Neuroendocrine abnormalities, such as activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are associated with obesity; however, few large-scale population-based studies have examined HPA axis and markers of obesity. We examined the cross-sectional association of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal salivary cortisol curve with obesity. Higher BMI and WC are associated with neuroendocrine dysregulation, which is present in a large population sample, and only partially explained by other covariates

QT is a risk factor for sudden cardiac death. This study used the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis to examine association of QT with NOS1AP variants in an ethnically diverse cohort.

Diabetes mellitus is associated with high rates of atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular events. Rigorous randomized controlled trials have shown consistently beneficial effects with statin treatment in diabetic patients, reducing event rates. The beneficial effects are seen consistently regardless of pretreatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Further reduction of risk with statins may be achieved with more aggressive treatment targeting metrics of atherogenic burden such as apolipoprotein B or LDL particle concentration, more accurately quantifying atherogenic and atherosclerosis-related event risk.

Available data suggest that in low-to-intermediate risk symptomatic patients, CAC scanning may serve as an appropriate gatekeeper to further testing with either coronary computed tomographic angiography, functional imaging, or invasive coronary angiography.

Coronary artery disease is a potentially treatable comorbidity observed frequently in both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial lung disease. The prevalence of angiographically proven coronary artery disease in advanced lung disease is not well described. We sought to characterize the treatment patterns of coronary artery disease complicating advanced lung disease and to describe the frequency of occult coronary artery disease in this population. Coronary artery disease is common in patients with advanced lung disease attributable to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or interstitial lung disease and is under-diagnosed. Guideline-recommended cardioprotective medications are suboptimally utilized in this population.

This study found that, among postmenopausal women, there were significant race/ethnicity differences in baseline sex hormones and changes in sex hormones.

In this review, we examine the effect of non-pharmacologic therapy (i.e., diet and lifestyle modification) on lipids as part of the secondary prevention strategy of cardiovascular disease in women.

The aim of this study was to further explore the interplay between smoking status, coronary artery calcium (CAC), and all-cause mortality. Smoking is a risk factor for death across the entire spectrum of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Smokers with any CAC had significantly higher mortality than smokers without CAC, a finding with implications for smokers undergoing lung cancer CT-based screening. However, the absence of CAC might not be as useful a "negative risk factor" in active smokers, because this group has mortality rates similar to nonsmokers with mild-to-moderate atherosclerosis.

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Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with coronary artery disease (CAD) accounting for half of all cardiovascular disease deaths. Current risk assessment approaches for coronary heart disease, such as the Framingham risk score, substantially misclassify intermediate- to long-term risk for the occurrence of CAD in asymptomatic individuals. A screening modality such as a simple non-contrast-enhanced, or noncontrast, computed tomographic (CT) detection of coronary artery calcium (CAC) improves the ability to accurately predict risk in vulnerable groups and adds information above and beyond global risk assessment as shown by the recent Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. In addition, absence of CAC is associated with a very low risk of future CAD and as a result can be used to identify a group among which further testing and pharmacotherapies can be avoided. The Expert Consensus Document by the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association now recommends screening individuals at intermediate risk but did not find enough evidence to recommend CAC testing and further stratification of those in the low- or high-risk categories for CAD. In addition, emerging guidelines have suggested that absence of CAC can act as a "gatekeeper" for further testing among low- and intermediate-risk patients presenting with chest pain. This review of the current literature outlines the role of CAC testing in both asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals.

We previously reported a statistically significant association of SCARB1 intronic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs10846744 with common carotid intimal-medial artery thickness in each of the 4 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis racial/ethnic groups (white, Chinese, black, and Hispanic). The SCARB1 SNP, rs10846744, exerts a major effect on subclinical atherosclerosis and incident cardiovascular disease in humans.

There is little known about the relative predictive value of different lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] assays in clinical use, although each has been shown to predict similar incremental risk over conventional clinical and lipid risk factors. Thus, we examined the classification behavior of two commonly used Lp(a) assays and their associations with other lipid parameters. Serum lipid and Lp(a) concentrations were measured in 144 primary and secondary prevention patients. Lp(a) cholesterol [Lp(a)-C] was measured with the Vertical Auto Profile (upper limit of normal, 10 mg/dL). Lp(a) particle concentrations [Lp(a)-P] were measured with an isoform-independent molar assay (upper limit of normal, 70 nmol/L). The subjects were divided into the following four groups on the basis of their Lp(a)-C and Lp(a)-P levels: normal Lp(a)-P and Lp(a)-C; high Lp(a)-P and normal Lp(a)-C; normal Lp(a)-P and high Lp(a)-C; and high Lp(a)-P and Lp(a)-C. The proportion of subjects with values above the upper limit of normal was similar with both assays (P = .15). However, the Lp(a)-C and Lp(a)-P assays discordantly classified 23% of the study's subjects. In addition, the four Lp(a)-defined groups displayed differences in their relationships with other lipoproteins. The two groups with elevated Lp(a)-C showed significant associations with higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol/apolipoprotein AI ratios. Triglycerides were also noted to be above normal in discordant and normal within concordant Lp(a) groups. Finally, the amount of cholesterol per Lp(a) particle [Lp(a)-C/Lp(a)-P] varied widely across the four groups. These findings suggest that the four Lp(a)-defined groups are physiologically discrete. Further investigation is warranted to assess which parameters among Lp(a)-P, Lp(a)-C, and Lp(a)-C/Lp(a)-P can be used to more accurately characterize Lp(a)-associated cardiovascular risk.

We assessed associations of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and -2), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in 291 HIV-infected men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) was measured by non-contrast coronary CT imaging. Markers for herpesviruses infection were measured in frozen specimens collected 10-12 years prior to case identification. Multivariable logistic regression models and ordinal logistic regression models were performed. HSV-2 seropositivity was associated with coronary atherosclerosis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=4.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.58-10.85) after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, cardiovascular risk factors, and HIV infection related factors. Infection with a greater number of herpesviruses was associated with elevated CAC levels (AOR=1.58, 95% CI=1.06-2.36). Our findings suggest HSV-2 may be a risk factor for subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in HIV-infected men. Infection with multiple herpesviruses may contribute to the increased burden of atherosclerosis.

Fatty liver disease is a common clinical entity in hepatology practice. This study evaluates the prevalence and reproducibility of computed tomography (CT) measures for diagnosis of fatty liver and compares commonly used CT criteria for the diagnosis of liver fat. Fatty liver can be reliably diagnosed using nonenhanced CT scans.

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Although the prognosis for individuals without chest pain is stratified by coronary computed tomographic angiography (cCTA), the additional risk-predictive advantage by cCTA is not clinically meaningful compared with a risk model based on coronary artery calcium scoring. Therefore, at present, the application of cCTA for risk assessment of individuals without coronary artery calcium scoring should not be justified.

Low testosterone (T) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increased mortality in the general population; however, the impact of T on subclinical CVD in HIV disease is unknown. This study examined the relationships among free testosterone (FT), subclinical CVD, and HIV disease. Compared with HIV-uninfected men, HIV-infected men had lower FT, as well as more prevalent carotid lesions. In both groups, FT was not associated with CAC presence, log carotid IMT, or carotid lesion presence, suggesting that FT does not influence subclinical CVD in this population of men with and at risk for HIV infection.