Novel cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly and their correlation with the Framingham risk score.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the link between the risk of developing coronary heart disease as determined by Framingham risk score (FRS) and the novel cardiac risk factors including serum levels of ferritin, C reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, creatinine, and uric acid.


METHODS
A total of 1698 patients aged 65 years or more were examined. Plasma concentrations of lipids, CRP, ferritin, homocysteine, uric acid, and creatinine were measured in all the patients. The FRS was calculated for each patient who were divided into three groups according to their FRSs: score 0-9, score 10-19, and score 20 or more group.


RESULTS
Levels of creatinine, uric acid, CRP, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, folate, ferritin, and homocysteine were significantly different between the three groups. Homocysteine, ferritin, triglyceride, uric acid, and creatinine significantly increased the risk of passing from score 0-9 group to 10-19 group. Triglyceride and creatinine also increased the risk of passing from score 10-19 group to 20 or more group.


CONCLUSIONS
An increase in homocysteine, uric acid, ferritin, creatinine, and triglyceride levels is associated with an increase in FRS in elderly people. The current findings support the use of these novel risk factors for diagnosis of coronary heart disease in elderly patients.
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Meltem
M
Halil
Bunyamin
B
Yavuz
Burcu Balam
BB
Yavuz
Mustafa
M
Cankurtaran
Didem Sener
DS
Dede
Zekeriya
Z
Ulger
Anil
A
Barak
Erdem
E
Karabulut
Kudret
K
Aytemir
Giray
G
Kabakci
Servet
S
Ariogul
Ali
A
Oto
D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D006710:Homocysteine; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins; D003404:Creatinine