Heart rate and microinflammation in men: a relevant atherothrombotic link.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the possibility that increased resting heart rate (HR) is associated with a microinflammatory response. Such an association could explain, at least in part, the recently described worse cardiovascular prognosis in individuals with increased HR.


METHODS
Concentrations of fibrinogen and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, as well as the absolute number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, were analysed in a cohort of 4553 apparently healthy men and in those with atherothrombotic risk factors.


RESULTS
Following adjustment for age and body mass index, lipid profile and cardiovascular risk factors, a significant (p<0.001) difference was noted between individuals in the first quintile of HR (< or =58 beats/min) and those in the fifth quintile (> or =79 beats/min) regarding all the above-mentioned inflammatory biomarkers, the respective mean values being 7.38 and 8.11 micromol/l, 1.12 and 1.61 mg/l, and 4.23 and 4.74 x 10(9)/l.


CONCLUSIONS
Resting HR is associated with a microinflammatory response in apparently healthy men and in those with atherothrombotic risk factors. Sympathetic activation might be a common factor explaining such an association. If confirmed in additional studies, this association might be a relevant target for therapeutic manipulations.
Rogowski
O
O
Department of Medicine D and Institute for Special Medical Examinations (MALRAM), Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Shapira
I
I
Shirom
A
A
Melamed
S
S
Toker
S
S
Berliner
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D015444:Exercise; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D015415:Biomarkers; D008055:Lipids; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein