ABO and RhD blood groups as contributors to dyslipidaemia - a cross-sectional study.

Background: The ABO blood group system has shown an association with cardiovascular disease. The susceptibility to CVD is proposed to be partly mediated by dyslipidaemia in non-O individuals. Previous studies are scarce for the RhD blood group, but we recently showed that RhD - young individuals are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis.

ABO Blood Groups, RhD Factor and Their Association with Subclinical Atherosclerosis Assessed by Carotid Ultrasonography.

The ABO blood group system has previously been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), where non-O blood group individuals have shown an increased risk. Studies assessing early atherosclerotic disease while also including RhD are few. We aimed to determine whether the ABO and RhD blood groups are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in a healthy population.

Plasma Concentration of 36 (Poly)phenols and Prospective Body Weight Change in Participants from the EPIC Cohort.

Introduction: Dietary intake of (poly)phenols has been linked to reduced adiposity and body weight (BW) in several epidemiological studies. However, epidemiological evidence on (poly)phenol biomarkers, particularly plasma concentrations, is scarce. We aimed to investigate the associations between plasma (poly)phenols and prospective BW change in participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort.

Dietary index based on the Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system and risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Background: Nutri-score is now widely available in food packages in Europe.

Aim: To study the overall nutritional quality of the diet in relation to risks of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort METHODS: We collected dietary data at baseline from validated food frequency questionnaires. We used a dietary index based on the UK Food Standards Agency modified nutrient profiling system (FSAm-NPS-DI) underlying the Nutri-Score label, to measure the nutritional quality of the diet.

Trends in renal function in Northern Sweden 1986-2014: data from the seven cross-sectional surveys within the Northern Sweden MONICA study.

Objective: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing globally, and CKD is closely related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). CKD and CVD share several risk factors (RF), such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and smoking, and the prevalence of these RF has changed during the last decades, and we aimed to study the effect on renal function over time.

Design: Repeated cross-sectional population-based studies.

Adipokines are possible risk markers for aortic stenosis requiring surgery.

Objectives: Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most prevalent valvular heart disease among adults. The adipocyte-derived hormones, leptin and adiponectin, have profound metabolic actions. We examined whether these adipokines are independently associated with future aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Association between classes and subclasses of polyphenol intake and 5-year body weight changes in the EPIC-PANACEA study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations among the intake of total polyphenols, polyphenol classes, and polyphenol subclasses and body weight change over 5 years.

Methods: A total of 349,165 men and women aged 25 to 70 years were recruited in the Physical Activity, Nutrition, Alcohol, Cessation of Smoking, Eating Out of Home and Obesity (PANACEA) project of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort from nine European countries. Body weight was measured at baseline and at follow-up after a median time of 5 years.

Dietary Intake of 91 Individual Polyphenols and 5-Year Body Weight Change in the EPIC-PANACEA Cohort.

Polyphenols are bioactive compounds from plants with antioxidant properties that may have a protective role against body weight gain, with adipose tissue and systemic oxidative stress as potential targets. We aimed to investigate the dietary intake of individual polyphenols and their association with 5-year body weight change in a sub-cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). This study included 349,165 adult participants from nine European countries.

Systemic inflammation and risk of multiple sclerosis - A presymptomatic case-control study.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of systemic inflammation. Increased levels of CRP in young persons have been suggested to decrease the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objectives: To assess CRP as a risk factor for MS.

G1208T and A1298C polymorphisms are associated with a higher risk of a first myocardial infarction with fatal outcome among women.

Objectives: Cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) in the transsulfuration pathway generates hydrogen sulfide (HS), suggested regulating cardiovascular function. The G1208T polymorphism in the gene, rs1021737, has, in addition to , been found to increase homocysteine, related to myocardial infarction (MI) risk. This study aimed, for the first time, to investigate the associations of the polymorphisms G1208T, C677T, and A1298C with the prospective risk of developing a fatal or non-fatal first MI.

Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae Antibodies Are Only Modestly More Common in Subjects Later Developing Crohn's Disease.

Background: The pathogenic processes in the preclinical phase of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are mainly unknown.

Aims: To study typical antibodies for IBD in the preclinical phase in a cohort of Northern Sweden.

Methods: Antibodies typical for IBD (ASCA, pANCA, lactoferrin-ANCA, antibodies to goblet cells, and pancreas antigen) were analyzed in 123 subjects with preclinical ulcerative colitis (UC), 54 subjects with preclinical Crohn's disease (CD) and in 390 sex- and age-matched controls.

Determinants of blood acylcarnitine concentrations in healthy individuals of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

Background & Aims: Circulating levels of acylcarnitines (ACs) have been associated with the risk of various diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes. Diet and lifestyle factors have been shown to influence AC concentrations but a better understanding of their biological, lifestyle and metabolic determinants is needed.

Methods: Circulating ACs were measured in blood by targeted (15 ACs) and untargeted metabolomics (50 ACs) in 7770 and 395 healthy participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), respectively.

Free vitamin D index and vitamin D-binding protein in multiple sclerosis: A presymptomatic case-control study.

Background And Purpose: High levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D ) are associated with a lower risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). The bioavailability of 25(OH)D is regulated by its main plasma carrier, vitamin D-binding protein (DBP). Free 25(OH)D can be estimated by also measuring DBP concentration.

Progression patterns in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma outcome: a cohort study in 42 patients.

Follow-up of low-risk monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is debated as multiple myeloma (MM) progression risk is low. Worse MM outcome was reported for patients followed for low-risk MGUS, possibly due to less optimal follow-up. However, it is unknown whether progressing low-risk MGUS is associated with aggressive tumor behavior.

Chronic kidney disease and risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure in general population-based cohorts: the BiomarCaRE project.

Aims: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a complicated relationship with the heart, leading to many adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between CKD and the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) along with mortality as a competing risk in general population cohorts. We also included an assessment of baseline biomarkers of inflammation, myocardial injury, and left ventricular dysfunction with risk of AF and HF, respectively, to shed light on the potential underlying pathophysiology.

Plasma Cotinine Is Positively Associated with Homocysteine in Smokers but Not in Users of Smokeless Tobacco.

Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is a risk marker, and smoking is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is unclear if the effect of smoked tobacco on homocysteine is mediated by nicotine or other combustion products in smoked tobacco. Snus (moist smokeless tobacco) is high nicotine-containing tobacco, and little is known about the effect of snus on plasma homocysteine.

Smoking tobacco is associated with renal hyperfiltration.

Tobacco consumption is a renal risk factor, but the effects on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the possible impact of using tobacco products (smoking and snus) on eGFR based on creatinine or cystatin C. We used a first cohort with 949 participants and a second cohort with 995 participants; none had pre-existing renal disease.

Preclinical Markers in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. A Nested Case-Control Study.

Background: Our objective was to determine if patients who later develop inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) show signs of increased inflammatory activity in plasma measured with high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), calprotectin, and albumin before the clinical onset of IBD.

Methods: We identified 96 subjects who later developed IBD (70 ulcerative colitis [UC] and 26 Crohn's disease [CD]). High sensitivity CRP, calprotectin, and albumin were analyzed in frozen plasma, donated from cases and sex-age matched controls 1-15 years before diagnosis.

The beneficial effect over 3 years by pictorial information to patients and their physician about subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk: Results from the VIPVIZA randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Non-adherence to guidelines and preventive measures is a major challenge, particularly so to obtain long-term adherence to lifestyle changes and recommended medication. The objective was to investigate if pictorial information regarding subclinical carotid atherosclerosis provided to individuals and physicians gave sustained effects on cardiovascular risk beyond the previously reported effect after 1 year and up to 3 years.

Methods: A Prospective Randomized Open Blinded End-point (PROBE) trial.

Inflammatory response markers and survival prediction in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Introduction: Many factors influence the clinical course of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The most commonly used prognostic indicators are TNM stage, tumor size and RCC type. In this study we evaluated the prognostic relevance of albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP), and Glasgow Prognostic scores (GPS), in patients with primary RCC.

Systemic Inflammation in Preclinical Ulcerative Colitis.

Background & Aims: Preclinical ulcerative colitis is poorly defined. We aimed to characterize the preclinical systemic inflammation in ulcerative colitis, using a comprehensive set of proteins.

Methods: We obtained plasma samples biobanked from individuals who developed ulcerative colitis later in life (n = 72) and matched healthy controls (n = 140) within a population-based screening cohort.

Mild impairment of renal function (shrunken pore syndrome) is associated with increased risk of a future first-ever myocardial infarction in women.

Impaired renal function is associated both with the development of cardiovascular disease and its prognosis. A new syndrome called 'Shrunken Pore Syndrome' has been suggested, as the estimated glomerular filtration rate for cystatin C (eGFR) is affected earlier due to differences in molecular size compared to eGFR. The aim was to investigate if a lower eGFR/eGFR ratio in a prospective setting increases the risk of later developing a first-ever myocardial infarction (MI) independently of other cardiovascular risk factors.

Contribution of cystatin C- and creatinine-based definitions of chronic kidney disease to cardiovascular risk assessment in 20 population-based and 3 disease cohorts: the BiomarCaRE project.

Background: Chronic kidney disease has emerged as a strong cardiovascular risk factor, and in many current guidelines, it is already considered as a coronary heart disease (CHD) equivalent. Routinely, creatinine has been used as the main marker of renal function, but recently, cystatin C emerged as a more promising marker. The aim of this study was to assess the comparative cardiovascular and mortality risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) using cystatin C-based and creatinine-based equations of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in participants of population-based and disease cohorts.

Troponin T but not C reactive protein is associated with future surgery for aortic stenosis: a population-based nested case-referent study.

Aims: High-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) and high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) may convey prognostic information in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). This study evaluated if hs-TnT and hs-CRP associate with myocardial mass, and risk of future surgery for AS.

Methods: In total, 336 patients (48% women) with surgery for AS with previous participation in large population surveys were identified.