Inverse association of physical fitness with plasma fibrinogen level in children: the Columbia University BioMarkers Study.
Plasma fibrinogen has emerged as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adults, but relatively little is known about the correlates of plasma fibrinogen level in childhood. In the Columbia University BioMarkers Study (1994-1998), the authors evaluated the association between physical fitness and plasma fibrinogen level in 193 children 4-25 years old; 68% were Hispanic and 46% male. Fitness level assessed by treadmill testing was inversely associated with plasma fibrinogen (r = -0.24, p<0.001). Plasma fibrinogen levels showed a graded inverse relation with tertiles of fitness assessed by treadmill (p<0.001). In multivariate analyses, after adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and presence of the A allele in the -455 position of the beta-fibrinogen promoter gene, the fitness level remained inversely associated with plasma fibrinogen level (beta = -1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.3, -0.34). Resting heart rate was also correlated with plasma fibrinogen level (r = 0.18, p<0.05). Fibrinogen levels (mg/dl) increased over tertiles of resting heart rate (p = 0.002) and were significantly associated with resting heart rate in multivariate analysis (beta = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.17, 1.5). These findings indicate that plasma fibrinogen is inversely associated with physical fitness in children independent of body mass index.
Isasi
C R
CR
Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA. ss35@columbia.edu
Starc
T J
TJ
Tracy
R P
RP
Deckelbaum
R
R
Berglund
L
L
Shea
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D015415:Biomarkers; D005340:Fibrinogen