Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 23, 2026
Signal Acquisition, Score Interpretation, and Economics of a Non-Invasive Point-of-Care Test for Coronary Artery Disease
Published on: August 9, 2024
Impact of a Genetic Risk Score for Coronary Artery Disease on Reducing Cardiovascular Risk: A Pilot Randomized
Joshua W Knowles1, Shirin Zarafshar1, Aleksandra Pavlovic1
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
Insights
Providing a genetic risk score (GRS) for coronary artery disease (CAD) did not improve cholesterol levels or adherence to risk-reducing strategies. Modest benefits in weight loss and physical activity were observed in individuals with a high GRS.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Preventive Cardiology
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- Genetic risk scores (GRS) offer personalized risk prediction for CAD.
- Motivating lifestyle changes is crucial for CAD prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if providing a genetic risk score (GRS) for coronary artery disease (CAD) motivates individuals to improve adherence to risk-reducing strategies.
- To assess the impact of GRS on lipid levels and other cardiovascular risk factors.
- To explore potential differential effects of GRS based on genetic risk level.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 94 participants at moderate risk for CAD.
- Participants were assigned to receive standard care with or without their CAD GRS.
- Primary outcome was change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) at 6-month follow-up; secondary outcomes included lifestyle factors and psychological measures.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in LDL-C reduction between the GRS and standard care groups (ΔLDL-C: -13 vs. -9 mg/dl).
- Participants with a higher GRS showed modest improvements in weight loss and physical activity.
- No significant changes were observed in other secondary outcomes, including adherence, diet, or psychological well-being.
Conclusions:
- Integrating GRS into standard care did not significantly improve lipid profiles, adherence, or psychological outcomes for CAD risk reduction.
- Potential modest benefits in weight loss and physical activity for high-GRS individuals warrant further investigation in larger studies.
- The motivational impact of GRS on lifestyle modifications for cardiovascular health requires further validation.
Purpose:
We tested whether providing a genetic risk score (GRS) for coronary artery disease (CAD) would serve as a motivator to improve adherence to risk-reducing strategies.
Methods:
We randomized 94 participants with at least moderate risk of CAD to receive standard-of-care with (N = 49) or without (N = 45) their GRS at a subsequent 3-month follow-up visit. Our primary outcome was change in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) between the 3- and 6-month follow-up visits (ΔLDL-C). Secondary outcomes included other CAD risk factors, weight loss, diet, physical activity, risk perceptions, and psychological outcomes. In pre-specified analyses, we examined whether there was a greater motivational effect in participants with a higher GRS.
Results:
Sixty-five participants completed the protocol including 30 participants in the GRS arm. We found no change in the primary outcome between participants receiving their GRS and standard-of-care participants (ΔLDL-C: -13 vs. -9 mg/dl). Among participants with a higher GRS, we observed modest effects on weight loss and physical activity. All other secondary outcomes were not significantly different, including anxiety and worry.
Conclusion:
Adding GRS to standard-of-care did not change lipids, adherence, or psychological outcomes. Potential modest benefits in weight loss and physical activity for participants with high GRS need to be validated in larger trials.
More Related Videos
09:38Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: November 14, 2017
06:57Author Spotlight: Advancing Cardiovascular Imaging - Introducing the Spatially Weighted Calcium Score for Early Disease Detection
Published on: September 22, 2023
Related Concept Videos
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:30Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
01:26Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:29Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets
01:11Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...