Serum cholesterol levels and the risk of brain natriuretic peptide–diagnosed heart failure in postmenopausal women: a population-based prospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective Hormonal changes during menopause can disturb serum cholesterol which is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the prospective association between serum cholesterol and heart failure (HF) risk in postmenopausal women. Methods We analyzed data from 1,307 Japanese women, aged 55 to 94 years. All women had no history of HF, and their baseline brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were less than 100 pg/mL. During the follow-ups conducted every 2 years, HF was diagnosed among women who developed BNP of 100 pg/mL or greater. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to calculate hazard ratios and 95% CI of HF for women per their baseline total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. The Cox regression models were adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, hypertension, diabetes, cardiac murmurs, arrhythmia, stroke or ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and lipid-lowering agent use. Results Within an 8-year median follow-up, 153 participants developed HF. In the multivariable-adjusted model, women with total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or greater (compared with 160-199 mg/dL) and HDL-C of 100 mg/dL or greater (compared with 50-59 mg/dL) showed an increased risk of HF: hazard ratios (95% CI) = 1.70 (1.04-2.77) and 2.70 (1.10-6.64), respectively. The results remained significant after further adjusting for baseline BNP. No associations were observed with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusions Total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL or greater and HDL-C of 100 mg/dL or greater were positively associated with the risk of HF in postmenopausal Japanese women.

Causal relationship between nutritional assessment phenotypes and heart failure: A Mendelian randomization study

“…A retrospective study conducted by Halldin showed that TC was not associated with the risk of HF later in life in 50-year-old women [ 40 ]. In contrast, another retrospective study showed that TC ≥ 240 mg/dL was positively associated with the risk of HF in postmenopausal Japanese women (HR = 1.70，95%CI, 1.04–2.77) [ 41 ]. In addition, a prospective cohort study showed that TC > 200 mg/dL in nondiabetic patients with chronic HF was associated with a 64% reduction in the 5-year risk of death [ 42 ].…”

Biobanks in chronic disease management: A comprehensive review of strategies, challenges, and future directions

“…For example, changes in certain cancer biomarkers during chemotherapy can reflect the tumor's response to treatment [ 52 ]. Additionally, biomarker levels can be used to predict disease prognosis, such as the level of BNP (brain natriuretic peptide) in the blood of cardiovascular disease patients being related to the risk of heart failure [ 53 , 54 ]. With the development of personalized medicine, the role of biomarkers in formulating personalized treatment plans is becoming increasingly prominent.…”