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BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) modifies the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk associated with a family history of CVD. We assessed interactions between biomarkers of low PUFA intake and a family history in relation to long-term CVD risk in a large consortium. METHODS: Blood and tissue PUFA data from 40 885 CVD-free adults were assessed. PUFA levels =25th percentile were considered to reflect low intake of linoleic, alpha-linolenic, and eicosapentaenoic/docosahexaenoic acids (EPA/DHA). Family history was defined as having =1 first-degree relative who experienced a CVD event. Relative risks with 95% CI of CVD were estimated using Cox regression and meta-analyzed. Interactions were assessed by analyzing product terms and calculating relative excess risk due to interaction. RESULTS: After multivariable adjustments, a significant interaction between low EPA/DHA and family history was observed (product term pooled RR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.02-1.16]; P=0.01). The pooled relative risk of CVD associated with the combined exposure to low EPA/DHA, and family history was 1.41 (95% CI, 1.30-1.54), whereas it was 1.25 (95% CI, 1.16-1.33) for family history alone and 1.06 (95% CI, 0.98-1.14) for EPA/DHA alone, compared with those with neither exposure. The relative excess risk due to interaction results indicated no interactions. CONCLUSIONS: A significant interaction between biomarkers of low EPA/DHA intake, but not the other PUFA, and a family history was observed. This novel finding might suggest a need to emphasize the benefit of consuming oily fish for individuals with a family history of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) have shown to be involved in the atherosclerotic process and to cause endothelial cell dysfunction. To assess longitudinally whether plasma concentrations of different POPs were associated with blood pressure and risk of hypertension in middle-aged women and men. Study subjects were 850 participants in the VIP (Västerbotten Intervention Programme) with 2 blood samples and blood pressure measurements, 10 years apart, during 1990 to 2003 (baseline) and during 2000 to 2013 (follow-up). Dioxin-like and nondioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs, NDL-PCBs) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) were measured. Associations were assessed using generalized estimating equations. At baseline sampling 49% and at follow-up 64% had hypertension. DL-PCBs and DDE, but not NDL-PCBs or hexachlorobenzene, were associated with hypertension. Only the association for DL-PCBs remained statistically significant after lipid-standardization and adjustment for body mass index and total serum lipids. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of hypertension based on repeated measurements were 1.52 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.13) for DL-PCBs (third versus first tertile of lipid-standardized POPs). In stratified adjusted analyses, odds ratio for those born after 1950 increased to 3.99 (95% confidence interval, 2.15-7.43), whereas no association was observed among those born earlier. Based on repeated measurements, the accumulated exposure to DL-PCBs and DDE, although less clear for the latter, may disrupt the normal blood pressure levels and increase the odds of hypertension. Moreover, individuals experiencing early-life POP exposure may be at elevated risk of vascular POP effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background--The joint impact of multiple healthy lifestyle factors on heart failure (HF) risk is unclear. We investigated the separate and collective associations of healthy lifestyle factors with HF incidence in 2 population-based prospective cohort studies. Methods and Results--This study consisted of 33 966 men (Cohort of Swedish Men) and 30 713 women (Swedish Mammography Cohort) who were 45 to 83 years of age and free of HF and ischemic heart disease at baseline. A healthy lifestyle was defined as being a nonsmoker and physically active (≥150 min/wk), and having body mass index between 18.5 and 25 kg/m² and a healthy diet (defined as adherence to a modified Mediterranean diet). Incident HF cases were ascertained by linkage with the Swedish National Patient Register and the Swedish Cause of Death Register. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze the data. During13 years of follow-up, HF was diagnosed in 1488 men and 1096 women. Each healthy lifestyle factor was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of HF in both men and women, and the risk decreased with increasing number of healthy behaviors. The greatest reduction in HF risk was observed for combinations that included nonsmoking. Compared with men and women with none of the healthy lifestyle factors, the multivariable relative risks (95% confidence interval) of HF for those with all 4 healthy behaviors were 0.38 (0.28-0.53) in men and 0.28 (0.19-0.41) in women. Conclusions--Adhering to a healthy lifestyle is associated with a substantially lower HF risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological studies of red meat consumption in relation to risk of heart failure (HF) are scarce. We examined the associations of unprocessed and processed red meat consumption with HF incidence and mortality in men.The population-based prospective Cohort of Swedish Men included 37 035 men, aged 45 to 79 years, with no history of HF, ischemic heart disease, or cancer at baseline. Meat consumption was assessed with a self-administered questionnaire in 1997. During a mean follow-up of 11.8 years, 2891 incidences and 266 deaths from HF were ascertained. Consumption of processed meat was statistically significant positively associated with risk of HF in both age- and multivariable-adjusted models. Men who consumed ≥75 g/d processed meat compared with those who consumed <25 g/d had a 1.28 (95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.48, P trend=0.01) higher risk of HF incidence and 2.43 (95% confidence interval, 1.52-3.88, P trend<0.001) higher risk of HF mortality. The consumption of unprocessed meat was not associated with increased risk of incidence of HF or mortality from HF.Findings from this prospective study of men with low to moderate red meat consumption indicate that processed red meat consumption, but not unprocessed red meat, is associated with an increased risk of HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of pregnancy and lactation on iron status and erythropoiesis as measured by the soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR).METHODS: We recruited women in early pregnancy to be followed for 2 years. We determined sTfR and sTfR/serum ferritin (sTfR/Fer) during puerperium (n = 77), lactation (n = 111), and postlactation (n = 57), with comparison to data obtained during pregnancy (n = 224). Data were evaluated using analysis of variance for repeated measures as the women continuing the study were found to be representative of those entering the study.RESULTS: We found that sTfR and sTfR/Fer were significantly higher at all sampling occasions compared with early pregnancy (P < .001). Iron status markers did not regain first-trimester levels postpartum. Postlactation, 20% of the women had depleted iron stores (sTfR/Fer greater than 500), and 10% had tissue iron deficiency (sTfR greater than 8.3 mg/L). Iron status worsened with increasing parity and was significantly correlated to blood loss at delivery. In a subgroup of women with persistent adequate iron stores, first-trimester sTfR was similar to that in the puerperium but significantly lower than that postlactation. Cord sTfR (n = 32) was twice maternal sTfR and not correlated to maternal serum ferritin, gestational age, or other birth variables.CONCLUSION: Our data show decreased erythropoiesis in early gestation and during the first week of the puerperium. To prevent a negative effect of childbearing on iron status, postpartum iron supplementation should be considered in women who bleed excessively at parturition and in those who choose to take a low dose of iron or none at all during pregnancy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this article, the author offers information related to a study done by M. Doménech and others on the role of Mediterranean diet in reducing blood pressure, blood glucose and lipids. Topics discussed include risk associated with lipids for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension, reduced number of CVDs in people on Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and bioactive components present in EVOO.

Background: The toxic metal cadmium is suggested to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but only one incidence study has explored this association. We evaluated the association between quartiles of food frequency questionnaire-based estimates of cadmium exposure from food (the predominant source of exposure to the metal) and incident cardiovascular disease and its subtypes., Methods: From the population-based Swedish Mammography cohort, 33,333 women were followed prospectively from baseline (1997) through 2010. We estimated relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Cox proportional hazard models., Results: During 12 years of follow-up, we identified 3155 incident cases of total cardiovascular disease (1322 cases of myocardial infarction and 1833 cases of total stroke [1485 ischemic and 208 hemorrhagic stroke]). Dietary cadmium exposure was not associated with risk of total cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, or total stroke or its subtypes. For total cardiovascular disease, the multivariable-adjusted RR comparing the highest quartile of cadmium exposure with the lowest was 0.96 (95% CI = 0.85-1.09). The corresponding RRs were 1.07 (0.88-1.29) for myocardial infarction, 0.90 (0.76-1.05) for total stroke, 0.89 (0.74-1.06) for ischemic stroke, and 1.11 (0.68-1.80) for hemorrhagic stroke., Conclusions: Our study lends no support to an overall association between low-level exposure to cadmium via food and incident cardiovascular disease.