Donate Help Contact The AHA Sign In Home
American Heart Association
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
Search: search_blue_button Advanced Search
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 1999;19:1776-1783

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tracy, R. P.
Right arrow Articles by Savage, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tracy, R. P.
Right arrow Articles by Savage, P.
Related Collections
Right arrow Risk Factors
Right arrow Epidemiology
Right arrow Coagulation and fibronolysis
(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 1999;19:1776-1783.)
© 1999 American Heart Association, Inc.


Thrombosis

The Relationship of Fibrinogen and Factors VII and VIII to Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Death in the Elderly

Results From the Cardiovascular Health Study

Russell P. Tracy; Alice M. Arnold; Walter Ettinger; Linda Fried; Elaine Meilahn; Peter Savage

From the Departments of Pathology and Biochemistry and the Laboratory for Clinical Biochemistry Research (R.P.T.), University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont; the the Department of Biostatistics (A.M.A.), University of Washington, Seattle; the Departments of Internal Medicine and Public Health Sciences (W.E.), Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; the Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology (L.F.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; the Department of Epidemiology and Population Sciences (E.M.), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; and the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications (P.S.), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, for the Cardiovascular Health Study Investigators (see Acknowledgments for a full listing).

Correspondence to Russell P. Tracy, PhD, Laboratory for Clinical Biochemistry Research, University of Vermont, 55A South Park Drive, Colchester, VT 05446. E-mail rtracy{at}salus.uvm.edu


*    Abstract
up arrowTop
*Abstract
down arrowIntroduction
down arrowMethods
down arrowResults
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
Abstract—Little is known about the prospective associations of fibrinogen, factor VII, or factor VIII with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in the elderly. At baseline in the Cardiovascular Health Study (5888 white and African American men and women; aged >=65 years), we measured fibrinogen, factor VIII, and factor VII. We used sex-stratified stepwise Cox survival analysis to determine relative risks (RRs) for CVD events and all-cause mortality (up to 5 years of follow-up), both unadjusted and adjusted for CVD risk factors and subclinical CVD. After adjustment, comparing the fifth quintile to the first, fibrinogen was significantly associated in men with coronary heart disease events (RR=2.1) and stroke or transient ischemic attack (RR=1.3), and also with mortality within 2.5 years of follow-up (RR=5.8) and later (RR=1.7). Factor VIII was significantly associated in men with coronary heart disease events (RR=1.5) and mortality (RR=1.8), and in women with stroke/transient ischemic attack (RR=1.4). For both factors, values were higher in those who died, whether causes were CVD-related or non–CVD-related, but highest in CVD death. Factor VII exhibited associations with incident angina (RR=1.44) in men and with death in women (RR, middle quintile compared with first=0.66). However, in general, factor VII was not consistently associated with CVD events in this population. We conclude that, if confirmed in other studies, the measurement of fibrinogen and/or factor VIII may help identify older individuals at higher risk for CVD events and mortality.


Key Words: atherosclerosis • cardiovascular diseases • fibrinogen • risk factors • thrombosis


*    Introduction
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
*Introduction
down arrowMethods
down arrowResults
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
Over the last 10 years, the concept of thrombosis risk factors has been accepted, with much research focused on fibrinogen1 and factor VII.2 3 Fibrinogen has been observed to be an independent risk factor for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in a wide variety of studies.4 5 6 7 8 The results regarding factor VII have been less consistent in longitudinal studies,4 9 10 11 despite extensive support from cross-sectional research.12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Fewer longitudinal studies have been done assessing other components such as factor VIII,10 19 tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA)20 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1).21 22

Relatively little is known from large cohort studies about the epidemiology of thrombosis risk factors in the elderly. The Northwick Park Heart Study (NPHS) has reported that the association of fibrinogen with incident CVD in men diminished with age, but had no individuals older than 64 years at baseline.23 The Framingham group reported a different result, finding significant associations in older men and women (65 to 69 years at baseline).24 Little is known about any other thrombosis risk factors in the elderly.

The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) was designed to promote such analyses, having measured fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII at baseline, along with estimates of subclinical CVD such as carotid ultrasonography, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and ankle–arm blood pressure. We have used these measures to determine the relations of these thrombosis risk factors to incident CVD events in this large cohort of healthy elderly individuals, both before and after adjusting for traditional risk factors and underlying CVD.


*    Methods
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
*Methods
down arrowResults
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
The Cardiovascular Health Study
The CHS design has been published.25 The 4 field centers (Forsyth County, North Carolina; Sacramento County, California; Washington County, Maryland; and, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) recruited 5201 participants in year 2 of the study, and a second cohort (the African American Cohort) consisting of primarily African Americans in year 5. All participants gave informed consent, and all relevant institutional committees on human research approved the study. All participants were 65 years of age or older. Major exclusion criteria included illness requiring institutionalization, being wheelchair bound, being treated currently for cancer, and planned movement from the area within 3 years.26

We assessed medical history, quality of life, social support, personal health habits, and diet through the use of standardized questionnaires. We also collected information on medication use.27 The baseline clinical examination included measures of anthropometry, blood pressure,28 29 electrocardiogram (ECG),30 carotid ultrasonography,31 echocardiogram,32 and blood chemistries33 including an oral glucose tolerance test.

Definitions
Blood pressure was used in analyses either as the average seated systolic blood pressure or a history of "high blood pressure"; diabetes was defined by the new American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines,34 ie, fasting glucose >=126 mg/dL or taking insulin or oral hypoglycemics; impaired fasting glucose was defined as a fasting glucose value in the range 110 to 125 mg/dL; smoking was defined as "ever smoker" by self-report or by pack-years of smoking; obesity was estimated by using body mass index (BMI; units of kg/m2).

Clinical and subclinical CVD were defined based on the resting ECG, echocardiogram, carotid artery duplex scanning, ankle-brachial blood pressure, history of CVD, Rose questionnaire,35 previous cardiovascular surgery, and use of medications consistent with the diagnosis of angina or congestive heart failure, as previously described.36 Subclinical CVD37 was considered present with any of the following: seated ankle–arm blood pressure index <0.9,38 internal carotid wall thickness, as judged from carotid ultrasonography31 39 >80th percentile, common carotid wall thickness >80th percentile, carotid stenosis >25%, major ECG abnormalities,30 40 41 abnormal ejection fraction on echocardiogram,32 42 abnormal wall motion on echocardiogram, Rose questionnaire claudication positive, and Rose questionnaire angina positive.

Particular care was given to incident CVD and mortality data collection in CHS.43 44 Incident CVD events, including angina pectoris, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and death, were identified by 6-month telephone calls and annual clinic visits. Further verification was done by the CHS Events Subcommittee, using Medicare Part A hospital discharge lists.43 For MI and angina, International Classification of Diseases codes 410 through 414, 427.4, 427.5, and 428 were reviewed. Silent MI was defined as the development of new Q waves (major evolution of Q waves or moderate evolution of Q waves with major ST-T wave evolution; Novacodes C1 and C2) on an annual ECG in a patient without an intervening clinically recognized coronary event (Psaty et al, unpublished data, 1997). The hospital records, outpatient records, and physician reports were obtained for the selected diagnostic codes and then reviewed by the Subcommittee.44

The major outcomes we used in this study were incident coronary heart disease (CHD) (first occurrence of any of the following: MI, silent MI, angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft, or definite CHD death), stroke or TIA, CVD-related, and non–CVD-related mortality. Non-CVD causes of death included cancer, pneumonia, respiratory failure, sepsis, and complications of dementia and were confirmed by the Events Subcommittee. There were 6.5 years of follow-up for the original cohort and 3.5 years for the African American cohort.

Blood Measurements
We have previously described our methods for drawing blood, sample handling, sample shipment, quality assurance, and assay performance.33 In brief, citrated plasma, prepared at 4°C, was used for factor VIII (coefficient of variation=10.4%) and fibrinogen (coefficient of variation=3.4%) measurements, and room temperature citrated plasma was used for factor VII assays (coefficient of variation=5.9%) to avoid cold activation.45 We measured fibrinogen with a semiautomated modification of the Clauss method,46 using a BBL Fibrometer (Becton-Dickerson). We measured factor VII, reported as percentage of a normal pool, with a Coag-A-Mate X2 instrument (Organon Teknika), using factor VII–immunodeficient plasma (Baxter-Dade) and the human placental thromboplastin Thromborel S (Behring). We assayed factor VIII, also reported as percentage of a normal pool, using the Coag-A-Mate, and factor VIII–immunodeficient plasma and partial thromboplastin reagent from Organon Teknika. General chemistries were measured as described.33 Fibrinogen and factor VII were measured on the original year 2 participants and the year 5 African American group. Factor VIII was only measured on the original cohort.

Statistical Analyses
The distributions of fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII in the main CHS cohort have been described,47 and are approximately normal. For each type of event, the participants considered "at risk" were those CHS participants who had not had that event at baseline. Those considered at risk for CHD did not have an MI, silent MI, angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass graft at baseline.

We compared mean values for each of the factors at baseline for individuals with and without subsequent incident events, stratifying on sex and cohort. We also performed analyses stratified by cohort only, adjusting for age, sex, clinic site, and race (original cohort only), using ANOVA. We performed some analyses by separating CVD-related mortality from non–CVD-related mortality. P<=0.05 was used as evidence of significance.

We believed it was important to combine the 2 cohorts for relative risk (RR) estimates, to increase power and generalizability. To do this, we accounted for differences in means and variances across the 2 cohorts and sexes by calculating standardized blood factor variables. For each of the blood factors, the mean for the sex/cohort subgroup was subtracted from each individual's value with the result divided by the standard deviation for the variable in that sex/cohort subgroup. This operation had the effect of standardizing each of the 4 cohort/sex subgroups to a mean value of 0 and an SD of 1, minimizing differences that might have occurred as a result of the 3 years separating the measurements.

Multivariate analyses were done with the Cox proportional hazards analysis. This is essentially a survival analysis that explores the dependence of the event rate on the variables of interest. Proportional hazards models assume that the hazard ratio describing the increased risk associated with a 1-unit increase in a covariate remains constant over time. This assumption was assessed in all cases and found to be lacking for fibrinogen and death in men, so separate models were established for mortality in men occurring <2.5 years and >=2.5 years after the baseline examination. For all Cox models, we entered the standardized form of the blood factor of interest as a continuous linear variable, and then checked for any nonlinear (quadratic) effects, ie, a quadratic association between increasing blood factor levels and risk. If we found no evidence for a quadratic effect, we report a standardized RR, ie, the risk associated with an increase equal to 1 SD of the blood factor. When a quadratic effect was identified, we report an overall P value for the model, because a standardized RR could not be calculated. We also established models in terms of quintiles of each blood factor and determined the RR of each quintile compared with the first. Quintiles were established based on all CHS participants in each of the 4 sex/cohort subgroups.

Because there were relatively few associations with angina in the analyses of means, we concentrated on CHD, stroke/TIA, and mortality as the events of primary interest. However, we also analyzed factor VII with respect to angina. Models were stratified by sex. For each blood factor and outcome variable, we generated 2 models, 1 with the blood factor as the only predictor (unadjusted) and 1 adjusted for other known, major risk factors of CVD. Risk factors were selected for entry by a stepwise procedure (using P<0.05 for entry) from the following list: age, black race, clinic site, ever smoker, pack-years smoked, diabetes, history of hypertension, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, BMI, and presence of any subclinical CVD. If the hemostasis factor being studied remained in the model after all steps were performed, we interpreted that to mean that the association of that factor with the outcome was independent of other major CVD risk factors, including the presence of subclinical disease.


*    Results
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
up arrowMethods
*Results
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
The total number of CHS participants was 5888, 5201 from the main cohort and 687 from the African American cohort. Fibrinogen results were available on 5788 participants. Of these, 1 was excluded as outside of a predetermined physiological range (>800 mg/dL). Factor VII results were available on 5779 participants. We excluded 23 of the values for being outside of a predetermined range of 40% to 300%. Factor VIII values were available on 5121 participants (factor VIII was not done on the African American cohort); 10 values were excluded as outside the range 40% to 300%.

Analyses of Mean Values
Although not always statistically significant, in all cases (ie, men and women, main cohort and African American cohort) for fibrinogen, and in most cases for factor VIII, unadjusted baseline values were higher in those with subsequent events than in those without (TableDown). Unadjusted factor VII values were generally similar, comparing those with and without events, but were significantly higher in men with subsequent angina and CHD.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 1. Mean Values for Fibrinogen, Factor VII, and Factor VIII Based on the Presence or Absence of Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Death, Stratified by Sex and Cohort

Analyzing men and women together in the main cohort, and adjusting for age, sex, race, and clinic site, significant differences persisted for fibrinogen and subsequent CHD (P<=0.001), angina (P<=0.05), and death from any cause (P<=0.001); for factor VIII and CHD (P<=0.05), subsequent stroke/TIA (P<=0.01), and death from any cause (P<=0.001); and for factor VII and subsequent angina (P<=0.01). Although fibrinogen was higher in those who died of both non-CVD and CVD causes, compared with those still alive, the values were higher in those who died of CVD causes than in those who died of other causes. Similar findings were true for factor VIII, but not factor VII (Figure 1Down).



View larger version (40K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 1. Unadjusted, sex-stratified mean values of fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII, comparing those alive with those who died from non–cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related and CVD-related causes. This figure includes data from all CHS deaths, after stratification into CVD and non-CVD mortality. The number of participants in each category is listed at the bottom of the figure. Probability value for "overall differences" reflect differences in mean values across the 3 groups. Probability value for trend reflect increasing mean values as one goes from "alive" to "dead from non-CVD cause" to "dead from CVD causes."

Multivariate Analyses
The covariates that were significant for each of the final sex-stratified models were essentially the same for a given outcome, for all 3 hemostasis variables. In women, the covariates that entered the final models for CHD were age, diabetes status, hypertension, and the presence of any subclinical disease; for stroke/TIA in women, they were age, clinic site, diabetes status, hypertension, LDL cholesterol, and any subclinical disease; and for death in women, they were age, pack-years of cigarettes, hypertension, diabetes status, and any subclinical disease. The only exceptions were LDL cholesterol and diabetes status, which did not enter the stroke/TIA model for factor VIII.

In men, the covariates that entered the final models for CHD were age, diabetes status, pack-years of cigarettes, LDL cholesterol, the presence of any subclinical disease, and race (except in factor VIII model, which was limited to the main cohort). The race association was significant with those in the African American cohort having {approx}1/2 the risk of those in the main cohort (97% white). For stroke/TIA, the covariates that entered the final models were age, diabetes status, hypertension, HDL cholesterol, and any subclinical disease; and for death (factors VII and VIII), they were age, diabetes status, pack-years of cigarettes, hypertension, BMI, and any subclinical disease. For fibrinogen, and early mortality, the covariates that entered the final model were age, diabetes status, pack-years of cigarettes, BMI, and any subclinical disease; for later deaths, they were age, diabetes status, hypertension, pack-years of cigarettes, BMI, LDL cholesterol, and any subclinical disease.

After adjustment, fibrinogen (Figure 2ADown) was not significantly associated with any events in women. In men, fibrinogen was significantly associated with CHD, stroke/TIA, and, in a particularly strong manner, mortality. For early death, the RR (95% confidence interval, CI) of the highest quintile was substantial, 5.8 (3.1 to 11.0). For later death the RRs were lower.



View larger version (50K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 2. Sex-stratified relative risk (RR) values for coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke/transient ischemic attack, and death from Cox survival analyses for fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII. A, B, and C describe results for fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII, respectively. Quintile-based RRs are presented as bar graphs, using the first quintile as the reference quintile (RR=1.00) in each case. Data are presented as RRs from unadjusted models (gray columns) and fully adjusted models (black columns). The covariates present in each of the adjusted models are presented in Results. Based on models using the variables in a continuous manner, the standardized relative risk (SRE), ie, the risk associated with a 1 SD change in the variable of interest, is given below each group along with the 95% confidence interval. If a quadratic term was significant, the P value for the model (linear plus quadratic terms) is given because an SRE cannot be calculated under these conditions. As mentioned in Methods, the proportional hazards assumption was not valid for fibrinogen and death in men. Therefore, results from 2 models are shown, stratified on time to death, ie, <2.5 years (early) versus >2.5 years (late).

After adjustment, factor VII was weakly, but significantly, associated with stroke/TIA in women when a quadratic term was included in the model. The quadratic term reflected relatively increased risk in the first quintile of the factor VII distribution compared with the middle (Figure 2BUp). A similar pattern was observed for mortality in women, which, however, was not statistically significant after adjustment. Factor VII was also weakly associated with incident angina in men after adjustment, with a standardized RR and CI=1.19 (1.00 to 1.27).

After adjustment, factor VIII was associated with incident CHD and death in men and stroke/TIA in women (Figure 2CUp). The association with CHD in men was primarily because of an increased risk in the fifth quintile. There were moderately strong associations of factor VIII with CHD and death in women in unadjusted models that were eliminated by adjustment.


*    Discussion
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
up arrowMethods
up arrowResults
*Discussion
down arrowReferences
 
Fibrinogen
The covariates that entered the Cox models were essentially the same for fibrinogen as for the other 2 hemostatic factors. Although there were some differences, these were essentially the expected predictors of CVD events such as lipids, diabetes status, and blood pressure. The major finding of this study is that, as in middle-aged men, fibrinogen is an independent risk factor for CHD, stroke/TIA, and mortality in elderly men. This was true even when the analyses were extensively adjusted for other CVD risk factors and the presence of subclinical cardiovascular disease. The adjusted upper quintile RR for death occurring <2.5 years after baseline was substantial, {approx}5.8. However, this RR value must be viewed with caution, because after stratification, the number of deaths in the reference group was small (n=18). The other adjusted upper quintile RRs were moderate in strength, {approx}2.1 for CHD, 1.3 for stroke/TIA, and 1.7 for deaths occurring after 2.5 years. We found little evidence to support fibrinogen as a risk factor in elderly women, after adjusting for other known risk factors and subclinical disease. This finding is in agreement with the results of the Framingham group.24 However, we did note that the adjusted upper quintile RR of CHD in women was 1.5, with a standardized RR of 1.13 (0.99 to 1.29), a value that might achieve significance as the number of CHD events in women increases with time.

The nature of the association of fibrinogen with CVD events and death is unclear. Because fibrinogen levels are sensitive to inflammation, fibrinogen might reflect underlying atherosclerotic disease. In contrast, higher values may contribute to an increased risk of thrombotic events. We have speculated that both of these mechanisms may be at play.48 49 The findings of (1) a stronger association of fibrinogen with early death compared with later death and (2) elevated levels in non–CVD-related as well as CVD-related death are consistent with accelerating inflammation being associated with rapidly progressing illness. We have suggested this mechanism to explain the association observed between declining cholesterol values and mortality in the elderly.50 However, our data do not rule out a possible role of higher fibrinogen contributing to a hypercoagulable state, especially because (1) those with CVD-related death had higher values than those with non–CVD-related death, (2) coagulation activity markers increase in the elderly,51 and (3) markers of fibrin formation predict CVD events in this same cohort.52 Genetic studies of fibrinogen might ultimately clarify this issue, because a prospective genetic study cannot be confounded by underlying subclinical disease. To date, however, the few prospective studies that have been done have not been consistent.53 54 55 56

These findings for fibrinogen are in contrast to the results from the NPHS group. In the NPHS, the association of fibrinogen with CVD risk in men diminished to insignificance by the age of 64 years at baseline.23 Our data are more consistent with the report of the Framingham group, which indicated that the association of fibrinogen with risk included men who were 70 years old at baseline.24 Both of these previous studies, however, had limited power to address this issue in the elderly.

Factor VII
After adjustment, the only significant associations for factor VII were with angina in men (weakly) and with stroke/TIA in women. The latter association was characterized by diminished risk in the upper 4 quintiles compared with the first. The reason for any possible increased risk of stroke associated with low factor VIIc levels is currently unknown.

In contrast to the results from the NPHS, where factor VII was strongly, positively, and independently associated with ischemic events in middle-aged men,4 our results do not support an important role for factor VII levels in assessing CVD risk in older men. Other recent longitudinal studies of middle-aged men have had mixed results, generally failing to find strong independent associations of factor VII with CVD.9 10 11 Factor VIIc assays are known to differ considerably from laboratory to laboratory, and the NPHS investigators have suggested that such a methodological difference might explain the differences observed in the various studies.57 Another difference between the NPHS and other studies is that the samples in the NPHS were not collected from fasting individuals,58 and their results may have reflected, at least in part, the postprandial activation state of factor VII. Also, factor VII may reflect more severe underlying disease. In the original NPHS report, factor VII was related to events within 5 years of blood drawing but not to later events.4 In the PROCAM study, the relation of factor VII to CVD events was stronger in fatal events than in nonfatal events (although not independently significant in either).9

Factor VIII
To our knowledge, this is the first report to identify factor VIII as a significant CVD risk factor in a longitudinal study of otherwise healthy elderly individuals. Higher factor VIII concentrations were independently associated with incident stroke/TIA in elderly women and incident CHD and death in elderly men. Moderately strong associations with CHD and death in women were attenuated by adjustment for other CVD risk factors. In studies of the middle-aged, the NPHS measured factor VIII and observed a nonsignificant trend of increasing events with increasing factor VIII levels,4 58 and a report from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) investigators indicated an independent association of factor VIII with mortality, but not CHD, in both men and women of middle age.10

There are several reasons to believe that these associations may be at least partly causal in nature. First, factor VIII, along with factor V, is a key procoagulant cofactor and is capable of dramatically increasing the rate of the factor IXa–catalyzed activation of factor Xa in a dose-dependent manner59 ; second, the concentration of factor VIII, {approx}0.5 nmol/L, is much lower than factor V ({approx}20 nmol/L), suggesting that small changes in factor VIII level may be critical; third, there is abundant evidence from studies of hemophilia A that low factor VIII levels are associated with bleeding; and fourth, several cross-sectional studies have demonstrated increased factor VIII levels in individuals considered at high risk for future events.60 61 62 However, as for fibrinogen, caution must be used in interpreting our results as evidence for causality, because factor VIII levels are increased in an inflammation-sensitive manner.63

Implications
Our results have several implications. First, because lipid levels have limited usefulness in estimating CVD risk in older people,64 measurement of fibrinogen and factor VIII may help identify a high-risk group of older individuals that would benefit the most from multirisk factor counseling.

Second, recent research has suggested that interventions as simple as a small dose of aspirin may be effective in primary prevention in middle-aged men65 and that the mechanism of action may be through an antiinflammatory effect.66 We speculate that, if true, part of this effect may be mediated by the inflammation-sensitive thrombosis risk factors fibrinogen and factor VIII.

Third, it seems likely that plasma levels of fibrinogen and factor VIII in part reflect the degree of underlying disease and in part indicate an increased potential for thrombosis given a provocation. This suggests possible efficacy for targeted intervention of these factors in the elderly with elevated values, should specific therapeutic agents become available. Several lipid-lowering drugs are known to affect fibrinogen levels,67 and may provide initial agents for testing this hypothesis, at least with regard to fibrinogen.


*    Acknowledgments
 
This work was supported by NHLBI contracts NO1-HC-87079 through 87086. We would like to thank the technical staff of the Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry Research at the University of Vermont. We also thank our coinvestigators in the CHS: Forsyth County, NC–Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University: Gregory L. Burke, Alan Elster, Walter H. Ettinger, Curt D. Furberg, Edward Haponik, Gerardo Heiss, Dalane Kitzman, H. Sidney Klopfenstein, Margie Lamb, David S. Lefkowitz, Mary F. Lyles, Maurice B. Mittelmark, Cathy Nunn, Ward Riley, Grethe S. Tell, James F. Toole, Beverly Tucker; Forsyth County, NC–Bowman Gray School of Medicine-EKG Reading Center: Kris Calhoun, Harry Calhoun, Farida Rautaharju, Pentti Rautaharju, Loralee Robertson; Sacramento County, CA–University of California, Davis: William Bommer, Charles Bernick, Andrew Duxbury, Mary Haan, Calvin Hirsch, Paul Kellerman, Lawrence Laslett, Marshall Lee, Virginia Poirier, John Robbins, Marc Schenker, Nemat Borhani; Washington County, MD–The Johns Hopkins University: M. Jan Busby-Whitehead, Joyce Chabot, George W. Comstock, Linda P. Fried, Joel G. Hill, Steven J. Kittner, Shiriki Kumanyika, David Levine, Joao A. Lima, Neil R. Powe, Thomas R. Price, Jeff Williamson, Moyses Szklo, Melvyn Tockman; MRI Reading Center-Washington County, MD–The Johns Hopkins University: R. Nick Bryan, Carolyn C. Meltzer, Douglas Fellows, Melanie Hawkins, Patrice Holtz, Michael Kraut, Grace Lee, Larry Schertz, Earl P. Steinberg, Scott Wells, Linda Wilkins, Nancy C. Yue; Allegheny County, PA–University of Pittsburgh: Diane G. Ives, Charles A. Jungreis, Laurie Knepper, Lewis H. Kuller, Elaine Meilahn, Peg Meyer, Roberta Moyer, Anne Newman, Richard Schulz, Vivienne E. Smith, Sidney K. Wolfson; Echocardiography Reading Center (Baseline)–University of California, Irvine: Hoda Anton-Culver, Julius M. Gardin, Margaret Knoll, Tom Kurosaki, Nathan Wong; Echocardiography Reading Center (Follow-Up)–Georgetown Medical Center: John Gottdiener, Eva Hausner, Stephen Kraus, Judy Gay, Sue Livengood, Mary Ann Yohe, Retha Webb; Ultrasound Reading Center–Geisinger Medical Center: Daniel H. O'Leary, Joseph F. Polak, Laurie Funk; Respiratory Sciences–University of Arizona-Tucson: Paul Enright; Coordinating Center–University of Washington, Seattle: Alice Arnold, Annette L. Fitzpatrick, Bonnie K. Lind, Richard A. Kronmal, Bruce M. Psaty, David S. Siscovick, Lynn Shemanski, Lloyd Fisher, Will Longstreth, Patricia W. Wahl, David Yanez, Paula Diehr, Maryann McBurnie; NHLBI Project Office: Diane E. Bild, Teri A. Manolio, Peter J. Savage, Patricia Smith, Rachel Solomon, Robin Boineau.


*    Footnotes
 
Reprint requests to CHS Coordinating Center, Century Square, Suite 2025, 1501 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101.

Received May 14, 1998; accepted November 20, 1998.


*    References
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
up arrowMethods
up arrowResults
up arrowDiscussion
*References
 
1. Ernst E, Resch K. Fibrinogen as a cardiovascular risk factor: a meta-analysis and review of the literature. Ann Intern Med. 1993;118:956–963.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

2. Miller G. Hemostasis and cardiovascular risk. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1992;116:1318–1321.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

3. Meade T, Ruddock V, Stirling Y, Chakrabarti R, Miller G. Fibrinolytic activity, clotting factors, and long-term incidence of ischaemic heart disease in the Northwick Park Heart Study. Lancet. 1993;342:1076–1079.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

4. Meade T, Brozovic M, Chakrabarti R, Haines A, Imeson J, Mellows S, Miller G, North W, Stirling Y, Thompson S. Haemostatic function and ischaemic heart disease: principal results of the Northwick Park Heart Study. Lancet. 1986;2:533–537.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

5. Wilhelmsen L, Svardsudd K, Korsan-Bengtsen K, Larsson B, Welin L, Tibblin G. Fibrinogen as a risk factor for stroke and myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 1984;311:501–505.[Abstract]

6. Stone M, Thorp J. Plasma fibrinogen—a major coronary risk factor. J R Col Gen Pract. 1985;35:565–569.

7. Kannel W, D'Agostino R, Belanger A. Update on fibrinogen as a cardiovascular risk factor. Ann Epidemiol. 1992;2:457–466.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

8. Yarnell J, Baker I, Sweetnam P, Bainton D, O'Brien J, Whitehead P, Elwood P. Fibrinogen, viscosity, and white blood cell count are major risk factors for ischemic heart disease. Circulation. 1991;83:836–844.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

9. Heinrich J, Balleisen L, Schulte H, Assmann G, van de Loo J. Fibrinogen and factor VII in the prediction of coronary risk: results from the PROCAM study in healthy men. Arterioscler Thromb. 1994;14:54–59.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

10. Folsom A, Wu K, Rosamond W, Sharrett A, Chambless L. Prospective study of hemostatic factors and incidence of coronary heart disease: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Circulation. 1997;96:1102–1108.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

11. Junker R, Heinrich J, Schulte H, van de Loo J, Assmann G. Coagulation factor VII and risk of coronary heart disease in healthy men. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1997;17:1539–1544.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

12. Carvalho de Sousa J, Azevedo J, Soria C, Barros F, Ribeiro C, Parreira F, Caen J. Factor VII hyperactivity in acute myocardial thrombosis: a relation to the coagulation activation. Thrombos Res. 1988;51:165–173.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

13. Cigolini M, Targher G, Seidell J, Schiavon R, Tonoli M, Muggeo M, De Sandre G. Plasma factor VII and its relation to adipose tissue fatty acids and other atherogenic risk factors in healthy men. Eur J Clin Invest. 1996;26:247–253.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

14. Hoffman C, Shah A, Sodums M, Hultin M. Factor VII activity state in coronary artery disease. J Lab Clin Med. 1988;111:475–481.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

15. Hoffman C, Miller R, Lawson W, Hultin M. Elevation of factor VII activity and mass in young adults at risk of ischaemic heart disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1989;14:941–946.[Abstract]

16. Mann K. Factor VII assays, plasma triglyceride levels and cardiovascular disease risk. Arteriosclerosis. 1989;9:783–784.[Free Full Text]

17. Miller G, Martin J, Webster J, Wilkes H, Miller N, Wilkinson W, Meade T. Association between dietary fat intake and plasma factor VII coagulant activity: a predictor of cardiovascular mortality. Athersclerosis. 1986;60:269–277.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

18. Moor E, Silviera A, van't Hooft F, Suontaka A, Erikkson P, Blomback M, Hamsten A. Coagulation factor VII mass and activity in men with myocardial infarction at a young age. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1995;15:655–664.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

19. Folsom A, Wu K, Rosamond W, Sharrett A, Chambless L. Hemostatic factors and incidence of coronary heart disease in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Circulation. 1996;93:622. Abstract.

20. Ridker P, Vaughan D, Stampfer M, Manson J, Hennekens C. Endogenous tissue-type plasminogen activator and risk of myocardial infarction. Lancet. 1993;341:1165–1168.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

21. Hamsten A, de Faire U, Walldius G, Dahlen G, Szamosi A, Landou C, Blomback M, Wiman B. Plasminogen activator inhibitor in plasma: risk factor for recurrent myocardial infarction. Lancet. 1987;2:3–9.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

22. Hamsten A, Wiman B, de Faire U, Blomback M. Increased plasma levels of a rapid inhibitor of tissue plasminogen activator in young survivors of myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 1985;313:1557–1563.[Abstract]

23. Meade T. The epidemiology of haemostatic and other variables in coronary artery disease. In: Verstraete M, Vermylen J, Lijnen H, Arnout J, eds. Thrombosis and Haemostasis 1987. Leuven, Belgium: International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis and Leuven University Press; 1987:37–59.

24. Kannel W, Wolf P, Castelli W, D'Agostino R. Fibrinogen and risk of cardiovascular disease: the Framingham study. JAMA. 1987;258:1183–1186.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

25. Fried L, Borhani N, Enright P, Furberg C, Gardin J, Kronmal R, Kuller L, Manolio T, Mittelmark M, Newman A, O'Leary D, Psaty B, Rautaharju P, Tracy R, Weiler P, for the CHS Research Group: the Cardiovascular Health Study—design and rationale. Ann Epidemiol. 1991;1:263–276.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

26. Tell G, Fried L, Hermanson B, Manolio T, Newman A, Borhani N. Recruitment of adults 65 years and older as participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Ann Epidemiol. 1993;3:358–366.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

27. Psaty B, Lee M, Savage P, Rutan G, German P, Lyles M. Assessing the use of medications in the elderly: methods and initial experience in the Cardiovascular Health Study. J Clin Epidemiol. 1992;45:683–692.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

28. Rutan G, Lind B, Bild D, Kittner S, LaBaw F, Tell G. Hypotension in older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Hypertension. 1992;19:508–519.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

29. Psaty B, Furberg C, Kuller L, Borhani N, Rautaharju P, O'Leary D, Bild D, Robbins J, Fried L, Reid C. Isolated systolic hypertension and subclinical cardiovascular disease in the elderly: initial findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study. JAMA. 1992;268:1287–1291.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

30. Furberg C, Manolio T, Psaty B, Bild D, Borhani N, Newman A, Tabatznik B, Rautaharju P. Major electrocardiographic abnormalities in persons aged 65 years and older (the Cardiovascular Health Study). Am J Cardiol. 1992;69:1329–1335.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

31. O'Leary D, Polak J, Wolfson S, Bond M, Bommer W, Sheth S, Psaty B, Sharrett A, Manolio T, for CHS Investigators. Use of sonography to evaluate carotid atherosclerosis in the elderly: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Stroke. 1991;22:1155–1163.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

32. Gardin J, Wong N, Bommer W, Klopfenstein H, Smith V, Tabatznik B, Siscovick D, Lobodzinski S, Anton-Culver H, Manolio T. Echocardiographic design of a multi-center investigation of free-living elderly subjects: the Cardiovascular Health Study. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 1992;5:63–72.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

33. Cushman M, Cornell E, Howard P, Bovill E, Tracy R. Laboratory methods and quality assurance in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Clin Chem. 1995;41:264–270.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

34. American Diabetes Association. Report of the Expert Committee on the diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care. 1997;7:1183–1197.

35. Rose G, Blackburn H. Cardiovascular Survey Methods. Monogr Ser World Health Organ.. 1968;56:1–188.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

36. Kuller L, Borhani N, Furberg C, Gardin J, Manolio T, O'Leary D, Psaty B, Robbins J. Prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease and association with risk factors in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139:1164–1179.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

37. Kuller L, Shemanski L, Psaty B, Borhani N, Gardin J, Haan M, O'Leary D, Savage P, Tell G, Tracy R. Subclinical disease as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 1995;92:720–726.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

38. Newman A, Siscovick D, Manolio T, Polak J, Fried L, Borhani N, Wolfson S, for the CHS Investigators. Ankle-arm index as a marker of atherosclerosis in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Circulation. 1993;88:837–845.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

39. O'Leary D, Polak J, Kronmal R, Kittner S, Bond G, Wolfson S, Bommer W, Price T, Gardin J, Savage P, on behalf of the CHS Collaborative Research Group. Distribution and correlates of sonographically detected carotid artery disease in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Stroke. 1992;23:1752–1760.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

40. Blackburn H, Keys A, Simonson E, Rautaharju P, Punsar S. The electrocardiogram in population studies: a classification system. Circulation. 1960;21:1160–1175.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

41. Rautaharju P, MacInnis P, Warren J. Methodology of ECG interpretation in the Dalhousie Program: NOVACODE ECG classification procedures for clinical trials and population health surveys. Methods Inf Med. 1990;29:362–374.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

42. Gardin J, Siscovick D, Anton-Culver H, Lynch J, Smith V, Klopfenstein S, Bommer W, Fried L, O'Leary D, Manolio T. Sex, age, and disease affect echocardiographic left ventricular mass and systolic function in the free-living elderly. Circulation. 1995;91:1739–1748.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

43. Ives D, Fitzpatrick A, Bild D, Psaty B, Kuller L, Crowley P, Cruise R, Theroux S. Surveillance and ascertainment of cardiovascular events. Ann Epidemiol. 1995;5:278–285.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

44. Psaty B, Kuller L, Bild D, Burke G, Kittner S, Mittelmark M, Price T, Rautaharju P, Robbins J. Methods of assessing prevalent cardiovascular disease in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Ann Epidemiol. 1995;5:270–277.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

45. Seligsohn U, Osterud B, Griffin J, Rapaport S. Evidence for the participation of both activated factor XII and activated factor IX in the cold promoted-activation of factor VII. Thromb Res. 1978;13:1049–1056.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

46. Clauss A. Gerinnungs-physiologische schnell-methode zur bestimmung des fibrinogens. Acta Haematol. 1957;17:237–246.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

47. Tracy R, Bovill E, Fried L, Heiss G, Lee M, Polak J, Psaty B, Savage P. The distribution of coagulation factors VII, VIII and fibrinogen in adults over the age of 65 years: results from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Ann Epidemiol. 1992;2:509–519.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

48. Tracy R. Atherosclerosis, thrombosis and inflammation: a question of linkage. Fibrinolysis Proteolysis. 1997;11(suppl 1):137–142.

49. Tracy RP. Inflammation in cardiovascular disease: cart, horse, or both? Circulation. 1998;97:2000–2002. Editorial.[Free Full Text]

50. Ettinger W, Harris T, Verdery R, Tracy R, Kouba E. Evidence for inflammation as a cause of hypocholesterolemia in older people. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1995;43:264–266.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

51. Cushman M, Psaty B, Macy E, Bovill E, Cornell E, Kuller L, Tracy R. Correlates of thrombin markers in an elderly cohort free of clinical cardiovascular disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1996;16:1163–1169.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

52. Cushman M, Lemaitre R, Kuller L, Psaty B, Macy E, Sharrett A, Tracy R. Fibrinolytic activation markers predict myocardial infarction in the elderly: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1999;19:493–498.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

53. de Maat MP, Kastelein JJ, Jukema JW, Zwinderman AH, Jansen H, Groenemeier B, Bruschke AV, Kluft C. -455G/A polymorphism of the beta-fibrinogen gene is associated with the progression of coronary atherosclerosis in symptomatic men: proposed role for an acute-phase reaction pattern of fibrinogen—REGRESS group. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1998;18:265–271.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

54. Zito F, Di Castelnuovo A, Amore C, D'Orazio A, Donati MB, Iacoviello L. Bcl I polymorphism in the fibrinogen beta-chain gene is associated with the risk of familial myocardial infarction by increasing plasma fibrinogen levels: a case-control study in a sample of GISSI-2 patients. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1997;17:3489–3494.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

55. Carter AM, Mansfield MW, Stickland MH, Grant PJ. Beta-fibrinogen gene-455 G/A polymorphism and fibrinogen levels: risk factors for coronary artery disease in subjects with NIDDM. Diabetes Care. 1996;19:1265–1268.[Abstract]

56. Scarabin P, Bara L, Ricard S, Poirier O, Cambou J, Arveiler D, Luc G, Evans A, Samama M, Cambien F. Genetic variation at the B-fibrinogen locus in relation to plasma fibrinogen concentrations and risk of myocardial infarction. Arterioscler Thromb. 1993;13:886–891.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

57. Miller G, Stirling Y, Esnouf M, Heinrich J, van der Loo J, Kienast J, Wu K, Morrissey J, Meade T, Martin J, Imeson J, Cooper J, Finch A. Factor VII-deficient substrate plasmas depleted of protein C raise the sensitivity of the factor VII bio-assay to activated factor VII: an international study. Thromb Haemost. 1994;71:38–48.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

58. Meade T, Chakrabarti R, Haines A, North W, Stirling Y, Thompson S. Haemostatic function and cardiovascular death: early results of a prospective study. Lancet. 1980;1:1050–1054.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

59. Tuddenham E. Factor VIII. In: High K, Roberts H, eds. Molecular Basis of Thrombosis and Hemostasis. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc; 1995:167–196.

60. Brandt J. Measurement of factor VIII: a potential risk factor for vascular disease. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1993;117:48–51.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

61. Cushman M, Yanez D, Psaty B, Fried L, Heiss G, Lee M, Polak J, Savage P, Tracy R, for the CHS Investigators. Association of fibrinogen and coagulation factors VII and VIII with cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1996;143:665–676.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

62. Mettinger K, Nyman D, Kjellin K, Siden A, Soderstrom C. Factor VIII related antigen, antithrombin III, spontaneous platelet aggregation and plasminogen activator in ischemic cerebrovascular disease. J Neurol Sci. 1979;41:31–38.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

63. Downton S, Colten H. Acute phase reactants in inflammation and infection. Semin Hematol. 1988;25:84–94.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

64. Kronmal R, Cain K, Ye Z, Omenn G. Total serum cholesterol levels and mortality risk as a function of age. Arch Intern Med. 1993;153:1065–1073.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

65. Steering Committee of the Physician's Health Study Research Group. Final report on the aspirin component of the ongoing Physician's Health Study. N Engl J Med. 1989;821:129–135.

66. Ridker P, Cushman M, Stampfer M, Tracy R, Hennekens C. Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men. N Engl J Med. 1997;336:973–979.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

67. Ernst E. Lowering the plasma fibrinogen concentration with drugs. Clin Pharm. 1992;11:968–971.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
StrokeHome page
S.-Y. Chuang, C.-H. Bai, W.-H. Chen, L.-M. Lien, and W.-H. Pan
Fibrinogen Independently Predicts the Development of Ischemic Stroke in a Taiwanese Population: CVDFACTS Study
Stroke, May 1, 2009; 40(5): 1578 - 1584.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
T. Ninomiya, Y. Kiyohara, Y. Tokuda, Y. Doi, H. Arima, A. Harada, Y. Ohashi, H. Ueshima, and for the Japan Arteriosclerosis Longitudinal Study
Impact of Kidney Disease and Blood Pressure on the Development of Cardiovascular Disease: An Overview From the Japan Arteriosclerosis Longitudinal Study
Circulation, December 16, 2008; 118(25): 2694 - 2701.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arch Intern MedHome page
J. E. Rossouw, M. Cushman, P. Greenland, D. M. Lloyd-Jones, P. Bray, C. Kooperberg, M. Pettinger, J. Robinson, S. Hendrix, and J. Hsia
Inflammatory, Lipid, Thrombotic, and Genetic Markers of Coronary Heart Disease Risk in the Women's Health Initiative Trials of Hormone Therapy
Arch Intern Med, November 10, 2008; 168(20): 2245 - 2253.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
J. D. Sturgeon, A. R. Folsom, W.T. Longstreth Jr, E. Shahar, W. D. Rosamond, and M. Cushman
Hemostatic and Inflammatory Risk Factors for Intracerebral Hemorrhage in a Pooled Cohort
Stroke, August 1, 2008; 39(8): 2268 - 2273.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CLIN APPL THROMB HEMOSTHome page
O. Erol, G. Kara, L. Ozcakar, and I. C. Haznedaroglu
Increased Factor VIII Level Lends Diversity to Ischemic Stroke Etiology
Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis, July 1, 2008; 14(3): 372 - 373.
[PDF]


Home page
haematolHome page
W. M. Lijfering, N. J.G.M. Veeger, J.-L. P. Brouwer, and J. van der Meer
The risk of venous and arterial thrombosis in hyperhomocysteinemic subjects may be a result of elevated factor VIII levels
Haematologica, December 1, 2007; 92(12): 1703 - 1706.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Vasc MedHome page
L. M. Reich, G. Heiss, L. L. Boland, A. T. Hirsch, K. Wu, and A. R. Folsom
Ankle brachial index and hemostatic markers in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study cohort
Vascular Medicine, November 1, 2007; 12(4): 267 - 273.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
Ther Adv Respir DisHome page
J. Tkac, S. F. P. Man, and D. D. Sin
Review: Systemic consequences of COPD
Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, October 1, 2007; 1(1): 47 - 59.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
Am J EpidemiolHome page
N. S. Jenny, N. D. Yanez, B. M. Psaty, L. H. Kuller, C. H. Hirsch, and R. P. Tracy
Inflammation Biomarkers and Near-Term Death in Older Men
Am. J. Epidemiol., March 15, 2007; 165(6): 684 - 695.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
S. Mora, N. Rifai, J. E. Buring, and P. M Ridker
Additive Value of Immunoassay-Measured Fibrinogen and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels for Predicting Incident Cardiovascular Events
Circulation, August 1, 2006; 114(5): 381 - 387.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
JAMAHome page
Fibrinogen Studies Collaboration*
Plasma Fibrinogen Level and the Risk of Major Cardiovascular Diseases and Nonvascular Mortality: An Individual Participant Meta-analysis
JAMA, October 12, 2005; 294(14): 1799 - 1809.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
M. Woodward, G. D.O. Lowe, D. J. Campbell, S. Colman, A. Rumley, J. Chalmers, B. C. Neal, A. Patel, A. J. Jenkins, B. E. Kemp, et al.
Associations of Inflammatory and Hemostatic Variables With the Risk of Recurrent Stroke
Stroke, October 1, 2005; 36(10): 2143 - 2147.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
S. B. Kritchevsky, M. Cesari, and M. Pahor
Inflammatory markers and cardiovascular health in older adults
Cardiovasc Res, May 1, 2005; 66(2): 265 - 275.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
JAMAHome page
M. G. Shlipak, L. F. Fried, M. Cushman, T. A. Manolio, D. Peterson, C. Stehman-Breen, A. Bleyer, A. Newman, D. Siscovick, and B. Psaty
Cardiovascular Mortality Risk in Chronic Kidney Disease: Comparison of Traditional and Novel Risk Factors
JAMA, April 13, 2005; 293(14): 1737 - 1745.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
P. M. Rothwell, S. C. Howard, D. A. Power, S. A. Gutnikov, A. Algra, J. van Gijn, T. G. Clark, M. F.G. Murphy, C. P. Warlow, and for the Cerebrovascular Cohort Studies Collaborati
Fibrinogen Concentration and Risk of Ischemic Stroke and Acute Coronary Events in 5113 Patients With Transient Ischemic Attack and Minor Ischemic Stroke
Stroke, October 1, 2004; 35(10): 2300 - 2305.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
G. D.O. Lowe, A. Rumley, A. D. McMahon, I. Ford, D. St. J. O'Reilly, C. J. Packard, and for the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study
Interleukin-6, Fibrin D-Dimer, and Coagulation Factors VII and XIIa in Prediction of Coronary Heart Disease
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, August 1, 2004; 24(8): 1529 - 1534.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
J.A. Paramo, J. Orbe, O. Beloqui, A. Benito, I. Colina, E. Martinez-Vila, and J. Diez
Prothrombin Fragment 1+2 Is Associated With Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Subjects Free of Clinical Cardiovascular Disease
Stroke, May 1, 2004; 35(5): 1085 - 1089.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
G. Engstrom, L. Stavenow, B. Hedblad, P. Lind, P. Tyden, L. Janzon, and F. Lindgarde
Inflammation-Sensitive Plasma Proteins and Incidence of Myocardial Infarction in Men With Low Cardiovascular Risk
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, December 1, 2003; 23(12): 2247 - 2251.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
R. K. Patel and R. Arya
Tests for Hereditary Thrombophilia Are of Limited Value in the Black Population
Stroke, December 1, 2003; 34 (12): e236 - e236.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
ChestHome page
R. P. Tracy
Thrombin, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Disease: An Epidemiologic Perspective
Chest, September 1, 2003; 124 (2009): 49S - 57S.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
T. Tholstrup, G. J Miller, A. Bysted, and B. Sandstrom
Effect of individual dietary fatty acids on postprandial activation of blood coagulation factor VII and fibrinolysis in healthy young men
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2003; 77(5): 1125 - 1132.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
S.C. Kofoed, H.H. Wittrup, H. Sillesen, and B.G. Nordestgaard
Fibrinogen predicts ischaemic stroke and advanced atherosclerosis but not echolucent, rupture-prone carotid plaques: The Copenhagen City Heart Study
Eur. Heart J., March 2, 2003; 24(6): 567 - 576.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
M. G. Shlipak, L. F. Fried, C. Crump, A. J. Bleyer, T. A. Manolio, R. P. Tracy, C. D. Furberg, and B. M. Psaty
Elevations of Inflammatory and Procoagulant Biomarkers in Elderly Persons With Renal Insufficiency
Circulation, January 7, 2003; 107(1): 87 - 92.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Int J EpidemiolHome page
P. Greenland, S. S Gidding, and R. P Tracy
Commentary: Lifelong prevention of atherosclerosis: the critical importance of major risk factor exposures
Int. J. Epidemiol., December 1, 2002; 31(6): 1129 - 1134.
[Full Text]


Home page
BloodHome page
N. M. Ananyeva, D. V. Kouiavskaia, M. Shima, and E. L. Saenko
Intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation contributes to thrombogenicity of atherosclerotic plaque
Blood, May 29, 2002; 99(12): 4475 - 4485.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Nutr.Home page
A. K. Olsen, E. M. Bladbjerg, A. K. Hansen, and P. Marckmann
A High Fat Meal Activates Blood Coagulation Factor VII in Rats
J. Nutr., March 1, 2002; 132(3): 347 - 350.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
M.A. Laffan
Fibrinogen polymorphisms and disease
Eur. Heart J., December 2, 2001; 22(24): 2224 - 2226.
[PDF]


Home page
HypertensionHome page
V. Palmieri, A. Celentano, M. J. Roman, G. de Simone, M. R. Lewis, L. Best, E. T. Lee, D. C. Robbins, B. V. Howard, and R. B. Devereux
Fibrinogen and Preclinical Echocardiographic Target Organ Damage: The Strong Heart Study
Hypertension, November 1, 2001; 38(5): 1068 - 1074.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
P. W. Kamphuisen, J. C. J. Eikenboom, and R. M. Bertina
Elevated Factor VIII Levels and the Risk of Thrombosis
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, May 1, 2001; 21(5): 731 - 738.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
M. Cushman, J. P. Costantino, R. P. Tracy, K. Song, L. Buckley, J. D. Roberts, and D. N. Krag
Tamoxifen and Cardiac Risk Factors in Healthy Women : Suggestion of an Anti-inflammatory Effect
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, February 1, 2001; 21(2): 255 - 261.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
J. A. Cooper, G. J. Miller, K. A. Bauer, J. H. Morrissey, T. W. Meade, D. J. Howarth, S. Barzegar, J. P. Mitchell, and R. D. Rosenberg
Comparison of Novel Hemostatic Factors and Conventional Risk Factors for Prediction of Coronary Heart Disease
Circulation, December 5, 2000; 102(23): 2816 - 2822.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
E. M. Bladbjerg, A.-M. Munster, P. Marckmann, N. Keller, and J. Jespersen
Dietary Factor VII Activation Does Not Increase Plasma Concentrations of Prothrombin Fragment 1+2 in Patients With Stable Angina Pectoris and Coronary Atherosclerosis
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, November 1, 2000; 20(11): 2494 - 2499.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
M. R. Di Tullio, R. L. Sacco, M. T. Savoia, R. R. Sciacca, and S. Homma
Gender Differences in the Risk of Ischemic Stroke Associated With Aortic Atheromas
Stroke, November 1, 2000; 31(11): 2623 - 2627.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
BloodHome page
M. Pinotti, R. Toso, D. Girelli, D. Bindini, P. Ferraresi, M. L. Papa, R. Corrocher, G. Marchetti, and F. Bernardi
Modulation of factor VII levels by intron 7 polymorphisms: population and in vitro studies
Blood, June 1, 2000; 95(11): 3423 - 3428.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tracy, R. P.
Right arrow Articles by Savage, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tracy, R. P.
Right arrow Articles by Savage, P.
Related Collections
Right arrow Risk Factors
Right arrow Epidemiology
Right arrow Coagulation and fibronolysis