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This Data in Brief article contains further sensitivity analysis data related to the article “Alcohol consumption and mortality: the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study” [1]. Alcohol consumption data of participants in LURIC was collected using a questionnaire. This data was used to calculate the amount of alcohol consumption in g ethanol per day by using standard volumes and standard vol-% in different beverages in Germany. The data shown here provide results from the LURIC study stratified by gender. Furthermore, the LURIC study results were reproduced using other classifications, which were stratified in different literature data. In addition, our analysis provides data of alcohol consumption for smokers and non-smokers in the LURIC study cohort separately.

Recent experimental studies have suggested that galectin-3 has an interaction with aldosterone, and modifies its adverse effects. We therefore aimed to elucidate whether the relationship between plasma aldosterone concentrations (PACs) and long-term fatal cardiovascular (CV) events would depend on plasma galectin-3 levels. A total of 2,457 patients (median age: 63.5 [interquartile range (IQR) = 56.3 to 70.6] years, 30.1% women) from the LUdwigshafen RIsk and Cardiovascular Health study, with a median follow-up of 9.9 (IQR = 8.5 to 10.7) years, were included. We tested the interaction between aldosterone and galectin-3 for CV-mortality using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, reporting hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Adjustments for multiple CV risk factors as well as medication use were included. Mean PAC was 79.0 (IQR = 48.0 to 124.0) pg/ml and there were 558 (16.8%) CV deaths. There was a significant interaction between PAC and galectin-3 (p = 0.021). When stratifying patients by the median galectin-3, there was a significant association between aldosterone and CV-mortality for those above (HR per 1 standard deviation = 1.14; 95%CI [1.01 to 1.30], p = 0.023), but not below the cut-off value (HR per 1 standard deviation = 1.00; 95%CI [0.87 to 1.15], p = 0.185). In conclusion, the current study demonstrates for the first time a modifying effect of galectin-3 on the association between aldosterone and CV-mortality risk in humans. These findings indicate that galectin-3 is an intermediate between aldosterone and adverse outcomes.

This paper contains additional data related to the research article “Omega-3 fatty acids and mortality in patients referred for coronary angiography – The Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study” (Kleber et al., in press) [1]. The data shows characteristics of the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study according to tertiles of omega-3 fatty acids as well as stratified by gender. The association of proportions of omega-3 fatty acids measured in erythrocyte membranes with different causes of death is investigated with a special focus on modeling the association of EPA with mortality in a nonlinear way. Further, the association of omega-3 fatty acids with all-cause mortality adjusted for high-sensitive C-reactive protein as a marker of systemic inflammation is examined as well as the association of EPA with cause-specific death.

The term “trans fatty acids” (TFAs) describes unsaturated fatty acids that contain at least one double bond in trans configuration. Ruminant animals produce TFAs in small quantities. Industrial hardening produces far larger amounts of TFAs. A high intake of TFAs has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Legal actions to limit the use of TFA are effective as demonstrated by markedly decreasing levels of TFA in most nations worldwide. Although there is a broad consent that the consumption of high amounts of industrially produced TFAs is harmful for human health and leads to a higher mortality risk, the picture is less clear regarding a low intake with a majority of studies reporting no association with LDL-C or cardiovascular risk. Regarding ruminant-derived TFAs, most studies do not observe an increased mortality risk and some beneficial effects on glucose metabolism and diabetes incidence have been reported.