Coronary Heart Disease Morbidity Research Articles

The Therapeutic Role of Niacin in Dyslipidemia Management

There is abundant epidemiologic evidence to support the independent, inverse relationship between low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and incident cardiovascular (CV) risk, the clinical importance of which is underscored by the high prevalence of low HDL-C in populations with coronary heart disease (CHD), with or without elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The National Cholesterol Education Program recommended that optimal treatment for high-risk patients includes both lowering LDL-C and non-HDL-C to risk stratified levels and raising HDL-C when it is <40 mg/dL, although no target level for the latter lipoprotein was suggested. Niacin is the most powerful agent currently available for raising low levels of HDL-C. It also induces significant reductions in triglycerides, lipoprotein(a), and LDL-C levels while also favorably altering LDL particle size and number. In the Coronary Drug Project, niacin treatment was associated with significant reductions in CV events and long-term mortality, similar to the reductions seen in the statin monotherapy trials. In combination trials, niacin plus a statin or bile acid sequestrant produces additive reductions in CHD morbidity and mortality and promotes regression of coronary atherosclerosis. Recently, 2 clinical outcome trials (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome With Low HDL/High Triglycerides and Impact on Global Health Outcomes [AIM-HIGH] and Second Heart Protection Study [HPS-2 THRIVE]) failed to show a reduction in CV events in patients treated to optimally low levels of LDL-C. Despite favorable effects on HDL-C and triglycerides, these studies did not demonstrate incremental clinical benefit with niacin when added to simvastatin, although notable limitations were identified in each of these trials. Thus, there is insufficient evidence from clinical trials to recommend HDL-targeted therapy for additional event reduction at the present time. However, niacin should continue to be used as an adjuvant therapy for reducing atherogenic lipoprotein burden in patients who have not reached their risk stratified LDL-C and non-HDL-C targets.

GDF-15 for Prognostication of Cardiovascular and Cancer Morbidity and Mortality in Men

The objective was to evaluate the hypothesis that growth-differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is an independent marker of the long-term risk for both cardiovascular disease and cancer morbidity beyond clinical and biochemical risk factors. Plasma obtained at age 71 was available from 940 subjects in the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men (ULSAM) cohort. Complete mortality and morbidity data were obtained from public registries. At baseline there were independent associations between GDF-15 and current smoking, diabetes mellitus, biomarkers of cardiac (high-sensitivity troponin-T, NT-proBNP) and renal dysfunction (cystatin-C) and inflammatory activity (C-reactive protein), and previous cardiovascular disease (CVD). During 10 years follow-up there occurred 265 and 131 deaths, 115 and 46 cardiovascular deaths, and 185 and 86 events with coronary heart disease mortality or morbidity in the respective total cohort (n=940) and non-CVD (n=561) cohort. After adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, one SD increase in log GDF-15 were, in the respective total and non-CVD populations, associated with 48% (95%CI 26 to 73%, p<0.001) and 67% (95%CI 28 to 217%, p<0.001) incremental risk of cardiovascular mortality, 48% (95%CI 33 to 67%, p<0.001) and 61% (95%CI 38 to 89%, p<0.001) of total mortality and 36% (95%CI 19 to 56%, p<0.001) and 44% (95%CI 17 to 76%, p<0.001) of coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality. The corresponding incremental increase for cancer mortality in the respective total and non-cancer disease (n=882) population was 46% (95%CI 21 to 77%, p<0.001) and 38% (95%CI 12 to 70%, p<0.001) and for cancer morbidity and mortality in patients without previous cancer disease 30% (95%CI 12 to 51%, p<0.001). In conclusion, in elderly men, GDF-15 improves prognostication of both cardiovascular, cancer mortality and morbidity beyond established risk factors and biomarkers of cardiac, renal dysfunction and inflammation.

Association of interleukin 10 gene -592C/A polymorphism with coronary artery disease

To assess the association of interleukin 10 (IL10) gene -592C/A polymorphism with morbidity of coronary heart disease in a southern Chinese Han population. Frequencies of various genotypes and alleles for the IL10 -592C/A polymorphism (rs1800872) were determined by the means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in 249 patients and 132 unaffected controls. The frequencies of both IL10 -592C/A site and different alleles have reached statistical significance (P<0.05) after correcting the difference in clinical data by logistic regression analysis. The risk of coronary heart disease in the patients with A gene (AA+CA) was 2.449 times greater than those without (95%CI:1.214-4.940, P=0.012). IL10 gene -592C/A polymorphism is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease. Allele A may be a risk factor for this disease in the studied population.

The Effect of Short-Term Cardiac Rehabilitation After Acute Myocardial Infarction on High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is an important biomarker of risk for coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality. We investigated the influence of short-term cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on values of hsCRP and classical risk factors, including metabolic syndrome. hsCRP and classical risk factors were measured before and after completed 2-week CR program in 30 men after AMI. The comparison group comprised 30 age-balanced healthy men, with no risk factors for coronary heart disease. As expected, in comparison to healthy individuals, patients had higher values of hsCRP; furthermore, smokers had significantly higher hsCRP values than nonsmokers. Patients had more expressed markers of metabolic syndrome and due to pharmacological therapy lower blood pressure, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). After CR was completed, a significant drop in hsCRP (P=0.006) and improvement of metabolic syndrome parameters (lower body mass index, blood pressure, LDL-C, triglycerides) was observed in nonsmokers, whereas no such changes occurred in smokers. Our study revealed that hsCRP and metabolic syndrome parameters can be substantially reduced by a 2-week CR program; however, this effect is present only in nonsmokers. Thus, all patients entering the CR program after AMI should be advised to quit smoking before entering the program to achieve optimal benefits.

Association of Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics and Retinal Microvascular Findings: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

BackgroundThis study evaluated the prevalence of ideal cardiovascular (CV) health in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and determined its relationship with prevalent retinopathy, wider retinal venular diameters, and narrower arteriolar diameters, which are risk markers for subclinical cerebrovascular disease and are associated with increased stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality.Methods and ResultsWe used gradings of fundus photography measurements from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study to examine the association of retinopathy and retinal arteriolar and venular calibers to the number of ideal CV health metrics. Prevalent retinopathy showed a graded relationship with the CV health categories and number of ideal CV health metrics present: retinopathy prevalence was 2.1% among those with ≥5 ideal CV health metrics compared with 13.1% among those with zero ideal CV health metrics (odds ratio [CI]), 4.8 [2.5 to 8.9]). Central retinal venule equivalent and central retinal arteriolar equivalent diameters also showed graded relationships with CV health categories and number of ideal CV health metrics: after adjustment for age, race, sex, and education, mean central retinal venular equivalent was 187.8 μm (95% CI, 186.9 to 188.6 μm) among those with ≥5 ideal CV health metrics compared with 201.1 μm (95% CI, 199.1 to 203.1 μm) among those with zero ideal CV health metrics. Mean central retinal arteriolar equivalent was 163.8 μm (95% CI, 163.0 to 164.5 μm) among those with ≥5 ideal CV health metrics compared with 157.9 μm (95% CI, 156.1 to 159.7 μm) among those with zero ideal CV health metrics.ConclusionsFew adults had ideal cardiovascular health. Those with the best level of health were less likely to have retinopathy signs, wide retinal venules, and narrow retinal arterioles, which are associated with increased stroke and coronary heart disease risk.

Treatment potential for dyslipidaemia management in patients with coronary heart disease across Europe: Findings from the EUROASPIRE III survey

ObjectiveDyslipidaemia is among the most important risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). The lowering of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) yields significant reduction in both morbidity and mortality rates, particularly in patients with established CHD. The aim of this survey was to assess how dyslipidaemia is managed following a coronary event in different places in Europe. MethodsCHD patients' data from centres in 22 European countries were gathered using standardised methods. In total, 8467 CHD patients with lipid measurements in one central laboratory were included. Trends from 8 countries participating in all three EUROASPIRE surveys (1994–1995, 1999–2000, 2006–2007) were also investigated. Results51.1% of CHD patients had elevated total cholesterol (≥4.5 mmol/L), 54.5% had raised LDL-C (≥2.5 mmol/L), 36.7% had low HDL-C (<1.0 mmol/L for men and <1.2 mmol/L for women), and 34.7% had increased triglycerides (≥1.7 mmol/L). The use of lipid lowering drugs was 79.8% but it varied considerably, ranging from only 41.6% (Lithuania) to 95.4% (Finland). Over the past decade, in 8 countries the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia (≥4.5 mmol/L) in CHD patients has decreased from 94.5% in the first to 76.7% in the second and 46.2% in the third survey (p < 0.0001). The use of lipid-lowering drugs increased from 32.3% in the first, to 62.7% in the second and 88.8% in the third survey (p < 0.0001). ConclusionsAlthough management of dyslipidaemia in CHD patients is improving, a large majority of CHD patients with dyslipidaemia is still inadequately treated and many patients on lipid-lowering therapy are not reaching the treatment goals. Therefore, a considerable potential still exists throughout Europe to reduce CHD mortality and morbidity rates through better treatment of dyslipidaemia.

Does Health‐Related Quality of Life Predict Hospitalization or Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation?

Poor health-related quality of life (QOL) is related to morbidity and mortality in coronary heart disease and ventricular arrhythmias as well as to mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF). This study examined the contributions of QOL to the prediction of 1-year hospitalization and mortality in patients with AF, independent of HF. This study used the public use dataset from the NHLBI/NIH AFFIRM randomized clinical trial. Patients enrolled in the QOL substudy (N = 693) were randomly assigned to rate or rhythm control. QOL was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Quality of Life Index-Cardiac Version (QLI-CV). Data were analyzed with logistic regression to predict 1-year hospitalization and Cox proportional hazards analysis to predict mortality. In the first year of participation in the study 37% (n = 256) were hospitalized; mortality was 14.3% (n = 93) with mean follow-up of 3.5 years. Patients' mean age was 69.8 ± 8.2 years, were largely male (62%), and white (93%). Patient histories included 70.8% hypertension, 38.2% coronary artery disease (CAD), and 23.7% HF. History of stroke, HF, rhythm control arm, lower SF-36 mental component scores (MCS), and lower SF-36 physical component scores (PCS) predicted hospitalization (P < 0.001). Diabetes, female gender, older age, CAD, hypertension, and lower PCS predicted mortality (P < 0.001). QOL adds meaningful information beyond traditional biomedical factors to the prediction of mortality and/or hospitalization of patients with AF. Interventions for improving QOL and helping patients adapt to AF treatments may decrease hospitalization and improve survival.

Prehypertension and incidence of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis

BackgroundProspective cohort studies of prehypertension and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are controversial after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors. This meta-analysis evaluated the association between prehypertension and CVD morbidity.MethodsDatabases (PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library) and conference proceedings were searched for prospective cohort studies with data on prehypertension and cardiovascular morbidity. Two independent reviewers assessed the reports and extracted data. The relative risks (RRs) of CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke morbidity were calculated and reported with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Subgroup analyses were conducted on blood pressure, age, gender, ethnicity, follow-up duration, number of participants and study quality.ResultsPooled data included the results from 468,561 participants from 18 prospective cohort studies. Prehypertension elevated the risks of CVD (RR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.41 to 1.71); CHD (RR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.30 to 1.74); and stroke (RR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.55 to 1.89). In the subgroup analyses, even for low-range prehypertension, the risk of CVD was significantly higher than for optimal BP (RR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.32 to 1.62), and further increased with high-range prehypertension (RR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.41 to 2.31). The relative risk was significantly higher in the high-range prehypertensive populations than in the low-range populations (χ2= 5.69, P = 0.02). There were no significant differences among the other subgroup analyses (P>0.05).ConclusionsPrehypertension, even in the low range, elevates the risk of CVD after adjusting for multiple cardiovascular risk factors.

