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
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Single Blood Test Predicts 30-Year Cardiovascular Disease Risks for Women

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 02 Sep 2024
Print article
Image: The study found that measuring inflammation and lipids in midlife may support earlier detection and treatment (Photo courtesy of 123RF)
Image: The study found that measuring inflammation and lipids in midlife may support earlier detection and treatment (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Recent research has shed light on how elevated inflammation levels can interact with lipids to exacerbate the risk of cardiovascular disease. Immune cells, essential for healing wounds or fighting infections, can also react to excess cholesterol in cells or respond to plaque buildup by releasing inflammatory signals. This response can lead to a hyperinflammatory state that fosters plaque growth, which might enlarge or rupture, potentially leading to cardiovascular incidents. Typically, healthcare providers measure low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and some countries also screen for lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a)—a lipid component related to LDL known to be influenced by genetic factors. The testing for C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammation marker, varies, with screening often based on individual risk assessments or at the provider's discretion. Now, new research suggests that analyzing these two types of fat in the bloodstream alongside CRP can help predict a woman’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease decades in advance.

In the research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA), investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA, USA) analyzed blood samples and medical information of 27,939 healthcare providers in the U.S. participating in the Women’s Health Study. These women, who were an average age of 55 at the start of the study from 1992-1995, were monitored over 30 years. During this time, 3,662 participants experienced a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, stroke, circulatory system surgery, or cardiovascular-related death. The study examined how high-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol, and Lp(a) levels individually and collectively predicted these incidents. Participants were categorized into five groups based on their levels of each marker.

The findings revealed that women in the highest LDL cholesterol group had a 36% higher risk of heart disease compared to those in the lowest group. Those with the highest Lp(a) levels faced a 33% increased risk, and those with elevated CRP levels saw a 70% increased risk. Considering all three indicators—LDL cholesterol, Lp(a), and CRP—simultaneously, those with the highest levels had over a 1.5-times higher risk for stroke and more than three times higher risk for coronary heart disease compared to those with the lowest levels. These significant findings were presented as late-breaking research at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers also noted that while this study focused on women, similar outcomes would likely be observed in men.

“We can’t treat what we don’t measure, and we hope these findings move the field closer to identifying even earlier ways to detect and prevent heart disease,” said Paul M. Ridker, M.D., M.P.H., a study author and the director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Related Links:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
NIH 

Gold Member
Turnkey Packaging Solution
HLX
Antipsychotic TDM Assays
Saladax Antipsychotic Assays
New
Prolactin Test
Chorus PRL
New
Silver Member
Cytomegalovirus Test
ReQuest CMV IgM ELISA

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The new saliva-based test for heart failure measures two biomarkers in about 15 minutes (Photo courtesy of Trey Pittman)

POC Saliva Testing Device Predicts Heart Failure in 15 Minutes

Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart muscle is unable to pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. It ranks as a major cause of death globally and is particularly fatal for... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The discovery of a new blood group has solved a 50- year-old mystery (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Newly Discovered Blood Group System to Help Identify and Treat Rare Patients

The AnWj blood group antigen, a surface marker discovered in 1972, has remained a mystery regarding its genetic origin—until now. The most common cause of being AnWj-negative is linked to hematological... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The blood test measures lymphocytes  to guide the use of multiple myeloma immunotherapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Simple Blood Test Identifies Multiple Myeloma Patients Likely to Benefit from CAR-T Immunotherapy

Multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer originating from plasma cells in the bone marrow, sees almost all patients experiencing a relapse at some stage. This means that the cancer returns even after initially... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The Accelerate WAVE system delivers rapid AST directly from positive blood culture bottles (Photo courtesy of Accelerate Diagnostics)

Rapid Diagnostic System to Deliver Same-Shift Antibiotic Susceptibility Test Results

The World Health Organization estimates that sepsis impacts around 49 million people worldwide each year, resulting in roughly 11 million deaths, with about 1.32 million of these deaths directly linked... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Steps and methodology of skin biopsy processing for dSTORM (Photo courtesy of Front. Mol. Neurosci. (2024); DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1431549)

Super-Resolution Imaging Detects Parkinson's 20 Years Before First Motor Symptoms Appear

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder globally, affecting approximately 8.5 million people today. This debilitating condition is characterized by the destruction of ... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: The Scopio X100 and X100HT full-field digital cell morphology solution (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter)

Beckman Coulter and Scopio Labs Add World's First Digital Bone Marrow Imaging and Analysis to Long-Term Partnership

Since 2022, Beckman Coulter (Brea, CA, USA) and Scopio Labs (Tel Aviv, Israel) have been working together to accelerate adoption of the next generation of digital cell morphology. Scopio's X100 and X100HT... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.