We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Novel Blood-Based Risk Score Based on Lipids Improves Prediction of Heart Disease

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 26 Aug 2024

In the field of cardiovascular health, some individuals fall into an ambiguous "intermediate zone" of risk for heart attacks or strokes—neither distinctly low nor high-risk, yet potentially on the cusp of heart disease. More...

This grey area calls for improved methodologies for accurate risk prediction. Traditionally, risk assessments like the widely recognized Framingham Risk Score have utilized factors such as levels of 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol to categorize individuals into risk groups. However, these conventional tools have several limitations, especially in identifying the risks for those in this intermediate category. This oversight is particularly critical as heart disease can progress silently, making early detection crucial to avoid late-stage interventions that are less effective. Now, scientists have developed and validated a novel, blood-based risk score based on lipids (fats in the blood).

The tool, outlined in a paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, was developed by scientists at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (Melbourne, VC, Australia) and La Trobe University (Melbourne, VC, Australia) to improve the precision of risk predictions for individuals within the intermediate risk group, potentially necessitating more aggressive preventive measures or, conversely, suggesting less intensive interventions like lifestyle changes.

This lipidomic risk score offers a refined approach to assessing intermediate risk, addressing the limitations of traditional models. The score has been adapted for clinical use, suggesting its integration into regular blood testing protocols to better predict heart disease risks based on arterial plaque accumulation. This advancement could enable healthcare providers to more effectively determine which patients might benefit from further diagnostic imaging, such as Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring, thus optimizing strategies for heart disease prevention and management.

“This approach aims to ensure that we are making efficient use of our health resources and that resources are directed at those who really need them, including treating those at high risk while avoiding overtreating those who don’t need it,” said Professor Peter Meikle, lipidomics expert at the Baker Institute and head of the Baker Department of Cardiovascular Research, Translation and Implementation at La Trobe University. “We want to continue to push the boundaries, to make things easier for clinicians, to make better use of limited health resources and to ensure better outcomes for people who may be at high risk of heart disease but unrecognized.”

Related Links:
Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute 
La Trobe University


New
Gold Member
Latex Test
SLE-Latex Test
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Silver Member
Quality Control Material
Multichem ID-B
New
Gold Member
Quality Control Material
iPLEX Pro Exome QC Panel
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.