THU0309 Coronary Heart Disease in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is Associated with Interferon Regulatory Factor 8 Gene Variants

BackgroundPatients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) have increased morbidity and mortality in coronary heart disease (CHD). Modern treatment has reduced the risk of death in SLE due to inflammation in...

Coronary Heart Disease in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Is Associated With Interferon Regulatory Factor-8 Gene Variants

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have increased morbidity and mortality in coronary heart disease (CHD). We asked whether there was a genetic influence on CHD in systemic lupus erythematosus. The association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CHD in 2 populations of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus was assessed. Patients were genotyped on a custom 12k Illumina Array. The allele frequencies were compared between patients with (n=66) and without (n=509) CHD. We found 61 SNPs with an association (P<0.01) to CHD, with the strongest association for 3 SNPs located in the interferon regulatory factor-8 (IRF8) gene. Comparison of the allele frequencies of these 61 SNPs in patients with (n=27) and without (n=212) CHD in the second study population revealed that 2 SNPs, rs925994 and rs10514610 in IRF8 (linkage disequilibrium, r²=0.84), were associated with CHD in both study populations. Meta-analysis of the SNP rs925994 gave an odds ratio of 3.6 (2.1-6.3), P value 1.9×10⁻⁶. The identified IRF8 allele remained as a risk factor for CHD after adjustment for traditional CHD risk factors. The IRF8 risk allele was associated with the presence of carotid plaques (P<0.001) and increased intima-media thickness (P=0.01). By electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we show weaker binding of protein to the risk allele of the highly linked SNP rs11117415, and by flow cytometry, a reduced frequency of circulating B cells was detected in patients with the IRF8 risk allele. There is a considerable genetic component for CHD in systemic lupus erythematosus, with IRF8 as a strong susceptibility locus.

Nationwide Trends in the Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Australia, 1993–2010

Although most of the additional increases in coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality are estimated to occur outside developed regions such as North America and Europe, few nationwide studies have been published of acute myocardial infarction (MI) epidemiology from other regions. We thus sought to expand the global data regarding MI trends. Nationwide trends of incident MI, ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI), and non-ST-segment MI (non-STEMI) were analyzed during a 17-year period in Australia. We identified 714,262 hospitalizations for MI from 1993 to 2010, representing 331,871,389 person-years. During the study period, the age- and gender-adjusted incidence of all MIs increased from 215 to 251 cases per 100,000 person-years, a relative increase of 76% (p <0.0001 for trend). The adjusted incidence of STEMI decreased from 147 to 70 cases per 100,000 person-years, a relative decrease of 30% (p <0.0001 for trend). In contrast, the adjusted incidence of non-STEMI increased from 67 to 182 cases per 100,000 person-years, a relative increase of 315% (p<0.0001 for trend). Age-specific analyses suggested that statistically significant increases in MI incidence were present in those aged <50 and ≥80 years. In conclusion, although it has previously been suggested that declining trends in MI incidence in North American and European reports might be generalizable given the seemingly consistent observations thus far, the present results highlight the possibility that other global populations might have less favorable trends. The incidence of MI in Australia might not be decreasing as rapidly as thatseen in other regions and requires additional exploration.

