@article {6568, title = {Mendelian randomization of blood lipids for coronary heart disease.}, journal = {Eur Heart J}, volume = {36}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Mar 01}, pages = {539-50}, abstract = {

AIMS: To investigate the causal role of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides in coronary heart disease (CHD) using multiple instrumental variables for Mendelian randomization.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We developed weighted allele scores based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with established associations with HDL-C, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). For each trait, we constructed two scores. The first was unrestricted, including all independent SNPs associated with the lipid trait identified from a prior meta-analysis (threshold P < 2 {\texttimes} 10(-6)); and the second a restricted score, filtered to remove any SNPs also associated with either of the other two lipid traits at P <= 0.01. Mendelian randomization meta-analyses were conducted in 17 studies including 62,199 participants and 12,099 CHD events. Both the unrestricted and restricted allele scores for LDL-C (42 and 19 SNPs, respectively) associated with CHD. For HDL-C, the unrestricted allele score (48 SNPs) was associated with CHD (OR: 0.53; 95\% CI: 0.40, 0.70), per 1 mmol/L higher HDL-C, but neither the restricted allele score (19 SNPs; OR: 0.91; 95\% CI: 0.42, 1.98) nor the unrestricted HDL-C allele score adjusted for triglycerides, LDL-C, or statin use (OR: 0.81; 95\% CI: 0.44, 1.46) showed a robust association. For triglycerides, the unrestricted allele score (67 SNPs) and the restricted allele score (27 SNPs) were both associated with CHD (OR: 1.62; 95\% CI: 1.24, 2.11 and 1.61; 95\% CI: 1.00, 2.59, respectively) per 1-log unit increment. However, the unrestricted triglyceride score adjusted for HDL-C, LDL-C, and statin use gave an OR for CHD of 1.01 (95\% CI: 0.59, 1.75).

CONCLUSION: The genetic findings support a causal effect of triglycerides on CHD risk, but a causal role for HDL-C, though possible, remains less certain.

}, keywords = {Case-Control Studies, Cholesterol, HDL, Coronary Artery Disease, Female, Gene Frequency, Genotype, Genotyping Techniques, Humans, Male, Mendelian Randomization Analysis, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Risk Assessment, Triglycerides}, issn = {1522-9645}, doi = {10.1093/eurheartj/eht571}, author = {Holmes, Michael V and Asselbergs, Folkert W and Palmer, Tom M and Drenos, Fotios and Lanktree, Matthew B and Nelson, Christopher P and Dale, Caroline E and Padmanabhan, Sandosh and Finan, Chris and Swerdlow, Daniel I and Tragante, Vinicius and van Iperen, Erik P A and Sivapalaratnam, Suthesh and Shah, Sonia and Elbers, Clara C and Shah, Tina and Engmann, Jorgen and Giambartolomei, Claudia and White, Jon and Zabaneh, Delilah and Sofat, Reecha and McLachlan, Stela and Doevendans, Pieter A and Balmforth, Anthony J and Hall, Alistair S and North, Kari E and Almoguera, Berta and Hoogeveen, Ron C and Cushman, Mary and Fornage, Myriam and Patel, Sanjay R and Redline, Susan and Siscovick, David S and Tsai, Michael Y and Karczewski, Konrad J and Hofker, Marten H and Verschuren, W Monique and Bots, Michiel L and van der Schouw, Yvonne T and Melander, Olle and Dominiczak, Anna F and Morris, Richard and Ben-Shlomo, Yoav and Price, Jackie and Kumari, Meena and Baumert, Jens and Peters, Annette and Thorand, Barbara and Koenig, Wolfgang and Gaunt, Tom R and Humphries, Steve E and Clarke, Robert and Watkins, Hugh and Farrall, Martin and Wilson, James G and Rich, Stephen S and de Bakker, Paul I W and Lange, Leslie A and Davey Smith, George and Reiner, Alex P and Talmud, Philippa J and Kivimaki, Mika and Lawlor, Debbie A and Dudbridge, Frank and Samani, Nilesh J and Keating, Brendan J and Hingorani, Aroon D and Casas, Juan P} } @article {7664, title = {Risk thresholds for alcohol consumption: combined analysis of individual-participant data for 599 912 current drinkers in 83 prospective studies.}, journal = {Lancet}, volume = {391}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 04 14}, pages = {1513-1523}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Low-risk limits recommended for alcohol consumption vary substantially across different national guidelines. To define thresholds associated with lowest risk for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, we studied individual-participant data from 599 912 current drinkers without previous cardiovascular disease.

METHODS: We did a combined analysis of individual-participant data from three large-scale data sources in 19 high-income countries (the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration, EPIC-CVD, and the UK Biobank). We characterised dose-response associations and calculated hazard ratios (HRs) per 100 g per week of alcohol (12{\textperiodcentered}5 units per week) across 83 prospective studies, adjusting at least for study or centre, age, sex, smoking, and diabetes. To be eligible for the analysis, participants had to have information recorded about their alcohol consumption amount and status (ie, non-drinker vs current drinker), plus age, sex, history of diabetes and smoking status, at least 1 year of follow-up after baseline, and no baseline history of cardiovascular disease. The main analyses focused on current drinkers, whose baseline alcohol consumption was categorised into eight predefined groups according to the amount in grams consumed per week. We assessed alcohol consumption in relation to all-cause mortality, total cardiovascular disease, and several cardiovascular disease subtypes. We corrected HRs for estimated long-term variability in alcohol consumption using 152 640 serial alcohol assessments obtained some years apart (median interval 5{\textperiodcentered}6 years [5th-95th percentile 1{\textperiodcentered}04-13{\textperiodcentered}5]) from 71 011 participants from 37 studies.

FINDINGS: In the 599 912 current drinkers included in the analysis, we recorded 40 310 deaths and 39 018 incident cardiovascular disease events during 5{\textperiodcentered}4 million person-years of follow-up. For all-cause mortality, we recorded a positive and curvilinear association with the level of alcohol consumption, with the minimum mortality risk around or below 100 g per week. Alcohol consumption was roughly linearly associated with a higher risk of stroke (HR per 100 g per week higher consumption 1{\textperiodcentered}14, 95\% CI, 1{\textperiodcentered}10-1{\textperiodcentered}17), coronary disease excluding myocardial infarction (1{\textperiodcentered}06, 1{\textperiodcentered}00-1{\textperiodcentered}11), heart failure (1{\textperiodcentered}09, 1{\textperiodcentered}03-1{\textperiodcentered}15), fatal hypertensive disease (1{\textperiodcentered}24, 1{\textperiodcentered}15-1{\textperiodcentered}33); and fatal aortic aneurysm (1{\textperiodcentered}15, 1{\textperiodcentered}03-1{\textperiodcentered}28). By contrast, increased alcohol consumption was log-linearly associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction (HR 0{\textperiodcentered}94, 0{\textperiodcentered}91-0{\textperiodcentered}97). In comparison to those who reported drinking >0-<=100 g per week, those who reported drinking >100-<=200 g per week, >200-<=350 g per week, or >350 g per week had lower life expectancy at age 40 years of approximately 6 months, 1-2 years, or 4-5 years, respectively.

INTERPRETATION: In current drinkers of alcohol in high-income countries, the threshold for lowest risk of all-cause mortality was about 100 g/week. For cardiovascular disease subtypes other than myocardial infarction, there were no clear risk thresholds below which lower alcohol consumption stopped being associated with lower disease risk. These data support limits for alcohol consumption that are lower than those recommended in most current guidelines.

FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation, National Institute for Health Research, European Union Framework 7, and European Research Council.

}, issn = {1474-547X}, doi = {10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30134-X}, author = {Wood, Angela M and Kaptoge, Stephen and Butterworth, Adam S and Willeit, Peter and Warnakula, Samantha and Bolton, Thomas and Paige, Ellie and Paul, Dirk S and Sweeting, Michael and Burgess, Stephen and Bell, Steven and Astle, William and Stevens, David and Koulman, Albert and Selmer, Randi M and Verschuren, W M Monique and Sato, Shinichi and Nj{\o}lstad, Inger and Woodward, Mark and Salomaa, Veikko and Nordestgaard, B{\o}rge G and Yeap, Bu B and Fletcher, Astrid and Melander, Olle and Kuller, Lewis H and Balkau, Beverley and Marmot, Michael and Koenig, Wolfgang and Casiglia, Edoardo and Cooper, Cyrus and Arndt, Volker and Franco, Oscar H and Wennberg, Patrik and Gallacher, John and de la C{\'a}mara, Agustin G{\'o}mez and V{\"o}lzke, Henry and Dahm, Christina C and Dale, Caroline E and Bergmann, Manuela M and Crespo, Carlos J and van der Schouw, Yvonne T and Kaaks, Rudolf and Simons, Leon A and Lagiou, Pagona and Schoufour, Josje D and Boer, Jolanda M A and Key, Timothy J and Rodriguez, Beatriz and Moreno-Iribas, Conchi and Davidson, Karina W and Taylor, James O and Sacerdote, Carlotta and Wallace, Robert B and Quiros, J Ramon and Tumino, Rosario and Blazer, Dan G and Linneberg, Allan and Daimon, Makoto and Panico, Salvatore and Howard, Barbara and Skeie, Guri and Strandberg, Timo and Weiderpass, Elisabete and Nietert, Paul J and Psaty, Bruce M and Kromhout, Daan and Salamanca-Fernandez, Elena and Kiechl, Stefan and Krumholz, Harlan M and Grioni, Sara and Palli, Domenico and Huerta, Jos{\'e} M and Price, Jackie and Sundstr{\"o}m, Johan and Arriola, Larraitz and Arima, Hisatomi and Travis, Ruth C and Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B and Karakatsani, Anna and Trichopoulou, Antonia and K{\"u}hn, Tilman and Grobbee, Diederick E and Barrett-Connor, Elizabeth and van Schoor, Natasja and Boeing, Heiner and Overvad, Kim and Kauhanen, Jussi and Wareham, Nick and Langenberg, Claudia and Forouhi, Nita and Wennberg, Maria and Despr{\'e}s, Jean-Pierre and Cushman, Mary and Cooper, Jackie A and Rodriguez, Carlos J and Sakurai, Masaru and Shaw, Jonathan E and Knuiman, Matthew and Voortman, Trudy and Meisinger, Christa and Tj{\o}nneland, Anne and Brenner, Hermann and Palmieri, Luigi and Dallongeville, Jean and Brunner, Eric J and Assmann, Gerd and Trevisan, Maurizio and Gillum, Richard F and Ford, Ian and Sattar, Naveed and Lazo, Mariana and Thompson, Simon G and Ferrari, Pietro and Leon, David A and Smith, George Davey and Peto, Richard and Jackson, Rod and Banks, Emily and Di Angelantonio, Emanuele and Danesh, John} }