Incidence of coronary events and case fatality rate in relation to blood lymphocyte and neutrophil counts.

Objective: Elevated levels of blood leukocytes have been associated with acute coronary events (CEs), but data on leukocyte subclasses are limited. This study aimed to explore whether blood lymphocyte and neutrophil counts are associated with incidence of CEs and with fatal outcome in subjects who subsequently experienced a first CE.

Methods And Results: Neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were measured in 27 419 subjects from the general population without a history of CEs, heart failure, or atrial fibrillation.

A myocardial infarction genetic risk score is associated with markers of carotid atherosclerosis.

Objective: To assess whether or not a genetic risk score that was previously shown to be associated with myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is also associated with markers of carotid atherosclerosis.

Design: A total of 4022 middle-aged subjects from the general Swedish population were genotyped and individually assigned a genetic risk score based on 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), previously associated with MI and CAD. The genetic score (Score-MI) was then related to carotid bulb intima-media thickness (IMT), common carotid artery (CCA) IMT and to the occurrence of carotid plaques in the study population.

Total desmosines in plasma and urine correlate with lung function.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the matrix degradation biomarkers, desmosine and isodesmosine (desmosines), and lung function. Plasma and creatinine-corrected urinary total desmosines (P- and U-desmosines, respectively), lung function and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (D(L,CO)) were measured in a cohort of subjects from the Swedish Twin Registry. Concentrations of U- and P-desmosines were measured in 349 and 318 subjects, respectively; approximately one-third of subjects had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Red cell distribution width and risk for first hospitalization due to heart failure: a population-based cohort study.

Aims: Red cell distribution width (RDW) has been associated with cardiovascular disease, but the relation to heart failure (HF) is unclear. We investigated the association between RDW and incidence of first hospitalization due to HF in a population-based cohort.

Methods And Results: Red cell distribution width was measured in 26 784 subjects (aged 45-73 years, 61% women), without history of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke or HF, who participated in the Malmö Diet and Cancer study during 1991-1996.

A variant upstream of the CDH13 adiponectin receptor gene and metabolic syndrome in Swedes.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) constitutes a worldwide epidemic burst accounting for billions of cardiovascular disease events and deaths. The genetic basis of MetS is largely unknown. The rs11646213 T → A polymorphism maps at 16q23.

Behavior in a stressful situation, personality factors, and disease severity in patients with acute myocardial infarction: baseline findings from the prospective cohort study SECAMI (the Secondary Prevention and Compliance following Acute Myocardial Infarction study).

Background: Psychosocial stress has been identified as a risk factor in association with cardiovascular disease but less attention has been paid to heterogeneity in vulnerability to stress. The serial Color Word Test (CWT) measures adaptation to a stressful situation and it can be used to identify individuals that are vulnerable to stress. Prospective studies have shown that individuals with a maladaptive behavior in this test are exposed to an increased risk of future cardiovascular events.

Glomerular filtration rate in patients with atrial fibrillation on warfarin treatment: a subgroup analysis from the AURICULA registry in Sweden.

Introduction: Numerous associations between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) have been reported and patients with CKD on anticoagulation therapy have an increased risk of bleeding. Currently, new anticoagulant agents are emerging in clinical practice, some of which are excreted by the kidneys. The proportion of AF patients on anticoagulant treatment with reduced renal function is, however, unknown.

The impact of personality factors on delay in seeking treatment of acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Early hospital arrival and rapid intervention for acute myocardial infarction is essential for a successful outcome. Several studies have been unable to identify explanatory factors that slowed decision time. The present study examines whether personality, psychosocial factors, and coping strategies might explain differences in time delay from onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction to arrival at a hospital emergency room.

Vanin-1 T26I polymorphism, hypertension and cardiovascular events in two large urban-based prospective studies in Swedes.

Background And Aims: Vanin-1 (gene name VNN1) is an enzyme with pantetheinase activity generating the amino-thiol cysteamine which is implicated in the regulation of red-ox status through its effect on glutathione. We tested the hypothesis that the rs2294757 VNN1 T26I polymorphism could affect blood pressure (BP) levels, hypertension prevalence, and risk of incident cardiovascular events.

Methods And Results: The VNN1 T26I polymorphism was genotyped in 5664 participants of the cardiovascular cohort of the "Malmö Diet and Cancer" (MDC-CVA) study and successively in 17874 participants of the "Malmö Preventive project"(MPP).

Genetic variants in serum and glucocortocoid regulated kinase 1, a regulator of the epithelial sodium channel, are associated with ischaemic stroke.

Objective: Serum and glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) expression is increased by aldosterone and is a key regulator of the amiloride-sensitive sodium channel (ENaC) in the distal nephron. We have previously shown that two SNPs in SGK1 (rs1057293 and rs1743966) are associated with blood pressure variation and blood pressure progression in the general population. Therefore, we tested the association of these variants with ischaemic stroke.

