Inflammation, Infection, and Future Cardiovascular Risk

To examine markers of underlying chronic inflammation and infection as potential risk factors for future myocardial infarction (MI), stroke (CVA), and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in plasma samples collected at baseline from healthy participants in the Physicians' Health Study (PHS).

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Cardiovascular Diseases Bacterial Infections Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cerebrovascular Accident Cerebrovascular Disorders Chlamydia Infections Chlamydiaceae Infections Communicable Diseases Coronary Disease Cytomegalovirus Infections DNA Virus Infections Embolism and Thrombosis Genital Diseases Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections Heart Diseases Helicobacter Infections Herpesviridae Infections Infarction Infection Infections Inflammation Ischemia Myocardial Infarction Myocardial Ischemia Necrosis Nervous System Diseases Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial Stroke Thromboembolism Urogenital Diseases Vascular Diseases Venous Thromboembolism Virus Diseases

Age range

Up to 100 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Observational

About this study

BACKGROUND:

The PHS is a cohort which included 14,916 men initially free of cardiovascular disease and cancer who provided plasma samples at study entry in 1982. These men were randomly assigned in a factorial design to aspirin or beta-carotene therapy, and have been followed prospectively for the occurrence of vascular disease.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

Employing a nested case-control design, baseline plasma samples are assayed for four markers of inflammation (interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, soluble ICAM, soluble VCAM) and four markers of chronic infection (antibody titers directed against Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, Herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus). Case subjects are those study participants who have subsequently developed MI (N=550), CVA (N=400), or VTE (N=200). Control subjects are selected from those study participants who remained healthy during follow-up and are matched to the cases by age, smoking status, and follow-up time. Data on usual cardiovascular risk factors, lipid parameters, and hemostatic markers of risk are already available in the PHS and will be used to evaluate the results for potential confounding and effect modification. Since the PHS was a randomized trial of low-dose aspirin for its initial 5 years, this cohort also provides the unique opportunity to investigate whether the use of an agent with anti-inflammatory properties modifies the risk of subsequent thrombosis among those with underlying inflammation. Indeed, this intriguing hypothesis has recently been raised regarding data relating another marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein, to future risks of myocardial infarction and stroke.

These analyses will take advantage of an existing blood bank from a well-characterized large cohort with many years of follow-up and high quality end-point verification. Thus, this study could provide an efficient and cost-effective mechanism to evaluate the posited, but unproven roles of inflammation and infection as risk factors for future cardiovascular disease.

The study completion date listed in this record was obtained from the "End Date" entered in the Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS) record.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

No eligibility criteria

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Nih

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 1998
Study completion: 2002
First posted: May 26, 2000
Registry last updated: Mar 16, 2016

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed