High prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors in first-degree relatives of individuals with familial premature coronary artery disease--the GENECARD project.
BACKGROUND
Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity and smoking are highly prevalent among patients with familial premature coronary artery disease (FP-CAD). Whether these risk factors equally affect other family members remains unknown.


METHODS
We examined 222 FP-CAD patients, 158 unaffected sibs, 197 offspring and 94 spouses in 108 FP-CAD families (> or = 2 sibs having survived CAD diagnosed before age 51 (M)/56 (F)), and compared them to population controls.


RESULTS
Unaffected sibs had a higher prevalence of hypertension (49% versus 24%, p<0.001), hypercholesterolemia (47% versus 34%, p=0.002), abdominal obesity (35% versus 24%, p=0.006) and smoking (39% versus 24%, p=0.001) than population controls. Offspring had a higher prevalence of hypertension (females), hypercholesterolemia and abdominal obesity than population controls. No difference was observed between spouses and controls. Compared to unaffected sibs, FP-CAD affected sibs had a similar risk factor profile, except for smoking, which was more prevalent (76% versus 39%, p=0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
Hypertension, obesity and hypercholesterolemia are highly prevalent among first-degree relatives, but not spouses, of patients with FP-CAD. These persons deserve special medical attention due to their familial/genetic susceptibility to atherogenic metabolic abnormalities. In these families, smoking may be the trigger for FP-CAD.
Hurrell
Claire
C
Department of Medicine, CHUV University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. Claire.Hurrell@chuv.ch
Wietlisbach
Vincent
V
Jotterand
Valerie
V
Volet
Marianne
M
Lenain
Vincent
V
Nicod
Pascal
P
Darioli
Roger
R
Paccaud
Fred
F
Waeber
Gerard
G
Mooser
Vincent
V
D050153:Abdominal Fat; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children; D017668:Age of Onset; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data