Relationship of classical and non-classical risk factors with genetic variants relevant to coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: In addition to the well established cardiovascular risk factors, evidence suggests a possible role of genetic and non-classical risk factors in the development and progression of atherothrombosis. We aimed to determine the relationship of classical and non-classical cardiovascular risk factors with candidate gene polymorphisms potentially involved in cardiovascular risk in the general Mediterranean population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We have determined the prevalence of classical (lipid profile, blood pressure, glycaemia, diabetes, smoking, body mass index, menopause and family history of coronary heart disease) and non-classical cardiovascular risk factors (infectious processes, homocysteinaemia, oxidative status, C-reactive protein, lipoprotein (a) and fibrinogen) in a population-based study. We analysed the relationship of these risk factors with the following five gene polymorphisms potentially involved in cardiovascular risk: ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-R219K, Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha-L162V, Lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-HindIII, Paraoxonase (PON)1-Q192R, and Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-G-308A. RESULTS: We found PPAR-alpha-V and LPL-H alleles to be associated with decreased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) concentration and with increased total cholesterol : HDL-c and triglyceride : HDL-c ratios. Regarding the non-classical risk factors, C-reactive protein concentration was higher for the PPAR-alpha-V allele. A higher oxidative status was shown in homozygotes for LPL-H and TNF-alpha-G alleles, although the latter also had lower homocysteinaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Three of the genetic variants analysed, PPAR-alpha-L162V, LPL-HindIII, and TNF-alpha-G-308A, were associated with non-classical risk factors, specifically lipid profile, inflammation, and oxidative status.

Relationship between physical activity and oxidative stress biomarkers in women.

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between physical activity and levels of plasma lipid peroxides, superoxide dismutase in erythrocytes (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in whole blood activities. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in 488 Spanish women. Two categories of leisure time physical activity were defined according to their intensity: low (6 METs). Energy expenditure in household activities was also recorded. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to adjust for the effect of physical activity on lipid peroxides and SOD and GSH-Px for confounding variables. RESULTS: The amount of leisure time physical activity was associated with high activity levels of SOD (P = 0.022) and GSH-Px (P = 0.002). Similar results were obtained when physical activity in household activities was added to total leisure physical activity. Physical activity of low intensity was associated with high SOD activity levels (P = 0.002) and that of high intensity with high GSH-Px activity levels (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The amount and intensity of leisure physical activity were directly related to both antioxidant enzyme activity levels. The findings of this study suggest a modulatory effect of leisure physical activity intensity on antioxidative balance in the studied female population.