HDL particle size and the risk of coronary heart disease in apparently healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.

Objective: To evaluate the association between HDL particle size measured by gradient gel electrophoresis and risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in apparently healthy men and women.

Methods: We performed a prospective case-control study nested in the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Cases were apparently healthy men and women aged 45-79 years who developed fatal or nonfatal CHD (n=1035).

Inflammatory biomarkers, physical activity, waist circumference, and risk of future coronary heart disease in healthy men and women.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of physical activity and abdominal obesity to the variation in inflammatory biomarkers and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in a European population.

Methods And Results: In a prospective case-control study nested in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk cohort, we examined the associations between circulating levels or activity of C-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase (MPO), secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), fibrinogen, adiponectin, waist circumference, physical activity, and CHD risk over a 10-year period among healthy men and women (45-79 years of age). A total of 1002 cases who developed fatal or non-fatal CHD were matched to 1859 controls on the basis of age, sex, and enrolment period.

High-density lipoprotein particle size and concentration and coronary risk.

Background: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are inversely related to risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). Because HDL particles are heterogeneous in size and composition, they may be differentially associated with other cardiovascular risk factors and with cardiovascular risk.

Objective: To study the independent relationships of HDL size and particle concentration to risk for future CAD.

ANGPTL4 E40K and T266M: effects on plasma triglyceride and HDL levels, postprandial responses, and CHD risk.

Background: Angiopoietin-like 4 is a dual-function protein: an inhibitor of LPL, influencing plasma triglycerides (TGs), with angiogenic properties. We examined the association of common ANGPTL4 variants with CHD traits and risk in 5 studies (13,527 individuals).

Methods And Results: The effects on plasma lipids of 6 tagging SNPs and the recently identified E40K were examined in a study of 2772 men.

Retinol-binding protein 4 and prediction of incident coronary events in healthy men and women.

Context: Recent studies reported that retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has a causal role in insulin resistance and suggested that its circulating levels may predict cardiovascular disease. However, the latter assumption has not yet been tested.

Objective: We assessed the value of RBP4 measurement in the prediction of incident coronary artery disease (CAD).

Major depression, C-reactive protein, and incident ischemic heart disease in healthy men and women.

Objective: To investigate how C-reactive protein (CRP) and major depressive disorder (MDD) relate to each other and to incident ischemic heart disease (IHD). Studies have shown that both depression and raised CRP concentration predict IHD and that elevated CRP is linked with increased risk of depression.

Methods: A prospective case-control study of healthy men and women, aged 45 to 79 years, was undertaken within the United Kingdom European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk study.

Evaluation of the Framingham risk score in the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer-Norfolk cohort: does adding glycated hemoglobin improve the prediction of coronary heart disease events?

Background: There is a continuous relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, even below diagnostic thresholds for diabetes mellitus.

Methods: To evaluate the Framingham risk score in a UK population-based prospective cohort (European Prospective Investigation of Cancer [EPIC]-Norfolk) and to assess whether adding HbA(1c) improves the prediction of CHD. Participants aged 40 to 79 years were recruited from UK general practices, attended a health check, and were followed up for CHD events and death.

Lipids, apolipoproteins, and their ratios in relation to cardiovascular events with statin treatment.

Background: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the principal target of lipid-lowering therapy, but recent evidence has suggested more appropriate targets. We compared the relationships of on-treatment levels of LDL cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B, as well as ratios of total/HDL cholesterol, LDL/HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B/A-I, with the occurrence of cardiovascular events in patients receiving statin therapy.

Methods And Results: A post hoc analysis was performed that combined data from 2 prospective, randomized clinical trials in which 10,001 ("Treating to New Targets") and 8888 ("Incremental Decrease in End Points through Aggressive Lipid Lowering") patients with established coronary heart disease were assigned to usual-dose or high-dose statin treatment.

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein particle size, and apolipoprotein A-I: significance for cardiovascular risk: the IDEAL and EPIC-Norfolk studies.

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the relationship of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), HDL particle size, and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) with the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD), with a focus on the effect of very high values of these parameters.

Background: High plasma levels of HDL-C and apoA-I are inversely related to the risk of CAD. However, recent data suggest that this relationship does not hold true for very high HDL-C levels, particularly when a preponderance of large HDL particles is observed.

[The endocannabinoid system, overweight, and the CB1-endocannabinoid-receptor antagonist rimonabant].

--Obesity is an important healthcare issue. --Recent research has led to insights into the role of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of body weight. --Rimonabant is a CB1-endocannabinoid-receptor antagonist.

Body fat distribution and risk of coronary heart disease in men and women in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition in Norfolk cohort: a population-based prospective study.

Background: Body fat distribution has been cross-sectionally associated with atherosclerotic disease risk factors, but the prospective relation with coronary heart disease remains uncertain.

Methods And Results: We examined the prospective relation between fat distribution indices and coronary heart disease among 24,508 men and women 45 to 79 years of age using proportional hazards regression. During a mean 9.

Cholesterol levels in small LDL particles predict the risk of coronary heart disease in the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.

Aims: To evaluate the association of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in small and large LDL particles with risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods And Results: We performed a prospective case-control study nested in the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Cases were apparently healthy men and women aged 45-79 years who developed fatal or non-fatal CHD (n = 1035), and who were matched by age, gender, and enrollment time to 1920 controls who remained free of CHD.

