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Fibrinogen as a risk factor for stroke and myocardial infarction
Insights
High fibrinogen levels, blood pressure, and smoking are key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and stroke. Fibrinogen
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
- Epidemiology
- Clinical Biochemistry
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- Identifying modifiable risk factors is crucial for disease prevention strategies.
- Coagulation factors, such as fibrinogen, are implicated in cardiovascular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between plasma fibrinogen levels and cardiovascular disease risk.
- To identify other potential risk factors including blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking.
- To determine the independent contribution of these factors to myocardial infarction and stroke.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving 792 middle-aged men.
- Baseline measurements included plasma fibrinogen, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking status.
- Follow-up for myocardial infarction, stroke, and all-cause mortality over 13.5 years.
Main Results:
- Blood pressure, serum cholesterol, smoking, and fibrinogen were significant univariate risk factors for myocardial infarction.
- Blood pressure and fibrinogen were significant univariate risk factors for stroke.
- Fibrinogen remained a significant risk factor for stroke after adjusting for other variables, though its association with myocardial infarction weakened.
Conclusions:
- Plasma fibrinogen levels, along with blood pressure and smoking, are important risk factors for cardiovascular events.
- Fibrinogen may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of stroke and myocardial infarction.
- Further research is needed to establish causality and therapeutic targets.
Abstract:
To study the possible risk factors for cardiovascular disease, we collected data on plasma levels of coagulation factors, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking in a random sample of 792 men 54 years of age. During 13.5 years of follow-up, myocardial infarction occurred in 92 men, stroke in 37, and death from causes other than myocardial infarction or stroke in 60. The blood pressure, degree of smoking, serum cholesterol, and fibrinogen level measured at the base-line examination proved to be significant risk factors for infarction by univariate analyses during follow-up, and blood pressure and fibrinogen were risk factors for stroke. Fibrinogen and smoking were strongly related to each other. The relation between fibrinogen and infarction, and between fibrinogen and stroke, became weaker when blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and smoking habits were taken into account, but was still significant for stroke. Although causality cannot be inferred from these data, it is possible that the fibrinogen level plays an important part in the development of stroke and myocardial infarction.