Haptoglobin and risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and congestive heart failure in 342,125 men and women in the Apolipoprotein MOrtality RISk study (AMORIS).
BACKGROUND
Few studies have analysed the importance of haptoglobin (Hp) as a risk factor for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, and heart failure (HF) in large healthy populations.


OBJECTIVE
We examined Hp as risk factor for AMI, stroke, and HF in the Apolipoprotein MOrtality RISk (AMORIS) Study and compared its predictive strength with that of total serum cholesterol (TC).


METHODS
Prospective study (11.8 years) of AMI, stroke, and HF through linkage with Swedish hospital discharge and mortality registers with measurements of Hp in 342,125 subjects.


RESULTS
Hp is a significant risk factor of AMI, stroke, and HF. Relationships were stronger for men than women with regard to stroke and HF, but not AMI. Hp was almost as predictive as TC for AMI and about equally predictive of stroke with a stronger relationship to ischaemic than haemorrhagic stroke. A 4.2-fold increase in risk of AMI was observed comparing subjects in the joint lower quartiles of TC and Hp to those in the upper. For stroke, the risk increase was 2-fold, and 1.5-fold for HF.


CONCLUSIONS
The inflammation marker Hp carried as much additional predictive information value on AMI and stroke as TC. Hp was also a risk factor of HF.
Holme
Ingar
I
Department of Preventive Cardiology, Centre of Preventive Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway. ingar.holme@uus.no
Aastveit
Are H
AH
Hammar
Niklas
N
Jungner
Ingmar
I
Walldius
Göran
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D006242:Haptoglobins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol