Emerging risk factors for coronary heart disease: a summary of systematic reviews conducted for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: Traditional risk factors do not explain all of the risk for incident coronary heart disease (CHD) events. Various new or emerging risk factors have the potential to improve global risk assessment for CHD. PURPOSE: To summarize the results of 9 systematic reviews of novel risk factors to help the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) evaluate the factors' clinical usefulness. DATA SOURCES: Results from a MEDLINE search for English-language articles published from 1966 to September 2008, using the Medical Subject Heading terms cohort studies and cardiovascular diseases in combination with terms for each risk factor. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if the participants had no baseline cardiovascular disease and the investigators adjusted for at least 6 Framingham risk factors. DATA EXTRACTION: Study quality was evaluated by using USPSTF criteria and overall quality of evidence for each risk factor by using a modified version of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Each factor's potential clinical value was evaluated by using a set of criteria that emphasized the importance of the effect of that factor on the reclassification of intermediate-risk persons. DATA SYNTHESIS: 9 systematic reviews were conducted. C-reactive protein (CRP) was the best candidate for use in screening and the most rigorously studied, but evidence that changes in CRP level lead to primary prevention of CHD events is inconclusive. The other evaluated risk factors were coronary artery calcium score as measured by electron-beam computed tomography, lipoprotein(a) level, homocysteine level, leukocyte count, fasting blood glucose, periodontal disease, ankle-brachial index, and carotid intima-media thickness. The availability and validity of the evidence varied considerably across the risk factors in terms of aggregate quality, consistency of findings, and applicability to intermediate-risk persons in the general population. For most risk factors, no studies assessed their usefulness for reclassifying intermediate-risk persons. LIMITATIONS: Because of lack of access to original data, no firm conclusions could be drawn about differences in risk prediction among racial and ethnic groups. The review did not emphasize within-cohort comparisons of multiple risk factors. CONCLUSION: The current evidence does not support the routine use of any of the 9 risk factors for further risk stratification of intermediate-risk persons.

Author information

Author/s: Helfand, Mark (M); Buckley, David I (DI); Freeman, Michele (M); Fu, Rongwei (R); Rogers, Kevin (K); Fleming, Craig (C); Humphrey, Linda L (LL);

Affiliation: Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, andOregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.

Grants: 290-02-0024 (Agency:PHS HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Review

Journal: Annals of internal medicine (Ann Intern Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 151 (issue 7) : pp 496-507

Dates: Created 2009/10/06; Completed 2009/10/21;

PMID: 19805772, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/21/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

SummaryForPatientsIn: Ann Intern Med. 2009 Oct 6;151(7):I-38. (PMID: 19805766)

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