Background and aims: Mendelian randomization confirmed multiple risk factors for primary events of coronary artery disease (CAD), but no such studies have been performed on recurrent major coronary events despite interesting insights derived from other designs. We examined the associations between genetically-influenced classical cardiovascular risk factors and the risk of recurrent major coronary events in a cohort of CAD patients.
Methods: We included all first-time CAD cases (defined as angina pectoris, chronic ischemic heart disease or acute myocardial infarction) of European ancestry from the UK Biobank. Cases were followed till the end of follow-up, death or when they developed a recurrent major coronary event (chronic ischemic heart disease or acute myocardial infarction). Standardized weighted genetic risk scores were calculated for body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Results: From a total of 22,949 CAD patients (mean age at first diagnosis 59.8 (SD 7.3) years, 71.1% men), 12,539 (54.6%) reported a recurrent major coronary event within a period of maximum 17.8 years. One standard deviation higher genetically-determined LDL cholesterol was associated with a higher risk of a recurrent major coronary event (odds ratio: 1.08 [95% confidence interval: 1.05, 1.11]). No associations were observed for genetically-influenced BMI (1.00 [0.98, 1.03]), systolic blood pressure (1.01 [0.98, 1.03]) and triglycerides (1.02 [0.995, 1.05]).
Conclusions: Despite the use risk-reducing medications following a first coronary event, this study provided genetic evidence that, of the classical risk factors, mainly high LDL cholesterol was associated with a higher risk of developing recurrent major coronary events.
Keywords: LDL cholesterol; Mendelian randomization; coronary artery disease; recurrent disease.
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