Standard Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors Mediate the Association Between Elevated Hair Cortisol Concentrations and Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: Increased cortisol exposure is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). It is not clear to what degree this risk is independent from the standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRFs) dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. AIM: To use path analysis to test the direct and indirect association, mediated by SMuRFs, between long-term cortisol levels measured in hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and CAD. METHODS: Hair was sampled from patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction (n = 203) and a population-based sample without a diagnosis or symptoms of CAD (n = 3,134). The HCC was analyzed using radioimmunoassay and all the participants reported whether they were diagnosed with or treated for diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Path analysis was used to test to what degree the association between logarithmized (ln) HCC and CAD was direct or indirect, mediated by SMuRFs. RESULTS: Participants with CAD had elevated HCC compared to those without elevated HCC [median interquartile range (IQR): 75.2 (167.1) vs. 23.6 (35.0) pg/mg, p < 0.0001]. Higher HCC was associated with diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, which, in turn, were associated with CAD. In path models, 80% of the association between ln(HCC) and CAD were mediated by SMuRFs, while the direct path between ln(HCC) and CAD was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The SMuRFs diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension mediate the association between ln(HCC) and CAD. Some association between ln(HCC) and CAD did not operate via the SMuRFs considered and might have a pathway through atherosclerosis or inflammation.

Elevated levels of cortisol in hair precede acute myocardial infarction.

Long term stress exposure is typical for modern societies and might trigger different diseases. This case-control study reveals that persons who had suffered an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) had elevated cortisol concentrations in the month before the acute event. Middle-aged patients admitted to cardiology clinics with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (n = 174) were compared to 3156 controls from a population-based cohort in southeast Sweden. The median Hair Cortisol Concentrations (HCC) for those who had suffered an AMI was 53.2 pg/mg compared to 22.2 pg/mg for the control group (p < 0.001). In bivariate analysis, higher levels of HCC were strongly (OR = 5.69) and statistically significantly associated with current AMI status. The discrimination of cases with AMI from controls remained statistically significant (OR = 5.04) even after controlling for established cardiovascular risk factors in a multivariate analysis. Middle-aged persons with acute myocardial infarction had significantly elevated cortisol levels during the month before the cardiac event. This was evident for both men and women. The biomarker cortisol concentration was independently and statistically significantly related to AMI. Chronic stress seems to be a new promising risk factor for AMI.

The cnidome and internal morphology of Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cnidaria, Anthozoa).

The cnidome of the scleractinian cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus, 1758, syn. Lophohelia prolifera) was described by Carlgren in 1940. Due to a renewed interest in the cnidae of L. pertusa, specifically comparisons of adult and larval cnidae and their functions, we now redescribe the cnidome from material collected at the Tisler reef in Norway, close to Carlgren's collection site at Saekken (Sweden). Cnidae from column, tentacles, actinopharynx, mesenterial filaments and acontia were investigated. Fresh tissue preparations were compared to histological preparations of decalcified polyps to verify the presence of cnidocysts and secretory cells, and their composition and organization within tissues. The cnidome included microbasic b-mastigophores, microbasic and mesobasic p-mastigophores, holotrichous isorhizas and spirocysts. The nematocyst type cnidae (b-, p-mastigophores, isorhizas) appeared in different size classes with different distributions within the tissue. Spirocysts were highly variable in shape and size, without distinct size classes. In addition, developing stages of cnidae were documented, with new observations on the succession of p-mastigophore shaft development. The present observations were in general congruent with the cnidocyst descriptions from L. prolifera made by Carlgren; however, a tiny cnida, possibly of isorhiza type, has been added. Finally, the use of the term acontia is discussed.

Embryogenesis and larval biology of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa.

Cold-water coral reefs form spectacular and highly diverse ecosystems in the deep sea but little is known about reproduction, and virtually nothing about the larval biology in these corals. This study is based on data from two locations of the North East Atlantic and documents the first observations of embryogenesis and larval development in Lophelia pertusa, the most common framework-building cold-water scleractinian. Embryos developed in a more or less organized radial cleavage pattern from ∼ 160 µm large neutral or negatively buoyant eggs, to 120-270 µm long ciliated planulae. Embryogenesis was slow with cleavage occurring at intervals of 6-8 hours up to the 64-cell stage. Genetically characterized larvae were sexually derived, with maternal and paternal alleles present. Larvae were active swimmers (0.5 mm s(-1)) initially residing in the upper part of the water column, with bottom probing behavior starting 3-5 weeks after fertilization. Nematocysts had developed by day 30, coinciding with peak bottom-probing behavior, and possibly an indication that larvae are fully competent to settle at this time. Planulae survived for eight weeks under laboratory conditions, and preliminary results indicate that these planulae are planktotrophic. The late onset of competency and larval longevity suggests a high dispersal potential. Understanding larval biology and behavior is of paramount importance for biophysical modeling of larval dispersal, which forms the basis for predictions of connectivity among populations.