Apolipoprotein A-II is inversely associated with risk of future coronary artery disease.

Background: Although the vasculoprotective effects of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the major protein associated with high-density lipoprotein, have been universally accepted, apoA-II has been suggested to have poor antiatherogenic or even proatherogenic properties. To study this suggestion more closely, we evaluated how serum levels of apoA-II and apoA-I relate to the risk of future coronary artery disease (CAD) in a large, prospective study.

Methods And Results: We performed a nested case-control study in the prospective EPIC-Norfolk (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk) cohort.

Differential leucocyte count and the risk of future coronary artery disease in healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study.

Background: We examined the relationship between granulocyte, lymphocyte and monocyte counts and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in men and women. There is paucity of data on the differential leucocyte count and its relationship with the risk of CHD and CVD.

Methods: This prospective study comprised 7073 men and 9035 women who were 45-79 years of age and were residents of Norfolk.

Arterial thrombosis and the role of thrombophilia.

Thrombophilia is a prominent risk factor for venous thromboembolism. The role of thrombophilia in determining the risk of arterial thrombotic events is less well defined. In this review, we summarize the existing literature on the relationship between thrombophilic defects and the risk of arterial thrombosis, in particular myocardial infarction and stroke.

Serum myeloperoxidase levels are associated with the future risk of coronary artery disease in apparently healthy individuals: the EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study.

Objectives: We evaluated whether serum myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels are associated with the risk of future development of coronary artery disease (CAD) in apparently healthy individuals.

Background: An enzyme of the innate immune system, MPO exhibits a wide array of proatherogenic effects. These include induction of oxidative damage to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and promotion of plaque vulnerability.

Role of the apolipoprotein B-apolipoprotein A-I ratio in cardiovascular risk assessment: a case-control analysis in EPIC-Norfolk.

Background: An elevated apolipoprotein B-apolipoprotein A-I (apo B-apo A-I) ratio is a risk factor for future coronary artery disease (CAD). It is not known whether this ratio is better than traditional lipid values for risk assessment and prediction and whether it adds predictive value to the Framingham risk score.

Objective: To evaluate whether the apo B-apo A-I ratio is associated with future CAD events independent of traditional lipid measurements and the Framingham risk score and to evaluate the ability of this ratio to predict occurrence of future CAD.

Circulating secretory phospholipase A2 activity and risk of incident coronary events in healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk study.

Objective: To assess the association between secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) activity, which encompasses several types of sPLA2, and cardiovascular disease (CAD) in healthy individuals.

Methods And Results: We investigated this association in a nested case-control study among the 25,663 participants in EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Cases (n=991) were subjects in whom CAD developed during the 6 years of mean follow-up.

Value of low-density lipoprotein particle number and size as predictors of coronary artery disease in apparently healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study.

Objectives: We assessed relations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle number (LDL-P) and LDL particle size as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and the risk of future coronary artery disease (CAD).

Background: Whereas LDL-C is an established risk factor for CAD, its discriminative power is limited. Measuring LDL-P and size may have stronger associations with CAD than LDL-C.

Triglycerides and the risk of coronary heart disease: 10,158 incident cases among 262,525 participants in 29 Western prospective studies.

Background: Many epidemiological studies have reported on associations between serum triglyceride concentrations and the risk of coronary heart disease, but this association has not been reliably quantified. In the present study, we report 2 separate nested case-control comparisons in 2 different prospective, population-based cohorts, plus an updated meta-analysis of 27 additional prospective studies in general Western populations.

Methods And Results: Measurements were made in a total of 3582 incident cases of fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease and 6175 controls selected from among the 44,237 men and women screened in the Reykjavik and the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk studies.

Physical activity, C-reactive protein levels and the risk of future coronary artery disease in apparently healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.

Background: Physical activity is inversely associated with the risk of future coronary artery disease. Whether this relationship is in part mediated by lower levels of systemic inflammation, as indicated by C-reactive protein concentrations, is unknown.

Methods: We performed a nested case-control study among apparently healthy men and women enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk prospective population study, to investigate the relationship among habitual (work-related and leisure time) physical activity, cardiovascular risk factors and the risk of future coronary artery disease.

Plasma levels of plant sterols and the risk of coronary artery disease: the prospective EPIC-Norfolk Population Study.

Some studies have suggested that a modest increase of plant sterol levels is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We studied the relationship between plant sterol levels and CAD risk in a prospective nested case-control study consisting of 373 cases and 758 controls. Sitosterol and campesterol concentrations did not differ between cases and controls [sitosterol, 0.

Tissue factor serum levels and the risk of future coronary artery disease in apparently healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.

Introduction: Tissue factor (TF) has been implicated in coronary artery disease (CAD). High levels of circulating TF are found in patients with acute atherothrombotic events. Whether high serum TF levels predict risk of future CAD independent of known risk factors remains unknown.

Plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid and C-reactive protein, and risk of future coronary artery disease, in apparently healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.

High plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid, a marker of fruit and vegetable intake, are associated with low risk of coronary artery disease. Whether this relationship is explained by a reduction in systemic inflammation is unclear. We investigated the relationship between ascorbic acid plasma concentration and coronary artery disease risk, and in addition whether this relationship depended on classical risk factors and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration.