Fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and carotid intima-media wall thickness in the NHLBI Family Heart Study.
Several studies have linked higher plasma fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) concentrations with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We studied whether members of families with increased occurrence of coronary heart disease (CHD) have increased levels of fibrinogen and PAI-1 and whether subclinical carotid atherosclerosis is associated with these two hemostatic factors. Contrary to our hypothesis, fibrinogen and PAI-1 antigen levels were not different between high CHD risk families versus random families. Adjusted for age and family type, fibrinogen and PAI-1 were both associated positively with carotid intima-media thickness assessed by B-mode ultrasound. However, adjustment for lifestyle and medical covariates essentially eliminated these associations. These data suggest 1) elevated fibrinogen and PAI-1 do not explain clustering of CHD in families and 2) fibrinogen and PAI-1 may partly mediate the effects of other risk factors on carotid atherosclerosis, though the data are also consistent with them playing no causal role.
Folsom
A R
AR
Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55454-1015, USA. folsom@epivax.epi.umn.edu
Pankow
J S
JS
Williams
R R
RR
Evans
G W
GW
Province
M A
MA
Eckfeldt
J H
JH
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D005340:Fibrinogen