Fibrinogen as a risk factor in cardiovascular disease

Coronary Risks Associated with Diclofenac and Other NSAIDs: An Update

The risk of coronary events with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has been the subject of much debate since the original trial of rofecoxib raised the issue. Since then, over almost 20 years, such risks have been shown in clinical trials of long-term high-dose users, and in observational studies comparing users with non-users. The roles of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2/COX-1 selectivity and COX-2 inhibitory potency have been proposed to explain this increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Among NSAIDs, diclofenac appeared to be associated with a relatively higher risk of MI, similar to that of rofecoxib, compatible with the drug's high COX-2 inhibitory potency. Recent studies have resulted in further information being available. A study in the Danish healthcare system using active comparators found a slightly increased risk of MI in healthy persons. However, risk decreased with increasing baseline cardiovascular risk, to the point that in patients at high cardiovascular risk, there was no additional risk associated with diclofenac compared with paracetamol or other NSAIDs. The other major study, from the SOS project, studied several million persons in four countries in Europe, comparing the use of many NSAIDs with non-use. That study found a slightly increased risk with diclofenac compared with non-use, but this was not different from other NSAIDs. Comparing risks with selectivity or potency found no effect of either. These studies refute the main hypotheses to explain the coronary risk of NSAIDs. Finding risk in healthy low-risk patients only questions the reality of a link between the use of the drugs and the occurrence of MI in these conditions. Biases or confounding may be the major reason for small increases in cardiovascular risks in healthy users of NSAIDs in real life.

Elevated serum fibrinogen levels and risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome

OBJECTIVES

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common complication of diagnostic and therapeutic catheterizations, especially in the setting of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Fibrinogen is a well-known cardiovascular risk factor. We evaluated whether serum fibrinogen level is associated independently with CI-AKI in patients with ACS who underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

Patients (n=710, aged 61 ± 13, 69% men) were classified into two groups: CI-AKI and non-CI-AKI. CI-AKI was defined as an increase of at least 0.5 mg/dl or at least 25% in the serum creatinine level within 72 h following PCI.

RESULTS

CI-AKI occurred in 75 (10.6%) patients. We found significantly higher serum fibrinogen levels in patients who developed CI-AKI than in those who did not (498 ± 152 vs. 386 ± 96 mg/dl, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum fibrinogen level (odds ratio 1.006, 95% confidence interval 1.003-1.009, P<0.001), age, glomerular filtration rate, female sex, and white blood cell count were correlated with the development of CI-AKI.

CONCLUSION

Serum fibrinogen level is associated independently with a higher risk of CI-AKI in patients with ACS undergoing PCI.

Plasma fibrinogen--an independent cardiovascular risk factor

Apart from being an acute phase reactant, fibrinogen appears to play an important although not widely recognized role in athero-/thrombogenesis. Arteriosclerotic diseases are associated with elevated levels of plasma fibrinogen. Strategies that lower the cardiovascular risk also lower fibrinogen levels. Virtually all accepted risk factors are associated with hyperfibrinogenaemia, while low risk populations usually have low fibrinogen levels. Epidemiological studies show that fibrinogen is a predictor of arteriosclerotic diseases. Its predictive power seems to be as high as or higher than accepted risk factors. These findings and other circumstantial, as well as experimental, evidence suggest that fibrinogen is a powerful, independent cardiovascular risk factor.