Publications by authors named "W Marz"

Introduction: The processes of atherosclerosis, inflammation, and carbamylation are closely linked in cardiovascular (CV) disease, but the potential of carbamylation burden as a CV mortality predictor is unclear, especially in patients with no or mild chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to investigate whether elevated carbamylated albumin (C-Alb), as a surrogate marker for carbamylation burden, is associated with mortality and arterial stiffness/atherosclerotic burden in patients with no or mild CKD, using pulse pressure (PP) as a marker for arterial stiffness.

Methods: We measured C-Alb in 3,193 participants of the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health study who had been referred for coronary angiography and followed up for 10 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Arterial hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Although central blood pressure (BP) evaluation is considered the gold standard, the reliability of non-invasive measurements remains unclear. Therefore, we compared the predictive value of invasively measured central BP with non-invasively measured brachial BP and analyzed pulse pressure (PP) amplification (delta-PP; difference between central and peripheral PP) as an independent predictor of mortality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study examined how serum levels of minerals and phosphate relate to overall and cardiovascular death rates, especially in patients with varying kidney functions.
  • Low levels of sodium and iron were linked to worse kidney performance and higher death risks, while higher zinc levels correlated with lower risks.
  • Those with kidney functions below 60 mL/min faced a fourfold increase in mortality risk, emphasizing the need for regular monitoring of serum minerals and kidney health in cardiovascular patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - This study aimed to assess the predictive power of coronary artery calcification (CAC) genetic risk scores (GRSs) for coronary artery disease (CAD), suggesting existing GRSs may overlook important genetic factors related to intermediate phenotypes like CAC.
  • - Researchers analyzed data from three different studies involving a total of 3,535 participants, comparing CAC GRSs to traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and a broader CAD GRS constructed from 1.7 million genetic variants.
  • - Results indicated that CAC GRS is significantly linked to CAD across multiple cohorts and provides additional predictive value beyond traditional risk factors, enhancing risk assessment and precision in predicting CAD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Factor V (FV) is crucial for the blood coagulation process, and its plasma levels are linked to various health issues like blood clots and diabetes.
  • The researchers used a specific statistical method called the Brown-Forsythe methodology to analyze genetic factors affecting FV levels in 4505 individuals from four different studies.
  • They identified a significant genetic variant (rs75463553) associated with the variability in FV plasma levels, highlighting the interaction between neutrophil-related genes and FV biology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF