Heart rate and microinflammation in men: A relevant atherothrombotic link

O. Rogowski, I. Shapira, A. Shirom, S. Melamed, S. Toker, S. Berliner*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

76 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective and background: To explore the possibility that increased resting heart rate (HR) is associated with a microinflammatory response. Such an association could explain, at least in part, the recently described worse cardiovascular prognosis in individuals with increased HR. Methods: Concentrations of fibrinogen and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, as well as the absolute number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, were analysed in a cohort of 4553 apparently healthy men and in those with atherothrombotic risk factors. Results: Following adjustment for age and body mass index, lipid profile and cardiovascular risk factors, a significant (p<0.001) difference was noted between individuals in the first quintile of HR (≤58 beats/min) and those in the fifth quintile (≥79 beats/min) regarding all the above-mentioned inflammatory biomarkers, the respective mean values being 7.38 and 8.11 μmol/l, 1.12 and 1.61 mg/l, and 4.23 and 4.74×109/l. Conclusions: Resting HR is associated with a microinflammatory response in apparently healthy men and in those with atherothrombotic risk factors. Sympathetic activation might be a common factor explaining such an association. If confirmed in additional studies, this association might be a relevant target for therapeutic manipulations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)940-944
Number of pages5
JournalHeart
Volume93
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2007

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