Brian A Ference1,2, Deepak L Bhatt3, Alberico L Catapano4, Chris J Packard5, Ian Graham6, Stephen Kaptoge2, Thatcher B Ference1, Qi Guo1,2, Ulrich Laufs7, Christian T Ruff8, Arjen Cupido1,9, G Kees Hovingh9, John Danesh2, Michael V Holmes10, George Davey Smith11, Kausik K Ray12, Stephen J Nicholls13, Marc S Sabatine8. 1. Centre for Naturally Randomized Trials, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. 2. MRC/BHF Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. 3. Brigham and Women's Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. 4. Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Multimedica IRCCS, Milano, Italy. 5. Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom. 6. School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. 7. Department of Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 8. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Study Group, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. 9. Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 10. MRC Population Health Research Unit, Clinical Trial Service Unit, and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. 11. MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom. 12. School of Public Health, Imperial Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom. 13. Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Abstract
IMPORTANCE: The relationship between exposure to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) with the risk of cardiovascular disease has not been reliably quantified. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of lifetime exposure to the combination of both lower LDL-C and lower SBP with the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Among 438 952 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010 and followed up through 2018, genetic LDL-C and SBP scores were used as instruments to divide participants into groups with lifetime exposure to lower LDL-C, lower SBP, or both. Differences in plasma LDL-C, SBP, and cardiovascular event rates between the groups were compared to estimate associations with lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. EXPOSURES: Differences in plasma LDL-C and SBP compared with participants with both genetic scores below the median. Genetic risk scores higher than the median were associated with lower LDL-C and lower SBP. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Odds ratio (OR) for major coronary events, defined as coronary death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: The mean age of the 438 952 participants was 65.2 years (range, 40.4-80.0 years), 54.1% were women, and 24 980 experienced a first major coronary event. Compared with the reference group, participants with LDL-C genetic scores higher than the median had 14.7-mg/dL lower LDL-C levels and an OR of 0.73 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.70-0.75; P < .001). Participants with SBP genetic scores higher than the median had 2.9-mm Hg lower SBP and an OR of 0.82 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.79-0.85, P < .001). Participants in the group with both genetic scores higher than the median had 13.9-mg/dL lower LDL-C, 3.1-mm Hg lower SBP, and an OR of 0.61 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.59-0.64; P < .001). In a 4 × 4 factorial analysis, exposure to increasing genetic risk scores and lower LDL-C levels and SBP was associated with dose-dependent lower risks of major coronary events. In a meta-regression analysis, combined exposure to 38.67-mg/dL lower LDL-C and 10-mm Hg lower SBP was associated with an OR of 0.22 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.17-0.26; P < .001), and 0.32 for cardiovascular death (95% CI, 0.25-0.40; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Lifelong genetic exposure to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower systolic blood pressure was associated with lower cardiovascular risk. However, these findings cannot be assumed to represent the magnitude of benefit achievable from treatment of these risk factors.
IMPORTANCE: The relationship between exposure to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) with the risk of cardiovascular disease has not been reliably quantified. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of lifetime exposure to the combination of both lower LDL-C and lower SBP with the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Among 438 952 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010 and followed up through 2018, genetic LDL-C and SBP scores were used as instruments to divide participants into groups with lifetime exposure to lower LDL-C, lower SBP, or both. Differences in plasma LDL-C, SBP, and cardiovascular event rates between the groups were compared to estimate associations with lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. EXPOSURES: Differences in plasma LDL-C and SBP compared with participants with both genetic scores below the median. Genetic risk scores higher than the median were associated with lower LDL-C and lower SBP. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Odds ratio (OR) for major coronary events, defined as coronary death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: The mean age of the 438 952 participants was 65.2 years (range, 40.4-80.0 years), 54.1% were women, and 24 980 experienced a first major coronary event. Compared with the reference group, participants with LDL-C genetic scores higher than the median had 14.7-mg/dL lower LDL-C levels and an OR of 0.73 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.70-0.75; P < .001). Participants with SBP genetic scores higher than the median had 2.9-mm Hg lower SBP and an OR of 0.82 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.79-0.85, P < .001). Participants in the group with both genetic scores higher than the median had 13.9-mg/dL lower LDL-C, 3.1-mm Hg lower SBP, and an OR of 0.61 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.59-0.64; P < .001). In a 4 × 4 factorial analysis, exposure to increasing genetic risk scores and lower LDL-C levels and SBP was associated with dose-dependent lower risks of major coronary events. In a meta-regression analysis, combined exposure to 38.67-mg/dL lower LDL-C and 10-mm Hg lower SBP was associated with an OR of 0.22 for major coronary events (95% CI, 0.17-0.26; P < .001), and 0.32 for cardiovascular death (95% CI, 0.25-0.40; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Lifelong genetic exposure to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower systolic blood pressure was associated with lower cardiovascular risk. However, these findings cannot be assumed to represent the magnitude of benefit achievable from treatment of these risk factors.
Authors: David R Jacobs; Jessica G Woo; Alan R Sinaiko; Stephen R Daniels; Johanna Ikonen; Markus Juonala; Noora Kartiosuo; Terho Lehtimäki; Costan G Magnussen; Jorma S A Viikari; Nanhua Zhang; Lydia A Bazzano; Trudy L Burns; Ronald J Prineas; Julia Steinberger; Elaine M Urbina; Alison J Venn; Olli T Raitakari; Terence Dwyer Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2022-04-04 Impact factor: 176.079
Authors: Venkatesh L Murthy; Ravi V Shah; Jared P Reis; Alexander R Pico; Robert Kitchen; Joao A C Lima; Donald Lloyd-Jones; Norrina B Allen; Mercedes Carnethon; Gregory D Lewis; Matthew Nayor; Ramachandran S Vasan; Jane E Freedman; Clary B Clish Journal: Circulation Date: 2020-10-19 Impact factor: 29.690