Simple cardiovascular risk stratification by replacing total serum cholesterol with anthropometric measures: The MORGAM prospective cohort project

First manifestation of cardiovascular disease according to age and sex in a Mediterranean country

Background

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and type of first CV event in a broad cohort of Spaniards, focusing on age and sex differences.

Methods

This was a retrospective study using the SIDIAP database. Subjects aged 30-89 years in 2010 were included. Individuals with prevalent CV disease or atrial fibrillation were excluded. Subjects were followed until the occurrence of a CV event, death, or the study end (December 2016). CV outcomes (coronary heart disease [CHD], cerebrovascular or peripheral artery disease and heart failure [HF]) during follow-up were analyzed. Clinical, anthropometrical, and laboratory data were retrieved from clinical records.

Results

Overall, 3,769,563 at-risk individuals (51.2 ± 15.2 years) were followed for a median of 7 years. The cumulative incidence of a first CV event was 6.66% (men vs. women, 7.48% vs. 5.90%), with the highest incidence (25.97%) among individuals >75 years. HF (29%) and CHD (28.8%) were the most common first events overall; in men it was CHD (33.6%), while in women it was HF and cerebrovascular disease (37.4% and 27.4%). In younger age groups, CHD was more prevalent, with HF in older age groups. Baseline CV risks factors conferred more risk in younger ages and differed between men and women.

Conclusions

The incidence and type of the first CV event in this Mediterranean region were significantly influenced by age and sex. This information is relevant for tailoring primary prevention strategies including the treatment of risk factors.

A Nutrigenetic Strategy for Reducing Blood Lipids and Low-Grade Inflammation in Adults with Obesity and Overweight

The pathogenesis of obesity and dyslipidemia involves genetic factors, such as polymorphisms related to lipid metabolism alterations predisposing their development. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a nutrigenetic intervention on the blood lipid levels, body composition, and inflammation markers of adults with obesity and overweight. Eleven genetic variants associated with dyslipidemias in Mexicans were selected, and specific nutrigenetic recommendations for these polymorphisms were found. One hundred and one adults were recruited and assigned to follow either a standard or nutrigenetic diet for eight weeks. Anthropometric, biochemical, body composition, and inflammation markers were evaluated through standardized methods. Weighted genetic risk scores (wGRSs) were computed using the study polymorphisms. After intervention, both diets significantly decreased the anthropometric parameters and body composition (p < 0.05). Only the nutrigenetic diet group showed significant reductions in VLDL-c (p = 0.001), triglycerides (p = 0.002), TG:HDL (p = 0.002), IL-6 (p = 0.002), and TNF-α (p = 0.04). wGRSs had a high impact on the ΔTGs and ΔVLDL-c of both groups (standard diet: ΔTGs: Adj R2 = 0.69, p = 0.03; ΔVLDL-c: Adj R2 = 0.71, p = 0.02; nutrigenetic diet: ΔTGs: Adj R2 = 0.49, p = 0.03 and ΔVLDL-c: R2 = 0.29, p = 0.04). This nutrigenetic intervention improved lipid abnormalities in patients with excessive body weight. Hence, nutrigenetic strategies could be coadjuvant tools and enhance the standard dietary treatment for cardiometabolic diseases.

Anti-obesity effect of the bacterial product nisin in an NIH Swiss mouse model

Obesity is a life-threatening metabolic disorder that predisposes individuals to other diseases. In this study, the effect of nisin, a bacteriocin produced by some bacteria, on an animal model of obesity based on selected parameters was investigated. Forty Swiss NIH mice were randomly divided into four groups and received either a placebo (saline) or nisin (25, 50, or 100 μg/kg, ip) daily for 8 weeks. The mice in all groups were fed a high-sugar diet throughout the experiment. Bodyweight and food intake were measured weekly, and at the end of the experiment, the levels of FBS, serum triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and hepatic enzymes were tested, and red and white blood cell counts, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were determined. Finally, the expression levels of some obesity-related genes, including stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4), zinc finger protein 423 (zfp423), 422 (ap2), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), were assessed using reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). After the experiment, the body weights, abdominal fat, and body mass index were significantly lower in the nisin-treated groups than in the control group. The highest effect was observed with 50 μg/kg nisin. The expression of SCD-1, GLUT4, 422(ap2), and TNF-α decreased significantly following treatment with nisin. No significant differences were observed in the other studied parameters, and no toxic effects were observed for nisin under these experimental conditions. The results suggested that nisin could have antiobesity effects.

A Non-Exercise Model for Predicting Cardiovascular Risks among Apparently Healthy Male Office Workers-Cross-Sectional Analysis: A Pilot Study

The health condition of working-age males in Poland remains largely associated with long-lasting sick leaves, one of the main reasons of which being cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of this work was to develop a prediction model for FIT Treadmill Score (“FIT” refers to Henry Ford ExercIse Testing (FIT) Project) that only depends on easily accessible somatic data and smoking without the need to perform the exercise test anymore. The study comprised 146 men with a negative cardiological history, aged 26–60, with desk-jobs. By means of regression analysis it was tested to what degree obesity-related indices as well as smoking cigarettes allow for determining the measure level of mortality risk, without the necessity of performing an exercise test. The following independent variables were entered into the linear regression model: age, BMI, Fat%, waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR) as well as smoking. Statistically significant factors were singled out from among them. The obtained model accounts for a significant part (over 87%) of the variability of the mortality risk measure among the tested population. Based on the value of the standardised regression coefficient β, it can be stated that age is the factor that mostly determines the mortality risk measure, followed by the WHtR and smoking. The simplicity of the worked-out model and, resulting from it, the possibility of its common application should enable better health monitoring of working-age men with regard to cardiovascular disease occurrence and, related to it, mortality risk, thereby improving the quality of public health management.