Alcohol consumption is directly associated with carotid intima-media thickness in Finnish young adults: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Objectives: There is substantial epidemiological data suggesting a J- or U-shaped association between alcohol consumption and coronary events. However, some studies in experimental animals suggest that alcohol may increase atherosclerosis. Therefore, our aim was to study whether alcohol consumption is associated with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, in young, healthy adults.

The initiatives and outcomes for cardiovascular risks that can be achieved through paediatric counselling.

Purpose Of Review: Atherosclerosis is a result of a lifelong process. Obesity is associated with increased serum levels of inflammatory markers in children and adolescents like in adults, promoting coronary heart disease risk in an increasing proportion of young adults. Dietary patterns have a central role in the development of coronary heart disease through effects on serum lipids and development of body fatness.

Genetics of C-reactive protein and complement factor H have an epistatic effect on carotid artery compliance: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Atherosclerosis is characterized by a prominent inflammatory component and C-reactive protein (CRP) has been implicated to modulate the complement activity in atherosclerotic arteries via complement factor H (CFH) binding. In this study, we examined whether the gene-gene interactions between CRP haplotypes and CFH Tyr402His functional polymorphism exerted an effect on early atherosclerosis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CFH (Tyr402His) and CRP (-717A>G, -286C >T>A, +1059G>C, +1444C>T and +1846G>A) were genotyped in the participants of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (n=1698, aged 24-39 years).

CRP and FCGR2A genes have an epistatic effect on carotid artery intima-media thickness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

The role of the inflammatory mediator C-reactive protein (CRP) in atherosclerosis is recognized although its specific functions are not entirely clear. CRP binds to the Fcgamma receptor2A (FcgammaR2A) and its polymorphism, FCGR2A (Arg131His), strongly influences the binding. We wanted to evaluate the CRP-mediated proatherogenic process on early atherosclerosis and investigated whether CRP and FCGR2A show an interactive effect on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT).

Expression of common familial dyslipidemias in early childhood.

Early identification of common familial dyslipidemias may prevent premature atherosclerotic disease. This study estimated the diagnostic values of few early childhood repeatedly deviant lipid samples by the knowledge of the parent's dyslipidemia. The first 7 years of age data of 353 children with their parents were evaluated from atherosclerosis risk-factor intervention study controls.

Short-term heart rate variability in healthy young adults: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Reduced short-term heart rate variability (HRV) is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and total mortality. The reference values of short-term HRV indices in healthy young adults are unknown. To investigate age and sex differences in HRV and to generate reference values of short-term recordings, we examined 1780 healthy subjects aged 24 to 39 years.

Parental and childhood overweight in sedentary and active adolescents.

We studied whether the prevalence of overweight since age 2 years differed in sedentary and active adolescents (N=346). Further, we analyzed the energy intake of sedentary and active adolescents across 12 years. BMI was assessed annually since birth, energy intake since age 13 months and parents' BMI from the time their child was 7 months old in a longitudinal atherosclerosis prevention study.

Vascular endothelial function and leisure-time physical activity in adolescents.

Background: Exercise training improves endothelial function in high-risk adolescents, but the influence of habitual leisure-time physical activity on endothelial function in healthy adolescents is unknown.

Methods And Results: Brachial artery flow-mediated endothelial function and physical activity habits were assessed in 483 adolescents (13 years of age) participating in an atherosclerosis prevention study (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children [STRIP]). Endothelial function was examined with ultrasound; physical activity was assessed with self-administered questionnaires.

Interactive effect of long-term mental stress and cardiac stress reactivity on carotid intima-media thickness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study.

The present study examined the interaction between vital exhaustion and cardiac reactivity and recovery on preclinical atherosclerosis assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in young men and women. We measured heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and pre-ejection period (PEP) in response to mental arithmetic and speech tasks. Vital exhaustion and carotid IMT were also measured.

Estrogen receptor 2 polymorphism and carotid intima-media thickness.

Aims: The present study was designed to investigate the effects of estrogen receptor 2 gene (ESR2) rs1256049 polymorphism to carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), as part of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Results: The frequencies of ESR2 genotypes G/G, G/A, and A/A were 85.1%, 14.

Use of combined oral contraceptives alters metabolic determinants and genetic regulation of C-reactive protein. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Background: Use of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) is known to increase concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), an important predictor of cardiovascular disease. The inflammatory nature of the disease is well acknowledged. The aim of this study was to find out whether the metabolic, lifestyle and genetic determinants of CRP differ between women who use COCs and those who do not use any hormonal contraceptives (non-users).

Association of the apolipoprotein E gene, its promoter polymorphisms and haplotypes with depressive symptoms. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Objectives: Evidence on apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene as a vulnerability factor for depression is mixed. Polymorphisms of the APOE gene regulatory region may serve as additional explanatory factors, as they help in explaining variation of depressive symptoms within the APOE epsilon2/epsilon3/epsilon4 genotype groups. In this study, the associations of the APOE gene promoter polymorphisms -219G/T and +113G/C and their haplotypes with depressive symptoms were examined.

Growth patterns and obesity development in overweight or normal-weight 13-year-old adolescents: the STRIP study.

Objective: Our goal was to study childhood growth patterns and development of overweight in children who were overweight or normal weight at 13 years of age.

Participants And Methods: This study is part of a prospective atherosclerosis-prevention trial Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children). At 7 months of age, 1062 children were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 540) receiving biannual fat-oriented dietary counseling or to a control group (n = 522).

Serum L-homoarginine concentration is elevated during normal pregnancy and is related to flow-mediated vasodilatation.

Background: Normal pregnancy is associated with enhanced vasodilatation because of the increased nitric oxide (NO) production. Because L-homoarginine can act as a substrate for NO production, concentrations of L-homoarginine in normal pregnancy were assessed in the present study to test whether L-homoarginine is associated with endothelial function.

Methods And Results: Healthy non-pregnant (n=61) and pregnant women (n=58) were studied in a cross-sectional study.

Does neuregulin-1 play a role in Type A behavior? The cardiovascular risk in young Finns study.

Background: Neuregulin-1 proteins are related to physiological correlates of Type A in terms of cardiac reactivity. Furthermore, neuregulin-1 gene (NRG1) may play a role in cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease i.e.

Common variation in NOS1AP and KCNH2 genes and QT interval duration in young adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Background: Common genetic variants in the nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein gene (NOS1AP) and in the HERG potassium channel gene (KCNH2) have been associated with cardiac repolarization in middle-aged and elderly subjects.

Aim: We examined the relation between these variants and QT interval duration in a population of healthy young adults.

Methods: We measured QT interval duration and genotyped rs10494366 T>G (NOS1AP gene, n=1,842) and rs1805123 A>C (KCNH2 gene, n=1,894) in subjects aged 24-39 years.

Polymorphism in the IL6 promoter region is associated with the risk factors and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in men: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Objective: Inflammatory factors modify the risk of coronary heart disease. Promoter region genetic polymorphism of inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL6 -174 G>C) is associated with the variation of IL-6 production. We investigated whether IL6 -174 G>C associates with the risk factors of atherosclerosis and carotid artery compliance (CAC) in young subjects.

Arterial intima-media thickness in 13-year-old adolescents and previous antichlamydial antimicrobial use: a retrospective follow-up study.

Background: Children with persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection may be at increased risk for atherosclerosis. The impact of antimicrobial therapy for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is unsolved.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether treatment with antimicrobial agents effective against C pneumoniae during childhood, regardless of indication, has a favorable influence on the arterial wall-thickness in children by the time they reach adolescence.

Childhood predictors of the metabolic syndrome in adulthood. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Background: Obese youths may be susceptible to develop the metabolic syndrome (MS) later in life.

Aim: To study childhood predictors of MS in adulthood.

Method: Prospective cohort study including 2,195 subjects, aged 3-18 years at base-line in 1980, who were re-examined in 1983, 1986, and 2001.

Estrogen-progestin contraceptive use during adolescence prevents bone mass acquisition: a 4-year follow-up study.

Background: Estrogen-progestin contraception may affect estrogen production and alter the development of peak bone mass.

Study Design: A 4-year follow-up with 122 adolescent women aged 12-19 years. The data were divided into three groups based on estrogen-progestin contraceptive (EPC) use: (i) nonusers (n=52), (ii) 1-2 years of use (n=24) and (iii) use for more than 2 years (n=46).

Does initial breastfeeding lead to lower blood cholesterol in adult life? A quantitative review of the evidence.

Background: Earlier studies have suggested that infant feeding may program long-term changes in cholesterol metabolism.

Objective: We aimed to examine whether breastfeeding is associated with lower blood cholesterol concentrations in adulthood.

Design: The study consisted of a systematic review of published observational studies relating initial infant feeding status to blood cholesterol concentrations in adulthood (ie, aged >16 y).

WW-domain-containing oxidoreductase is associated with low plasma HDL-C levels.

Low serum HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. We performed targeted genotyping of a 12.4 Mb linked region on 16q to test for association with low HDL-C by using a regional-tag SNP strategy.

Trends in cardiovascular risk factor levels in Finnish children and young adults from the 1970s: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

Objectives: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study is an ongoing multicentre study of atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children and young adults. The aim of the present report is to describe the secular trends in cardiovascular risk factors between 1980 and 2001 in children and young adults.

Methods: Data on cardiovascular risk factors were collected in a cohort of subjects (original n=3596) that were followed with serial cross-sectional studies from childhood to adulthood.

Childhood levels of serum apolipoproteins B and A-I predict carotid intima-media thickness and brachial endothelial function in adulthood: the cardiovascular risk in young Finns study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether apolipoproteins (apo) B and A-I measured in childhood and adolescence predict atherosclerosis in adulthood.

Background: Exposure to dyslipidemia in childhood predicts the development of atherosclerosis. Apolipoproteins B and A-I might be good markers of atherogenic dyslipidemia, but there is a paucity of information concerning their importance in childhood.

DRD2 C32806T modifies the effect of child-rearing environment on adulthood novelty seeking.

Preliminary evidence suggests that there may be longitudinal interactions between environmental and genetic factors in predicting Novelty seeking. We have previously found in small and selected subsample from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study, that an association between the polymorphism of dopamine receptor D4 was moderated by the childhood environment, as indexed by hostile maternal child-rearing. We wanted to replicate this finding in a population based sample of 1,114 men and women using another candidate gene of dopaminergic system, that is, the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2).