IgE predicts future nonfatal myocardial infarction in men
R D Langer1, M H Criqui, H S Feigelson
1Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, 92093-0607, USA.
Insights
Elevated Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels are a significant independent risk factor for nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) in men, but not for fatal events or in women. This finding suggests a novel link between allergy mediators and heart disease risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Established risk factors do not fully account for coronary heart disease (CHD) variability.
- Immunoglobulin E (IgE), an allergy mediator, influences platelets and arterial smooth muscle.
- Previous cross-sectional studies indicated a link between IgE and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in men.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the association between IgE levels and cardiovascular outcomes.
- To determine if IgE is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, or mortality.
- To investigate potential sex differences in the IgE-CVD relationship.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving 278 men and 343 women.
- Mean follow-up period of 8.9 years.
- Analysis of baseline IgE levels in relation to incident coronary events, CVD, stroke, and all-cause mortality, adjusted for confounders.
Main Results:
- Elevated baseline IgE (> or = 200 kU/L) was associated with a significantly increased risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) in men (Relative Risk [RR] = 6.46, p < 0.01).
- No significant association was found between IgE and coronary mortality in men (RR = 1.66, p < 0.66).
- No association between IgE and coronary disease, CVD, stroke, or all-cause mortality was observed in women, nor for fatal coronary events in men. The association in men was independent of smoking and other risk factors and unrelated to allergy status.
Conclusions:
- Elevated IgE is a strong, independent prospective risk factor for nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) specifically in men.
- The findings suggest a potential role for IgE beyond allergic responses in cardiovascular pathophysiology.
- Sex-specific differences exist in the relationship between IgE and cardiovascular risk.
Abstract:
Established risk factors cannot explain all the variance in coronary heart disease (CHD). Immunoglobin E (IgE), a mediator of allergy, can affect platelets and arterial smooth muscle. We previously demonstrated a cross-sectional association between IgE and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in men. The present study evaluated this relationship prospectively in 278 men and 343 women followed for a mean of 8.9 years. There was an association between IgE and coronary disease in men, but not in women. There was no association for CVD, stroke, or all-cause mortality. The age-adjusted relative risk (RR) for coronary mortality in men with baseline IgE > or = 200 kU/L was 1.66 (p < or = 0.66), but for nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) it was 6.46 (p < or = 0.01). This association was independent of smoking and other risk factors, and unrelated to allergy. Thus, elevated IgE was a strong independent prospective risk factor for nonfatal, but not fatal, MI in men.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Ischemic Heart Disease: Overview
Atherosclerosis, the primary malefactor, orchestrates this dangerous condition. It manifests as the accumulation of fatty deposits, akin to insidious plaques, within arterial walls. As time elapses, these plaques metamorphose, hardening and narrowing...
01:21Myocarditis I: Introduction
01:30Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
01:26Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology
01:26Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies