Can blood tests predict heart disease in former football players?
Association between traditional cholesterol parameters, lipoprotein particle concentration, novel biomarkers and carotid plaques in retired National Football League players.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Inflammation marker hs-CRP showed NO association with carotid artery plaques
hs-CRP is widely used in clinical practice as a cardiovascular risk marker. The fact that it showed no predictive value (OR 1.13, CI includes 1.0) challenges its utility in this population.
Practical Takeaways
If you have metabolic syndrome or are at high cardiovascular risk, ask your doctor about advanced lipid testing (LDL-P) rather than relying solely on standard cholesterol panels
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Inflammation marker hs-CRP showed NO association with carotid artery plaques
hs-CRP is widely used in clinical practice as a cardiovascular risk marker. The fact that it showed no predictive value (OR 1.13, CI includes 1.0) challenges its utility in this population.
Practical Takeaways
If you have metabolic syndrome or are at high cardiovascular risk, ask your doctor about advanced lipid testing (LDL-P) rather than relying solely on standard cholesterol panels
Publication
Journal
Atherosclerosis
Year
2012
Authors
S. Virani, L. Pompeii, A. Lincoln, R. Dunn, A. Tucker, Vijay Nambi, K. Nasir, R. Vogel, Jeffrey L Boone, A. Roberts, C. Ballantyne
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Claims (2)
When researchers used ultrasound to look at the neck arteries of former NFL players, they found that about 4 out of 10 had early plaque buildup - this is a hidden form of heart disease that doesn't cause any symptoms yet.
A blood test that measures inflammation (called HS-CRP) might tell doctors more about a patient's heart health risk than the standard cholesterol tests they normally use.