Inflammation-sensitive proteins and risk of atrial fibrillation: a population-based cohort study.

Low-grade inflammation has been repeatedly associated with cardiovascular diseases but the relationship with incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. We explored the association between elevated plasma levels of inflammation-sensitive proteins (ISPs) and incidence of AF in a population-based cohort. Plasma levels of five ISPs (fibrinogen, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, α(1)-antitrypsin and orosomucoid) and two complement factors (C3 and C4) were measured in 6,031 men (mean age 46.

Directionality of blood pressure response to standing may determine development of heart failure: prospective cohort study.

Aims: To study the prospective relationship of blood pressure response during orthostatic challenge with incidence of heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: In a Swedish prospective cohort study (the Malmö Preventive Project), we followed up 32 669 individuals (68.2% men; mean age, 46 years) over a period of 24 years.

The impact of caregivers' singing on expressions of emotion and resistance during morning care situations in persons with dementia: an intervention in dementia care.

Aims And Objectives: The aim was to describe expressions of emotions and resistiveness to care among persons with dementia (PWD), during morning care situations without and with music therapeutic caregiving (MTC).

Background: Effective caregiving is dependent on the interpersonal relationship between nurse and patient. PWD suffer from major cognitive impairment, making interaction with others problematic.

Reactions of persons with dementia to caregivers singing in morning care situations.

'Music therapeutic caregiving', when caregivers sing for or together with persons with severe dementia during care situations, has been suggested as a way to reduce problematic behaviors in dementia care. The present study implemented this technique as an intervention in dementia care. Six caregivers participated in group interviews about their experiences of morning care situations without and with'Music therapeutic caregiving'.

Hospital admissions for ischemic stroke: does long-term exposure to air pollution interact with major risk factors?

Background: The aim was to investigate whether the effects of major risk factors for ischemic stroke were modified by long-term exposure to air pollution in Scania, southern Sweden.

Methods: Cases were defined as first-ever ischemic strokes in patients born between 1923 and 1965 during 2001-2006 (n = 7,244). Data were collected from The Swedish National Stroke Register (Riks-stroke) and the Malmö and Lund Stroke Registers.

Country of birth and risk of hospitalization due to heart failure: a Swedish population-based cohort study.

To explore the relation between country of birth and risk of hospitalization due to heart failure (HF). All 40-89 year-old inhabitants in the city of Malmö, Sweden (n = 114,917, of whom 15.2% were born outside Sweden) were followed from November 1st, 1990 until December 31st, 2007.

Serine/threonine kinase 39 is a candidate gene for primary hypertension especially in women: results from two cohort studies in Swedes.

Background: As recently pinpointed by a genome-wide association study the serine/threonine kinase 39 (STK39) is a candidate gene for hypertension. This kinase is strongly implicated in sodium reabsorption by the kidney through its modulating effect on furosemide-sensitive and thiazide-sensitive channels. The aim of our study was to test the effects of the STK39 rs35929607A>G polymorphism on blood pressure (BP) levels and the prevalence and incidence of hypertension in middle-aged Swedes participating in two urban-based surveys in Malmö (Sweden).

Genetic variant on chromosome 12p13 does not show association to ischemic stroke in 3 Swedish case-control studies.

Background And Purpose: in a genome-wide association study and subsequent case-control studies, the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs12425791 on chromosome 12p13 was reported to be associated with ischemic stroke, but this could not be validated in a recent well-powered study. We therefore investigated whether an association between ischemic stroke and rs12425791 could be detected in 3 different case-control studies from the southwest of Sweden.

Methods: we examined 3606 patients with ischemic stroke and 2528 controls from 3 independent case-controls studies.

Assessment of conventional cardiovascular risk factors and multiple biomarkers for the prediction of incident heart failure and atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: the purpose of this study was to assess the predictive accuracy of conventional cardiovascular risk factors for incident heart failure and atrial fibrillation, and the added benefit of multiple biomarkers reflecting diverse pathophysiological pathways.

Background: heart failure and atrial fibrillation are interrelated cardiac diseases associated with substantial morbidity and mortality and increasing incidence. Data on prediction and prevention of these diseases in healthy individuals are limited.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies confirms a susceptibility locus for knee osteoarthritis on chromosome 7q22.

Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis and accounts for substantial morbidity and disability, particularly in older people. It is characterised by changes in joint structure, including degeneration of the articular cartilage, and its aetiology is multifactorial with a strong postulated genetic component.

Methods: A meta-analysis was performed of four genome-wide association (GWA) studies of 2371 cases of knee OA and 35 909 controls in Caucasian populations.