associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death in patients with MS.     

IgE and cardiovascular disease. Results from a population-based study

Because previous reports have suggested that IgE-mediated events may lead to both platelet activation and arterial spasm, a population-based study of 262 men and 315 women, aged 38 to 82, was conducted to investigate the association of serum IgE levels with myocardial infarction, stroke, and noninvasively diagnosed large-vessel peripheral arterial disease. In men with previous myocardial infarction, previous stroke, or current large-vessel peripheral arterial disease, geometric mean serum IgE levels were increased 119 percent, 164 percent, and 78 percent, respectively. These associations were statistically significant (p less than 0.05). Because IgE was positively or inversely correlated with several traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, logistic regression was used to evaluate the independent association of IgE with any cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, stroke, or large-vessel peripheral arterial disease). In a model including age, cigarette smoking, fasting plasma glucose level, diastolic blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level as covariates, IgE was positively and independently associated with any cardiovascular disease (p = 0.03). Similar evaluations in women revealed no correlation between IgE and cardiovascular disease by either univariate or multivariable analysis. These data indicate that IgE may be an independent marker for cardiovascular disease in men, and thus suggest IgE-mediated events may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.     

First coronary heart disease event rates in relation to major risk factors: Quebec cardiovascular study

The incidence of first coronary heart disease (CHD) events was evaluated prospectively in relation to the baseline measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol, smoking status and education in a cohort of 4576 Quebec men aged 35 to 64 and free from CHD at entry in 1974. From 1974 to 1986, 603 first CHD events were documented. The most frequent first manifestation was angina (6.7/1000 person-years) followed by nonfatal myocardial infarction (4.7/1000) and CHD death 2.2/1000). There was a positive relationship between the first CHD event and systolic (Z = 4.67) and diastolic (Z = 6.50) blood pressure. This relation was observed for angina, nonfatal myocardial infarction and CHD death. Serum cholesterol was also related to all events (Z = 4.99) but more specifically to angina and nonfatal myocardial infarction. Cigarette smoking was significantly related to first CHD manifestations. This relationship for specific CHD events was observed in men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day. Men who discontinued smoking one year before the study had a risk not different from those who never smoked. No relationship was observed between years of schooling and CHD events. Blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking constituted nearly two-thirds of the attributable risk of first CHD events.     

Serum cholesterol and long-term prognosis in middle-aged men with myocardial infarction and angina pectoris: A 16-year follow-up of the Primary Prevention Study in Gateborg, Sweden

OBJECTIVE: To compare the role of serum cholesterol in the long-term prognosisof men with a history of myocardial infarction, in men withclinical angina without myocardial infarction, and men withoutclinical coronary disease. METHODS: In the second screening of the Primary Prevention Study in Göteborgwhich comprised 7100 men aged 51 to 59 years at baseline in1974–1977, 314 men with clinical angina but no myocardialinfarction at baseline were identified and 195 men who had surviveda myocardial infarction for 0 to 19 years (median 3 years). RESULTS: Of the men without clinical coronary disease at baseline andcholesterol at or below 5·2 mmol .1^–1, 2·7per 1000 observation years died from coronary disease comparedto 8·5 per 1000 of the men with serum cholesterol of7·2 mmol .1^–1 or more. Corresponding figures formen with angina was 5·5 and 31·0 per 1000 observationyears, and for men with prior myocardial infarction 19·8and 58·3 respectively, per 1000. After adjustment forage, smoking, systolic blood pressure, body mass index and diabetesthe risk of coronary death in men with serum cholesterol above7·2 mmol .1^–1 compared to below 5·2 mmol.1^–1 was 2·42 (1·66–3·51) inhealthy men, 4·82 (1·44–16·09) inmen with angina, 2·70 (0·95–7·67)in survivors of myocardial infarction, and 4·07 (1·86–8·91)in the combined group of men with either angina or prior infarction.The strongest effect was seen during the first half of the follow-up,with an adjusted relative risk for high in relation to low serumcholesterol of 8·08 (1·95–33·55)in men with preexisting coronary disease. Non-coronary deathsvaried little by serum cholesterol or coronary disease statusat baseline. After 16 years, 76% of the healthy men with lowcholesterol and 65% of healthy men with cholesterol above 7·2mmol. 1^–1 were still alive. Of the men with prior myocardialinfarction, 50% in the group with low cholesterol were aliveafter 16 years, as compared to 21% of those with high cholesterol. CONCLUSION: The long-term absolute risk of death in men with coronary diseaseand elevated serum cholesterol is very high. Implementationof lipid-lowering strategies shown to be efficacious is importantin this high-risk group.     

Trends for coronary heart disease and its risk factors in Japan: epidemiologic and pathologic studies

Epidemiologic and pathologic studies were conducted between 1965 and 1986 to investigate trends for the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its risk factors in urban and rural populations and to relate the risk factor changes to trends for CHD incidence and pathologic findings. The epidemiologic study included men aged 40-59 years who urban residents of Osaka, clerical and manual workers in Osaka, and rural residents of Akita prefecture. The pathologic study subjects were autopsied men aged 30 and over, admitted to a local hospital in Akita, whose autopsy rate was 88%. From a cohort of 8,835 urban employees between 1975 and 1987, risk factors for myocardial infarction were identified: blood pressure, total serum cholesterol, blood glucose and cigarette smoking all which were compatible with findings in the US and European countries. For rural residents, serum cholesterol was less likely to be associated with the CHD incidence. Little contribution of serum cholesterol to development of coronary heart disease in rural men was supported by the pathologic study showing no significant association between serum cholesterol and the coronary atherosclerosis. Myocardial infarction from urban patients was characterized as massive necrosis in the myocardium with coronary artery stenosis and minimum atherosclerosis of basal cerebral arteries while that from rural men was small scattered necrosis in myocardium with atherosclerosis in both coronary and basal cerebral arteries. There was an increasing trend in the incidence of myocardial infarction in urban men but no change in rural men. The difference in the incidence trend can be attributed in part to differences in pathologic etiology and in blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels. Systematic surveillance is underway in both urban and rural population to clarify future trends for coronary heart disease and its risk factors.