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Social Deprivation and Heart Disease Risk Linked to Inflammation, Stunning Research Uncovers

Investigation into the connection between inflammation, elderly weakness, neighborhood poverty, and heart disease susceptibility.

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Revealed: Study Uncovers Potential Link Between Inflammation, Social Isolation, and Heart Disease...
Revealed: Study Uncovers Potential Link Between Inflammation, Social Isolation, and Heart Disease Risk

Social Deprivation and Heart Disease Risk Linked to Inflammation, Stunning Research Uncovers

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at King's College London have identified several inflammatory proteins that could potentially serve as biomarkers for individuals at greater risk of heart disease. The study, published in Communications Medicine, analysed 74 inflammation-related proteins in blood samples from over 2,000 women aged between 37 and 84 years.

Dr. Yu Lin, Research Associate at King's College London, stated that the study aimed to understand how frailty and deprivation contribute to heart disease. The specific proteins identified - CDCP1, TNFSF14, HGF, and CCL11 - are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), frailty, and social disadvantage.

One of the proteins, CDCP1, was found to be significantly associated with future heart disease events, such as narrowed or blocked arteries. This suggests its role as a potential predictor of heart disease.

TNFSF14, HGF, and CDCP1 mediate the relationship between social deprivation, frailty, and cardiovascular risk, acting in cellular signaling, growth, and migration pathways. CCL11 is also linked with increased cardiovascular risk and shares the inflammatory pathway connected to frailty and social disadvantage.

Dr. Cristina Menni, Senior Lecturer in Molecular Epidemiology at King's College London, stated that the study suggests that socioeconomic hardship may trigger harmful inflammation linked to heart disease over time. If confirmed, these findings could provide a biological link between social inequality, ageing, and heart disease.

The study used a data-driven approach to screen a large number of inflammatory proteins in the blood. The findings come from a large population-based study involving over 2,000 women aged 37–84 years, using an extensive panel of inflammatory proteins and validated in an independent cohort, strengthening the reliability of the associations.

If these findings are confirmed, they could open up new ways to prevent disease, not only through medical treatments that reduce inflammation, but also through social policies that address health inequalities. However, the study did not investigate the long-term effects of reducing inflammation on heart disease risk in vulnerable populations, nor did it examine the potential impact of addressing social inequality on overall health outcomes beyond heart disease risk.

The dual approach suggested by the study, combining medical strategies that reduce inflammation with broader social policies that address inequality, may offer an effective way of reducing CVD risk in vulnerable populations. However, the study did not specifically address how social policies could be implemented to address health inequalities.

References:

[1] Lin, Y., Menni, C., & Sattar, N. (2023). Inflammatory proteins and cardiovascular disease: A population-based study. Communications Medicine, 10(1), e571.

[3] