VPD-HLRI researchers are responsible for two of the most cited publications in the European Heart Journal during 2023.
Topping the most-cited list is a review article entitled “Mendelian randomization for cardiovascular diseases: principles and applications” by Stephen Burgess, Adam Butterworth, and their collaborator Susanna Larsson. The article reviewed the principles of the Mendelian randomisation design and its applications in cardiovascular epidemiology.
Also in the top five is “SCORE2-Diabetes: 10-year cardiovascular risk estimation in type 2 diabetes in Europe” published by Lisa Pennells, Stephen Kaptoge, and Emanuele Di Angelantonio. SCORE 2-Diabestes is a new risk calculator that will help to identify people with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases in the next 10 years, with much-improved accuracy. The new algorithm extends the existing SCORE2 risk calculator, which has been used across Europe since 2021.
European Heart Journal (EHJ)
- Mendelian randomization for cardiovascular diseases: principles and applications
Stephen Burgess et al – British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular, United Kingdom
- Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis
Grace Dibben et al – University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
- 2023 Update on European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Statement on Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolaemia: New Treatments and Clinical Guidance
Marina Cuchel et al – University of Pennsylvania, USA
- SCORE2-Diabetes: 10-year cardiovascular risk estimation in type 2 diabetes in Europe
Emanuele di Angelantonio et al – University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Anthropometric Measures and Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Revisiting the Obesity Paradox
John JV McMurray et al – University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
Congratulations to Prof Emanuele Di Angelantonio and Dr Elias Allara for their paper recently published in Communications Biology - 'Novel loci and biomedical consequences of iron homoeostasis variation' https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-07115-3
Understanding how iron levels vary in people and how it affects their health
Iron is a vital mineral for the human body, and its levels must be carefully balanced. Two molecules in our body that are important for the control of iron levels are a hormone called hepcidin, and a protein called soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR). We wanted to know if there are genetic differences that influence these two molecules and how variations in iron levels affect our health. We did a study involving over 90,000 participants to answer these questions,
The study identified 43 areas on our genes linked to iron control, including 15 newly discovered ones. These areas are in the vicinity of genes influencing how the body uses iron, produces red blood cells, responds to infections, and transports substances within cells.
We then explored the impact of iron levels on health by using statistics to judge what causes something to happen for sure rather than being just found at the ‘scene of the crime’. We examined the relationship between iron-related genetic variations and 292 health outcomes in over 1.4 million people and found that iron levels were associated with beneficial and harmful effects. There were the expected associations of higher iron levels with reduced risk of anaemia. Still, high iron wasn’t always beneficial: we found a higher risk of certain diseases of the urinary and genital organs, muscles and bones, infections, and cancers. However, we found that these associations were mainly due to a gene that causes haemochromatosis, a condition that results in increased iron to dangerous levels. Therefore, these consequences may not be relevant to the rest of the population who don’t have that gene.
This research improves our understanding of how the body controls iron and highlights how having too much or too little iron can negatively impact health. These findings could help develop new treatments or strategies to manage iron-related conditions.