Role of gender and the Waist - Hip Ratio (WHR) on Heart Rate Variablility (HRV) in adolescent age

Background: The Heart rate variability (HRV) as a measurement of autonomic function assumes great clinical importance. Children are vulnerable during the adolescence since in this period dietary and lifestyle patterns are initiated that have implications for coronary heart disease (CHD) and other morbidity risk in later adult life. Aims & Objective: This study was devised to correlate HRV with WHR in male and female adolescent school children. Materials and Methods: 195 school children of both sexes (boys 93 and girls 102) in the adolescent age participated in this study. Their WHR was measured and HRV was recorded during rest, immediately before exercise, 5 minutes and 30 minutes after exercise with deep breathing. On the basis of waist-hip ratio, these students were divided into lesser group, those having WHR less than the average of the respective groups and more group of those having WHR more than the average. Results: The result showed that the HRV of girls were more than boys but it was lesser than boys immediately after exercise. In girls with lesser WHR recorded much less than others. Conclusion: During adolescent age, girls have better parasympathetic control and comparatively during adolescent period, the lean people have better sympathetic activity. This findings is in oppose to adulthood autonomic control where male have better parasympathetic activity and in obese people sympathetic activity is more. The reason for paradoxical autonomic control in adolescent age lies in the onset of secretion of sex hormones during the adolescent period.

Female Renal Transplant Recipients Potentially at Increased Risk of Fatal Coronary Heart Disease Associated with Ambient Air Pollutants

Background: There is increasing evidence that specific ambient air pollutants are associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality and risks may differ by gender. Renal transplant recipients have previously been identified as a potentially sensitive subgroup. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible effect of long-term ambient pollutant ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM10) on risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality and determine if gender differences exist among renal transplant recipients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 38,101 (22,276 males and 15,825 females) subjects identified through the US Renal Data System (USRDS), which included adult, renal transplant recipients, transplanted between 1997-2003, and living in the continental U.S.A. Air pollution statistics collected over the national ambient monitoring network, were extracted from US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality System (AQS). Mean monthly concentrations of O3, and PM10 calculated from ambient monitoring data and interpolated to ZIP code centroids according to residence of the subjects. Cox proportional hazard models used to estimate effect of air pollutants on mortality (CHD) risks, while adjusting for potential confounders. All analyses conducted were gender-specific. Results: In both the age-and multivariable adjusted models, there was a significant association between risk of fatal CHD and O3 for females (HR=1.56, 95%CI: 1.06-2.30), no significant association found for males. O3 displayed the strongest association with CHD mortality among females with a HR=1.57 (95%CI: 1.07-2.30) after adjustment for PM10 in the two pollutant multivariable model. For both pollutants and across all models, females consistently experienced greater risk than males. No significant association identified for PM10 for either gender. Conclusions: The findings from our study have potential implications for policies and regulations of air pollution. Gender, as a higher risk category, may be relevant in developing individual CHD risk reduction strategies for renal transplant recipients to ultimately improve long-term survival.

Residual risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with coronary heart disease: The EUROASPIRE Risk Categories

The EUROASPIRE I, II and III surveys revealed high prevalences of modifiable risk factors in the high priority group of coronary patients all over Europe. The potential to further reduce coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality rates is still considerable. We report here on the relative risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) death associated with common modifiable risk factor levels based on the mortality follow-up of patients participating in the first two EUROASPIRE surveys. We also present a novel simple risk classification system (ERC) that can be used in the management of patients with existing CHD. The study cohort consisted of a consecutive sample of CHD patients aged ≤ 70 years from 12 European countries. Baseline data gathered in 1995-2000 through standardized methods, were linked to cardiovascular mortality in 5216 patients according to an accelerated failure time model. During 28,143 person-years of follow-up, 332 patients died from cardiovascular disease denoting a CVD mortality risk of 12.3 per 1000 person-years in men and 10.2 per 1000 person-years in women. In multivariate analysis, fasting glucose, total cholesterol and smoking emerged as the strongest independent modifiable predictors of cardiovascular mortality. The results of the mortality follow-up of the EUROASPIRE I and II CHD patients emphasize the continuing risk from elevated glucose and total cholesterol levels and underline the importance of smoking cessation in secondary prevention. The ERC risk tool that we developed may prove helpful to obtain these goals in the setting of secondary prevention.

Relative importance of risk factors for coronary heart disease – The Hordaland Homocysteine Study

Objectives. The aim was to rank coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors according to their importance in predicting CHD morbidity and mortality using a scale-independent statistical approach. Design. We studied 15 515 community-dwelling adults in a population-based cohort established during 1992–93 in Western Norway. Participants were 40–42 and 65–67 years old at baseline and were followed through 2006. Endpoints were non-fatal/fatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and CHD death. Each factor was rank transformed and scaled to the range 0–5 before estimation of Cox models. Hazard ratios (HR) may thus be interpreted as HR per quintile increment for each factor, and the magnitude of the HR was used to rank the risk factors according to strength. Results. Total cholesterol and triglycerides were important risk factors for both CHD death and non-fatal/fatal AMI only in the middle-aged group. Risk factors were generally stronger in the middle-aged, except total homocysteine which was significantly associated with CHD death in the oldest group only. The only significant difference between men and women was found for single living which was an important risk factor for non-fatal/fatal AMI in middle-aged women but not in middle-aged men. Conclusions. We have demonstrated a simple method for direct and scale-independent comparison of the strength of both categorical and continuous risk factors. The importance of individual risk factors differed substantially between the two age groups.

Increased Psychosocial Stress in Greek-Born Immigrants Compared to Anglo-Australians with Coronary Heart Disease: The Healthy Heart, Healthy Mind Study

To compare measures of depression and anxiety, physical health status, quality of life, and social support in Greek-born and Anglo-Australian outpatients with coronary heart disease (CHD). A cross-sectional study of 61 Greek-born immigrants and 62 Anglo-Australian outpatients with CHD recruited between 2009 and 2011 was undertaken. We administered the Beck Depression Inventory-2 and the Cardiac Depression Scale, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, the SF-12, the World Health Organisation Quality of Life (brief version), and the Perceived Social Support Scale and Social Enriched Social Support Instrument. Compared to Anglo-Australians, the Greek-born immigrants had higher depression and anxiety scores, lower reported physical health status, lower perceived social support and lower quality of life on the physical, psychological and environmental health subdomains (p values<.05). Birthplace differences remained for level of depression and anxiety when adjustments were made for other CHD risk factors. Greek-born immigrants were found to have more psychosocial risk factors for CHD compared to the Anglo-Australians. We suggest that differences in depression and anxiety may help explain differences in CHD risk and morbidity between Greek-born immigrants and other ethnic groups living in Australia.

Metabolic Syndrome and Incident Coronary Heart Disease in Australian Indigenous Populations

This report aims to compare the prediction of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components for morbidity and mortality of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a cohort of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (TSIs). A total of 2,100 adults (1,283 Aborigines and 817 TSIs) was followed up for 6 years from 2000. Outcome measures were all CHD events (deaths and hospitalizations). Baseline anthropometric measurements, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood lipids and glucose were collected. Smoking and alcohol intake was self-reported. We found MetS was more prevalent in TSI (50.3%) compared to Aborigines (33.0%). Baseline MetS doubled the risk of a CHD event in Aborigines. Increased fasting triglycerides was stronger in predicting CHD (hazard ratio (HR): 2.8) compared with MetS after adjusted for age, sex, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and baseline diabetes and albuminuria for Aborigines but not among TSIs. MetS was not more powerful than its components in predicting CHD event. In Australian Aborigines, the "triglyceridemic waist" phenotype strongly predicts CHD event, whereas among TSI, baseline diabetes mediated the prediction of increased fasting glucose for CHD event.

Abstract P370: Obesity and Incident Coronary Heart Disease in the Million Women Study: A Prospective, Population-based Cohort Study

Background: Higher body-mass index (BMI) has been associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality but its association with incident CHD is less investigated, and data for women are limited. Methods: We examined the prospective relation between BMI and incident CHD (first CHD hospitalization or death) in 1.2 million women aged ≥50 years without prior CHD, who were recruited through a national breast screening programme in 1996 to 2001 and followed for an average of 9 years (48,842 events with 10.7 million person-years of follow-up). Absolute and relative risks (using Cox regression) associated with higher BMI were estimated. Results: After excluding the first 4 years of follow-up, there were 32,465 events (5.9 million person-years) including 3,345 CHD deaths. The adjusted relative risk per 5 kg/m 2 BMI difference was 1.24 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22 to 1.25]. CHD risk increased linearly across a wide range of BMI, with no apparent excess risk in the lower end of BMI distribution. The relation persisted after excluding current smokers or limiting cases to myocardial infarction only. For women in this cohort, the 20-year cumulative risk of CHD from age 55 to 74 years (95% CI) ranged from 9% (8 to10) to 18% (16 to 20) for women with BMI of 20 to 22.5 kg/m 2 and ≥35 kg/m 2 , respectively. Never smokers with BMI ≥35 kg/m 2 had comparable cumulative risk to current smokers with BMI of 20 to 22.5 kg/m 2 . Conclusion: In this large cohort of women, the impact of excess weight on CHD morbidity and mortality is substantial. Measures to prevent and control excess weight and other CHD risk factors are needed to help reduce CHD burden in women.

Cardiovascular morbidity, mortality and pharmacotherapy in patients with schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia have excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Previous studies suggest that this may be partly due to inadequate somatic treatment and care, such as non-optimal use of lipid-lowering and antihypertensive pharmacotherapy, but longitudinal studies on such aetiological pathways are scarce. We investigated the use of lipid-lowering and antihypertensive pharmacotherapy, and the risk of hospitalization for and death from coronary heart disease and stroke among patients with schizophrenia in a birth cohort of 12 939 subjects (Helsinki Birth Cohort Study). This cohort was followed for over 30 adult years by using national databases on cardio- and cerebrovascular hospitalizations and mortality and on reimbursement entitlements and use of drugs for treatment of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, coronary heart disease and diabetes. Individuals with schizophrenia had a higher risk of hospitalization for coronary heart disease [hazard ratio (HR) 1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-2.57], and mortality from this disease was markedly higher (HR 2.92, 95% CI 1.70-5.00), particularly among women (p=0.001 for women, p=0.008 for men). Women with schizophrenia had also marginally increased stroke mortality (p=0.06). However, patients with schizophrenia used less lipid-lowering (odds ratio 0.47, 95% CI 0.27-0.80) and antihypertensive drug treatment (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.22-0.61). In this longitudinal study, coronary heart disease morbidity was increased and coronary heart disease mortality markedly increased in patients, especially in women with schizophrenia. These patients nevertheless received less antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment.

DIABETUS MELLITUS AND SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE

Nearly 40-year experience of surgical treatment of coronary heart disease testifies to higher coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality rates among diabetes mellitus patients in comparison to non-diabetic patients. At the same time, comparative study of CHD treatment methods efficacy in diabetes mellitus patients has shown that surgery is preferred to angioplasty, especially in the most severe cases--in presence of coronary occlusion, insulin-dependent diabetes and left-ventricle dysfunction. More inferior results of coronary bypass surgery in diabetic patients in comaparison to non-diabetic were conditional on a more pronounced arterial calcinosis and diffuse distal arterial involvement, as well as more severe aortal ateromatosis, flebopathy and more often wound infection occurrence. In the department of cardio-vascular surgery in Russian cardiologic scientific productive complex a quarter of all patients waiting for the coronary bypass surgery are diabetic. Selection algorithm, preoperation preparation, peculiarities of surgical technique and principles of postoperative supervision of these patients were specially designed. With adequate preparation, remission of diabetes and use of microsurgery, postoperative prognosis for these patients (both stratified and real) is comparative to that for the main group of patients. One-year follow up after the bypass surgery data testifies to the low difference in autovenous and autoarterial shunt patency in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Long-term (10 years) survival rate is significantly lower in the group of diabetic patients. Proposed cardioprotective postoperative strategy is designed to improve both short and long-term efficacy ofsurgical revascularization in CHD patients with concomitant diabetes mellitus.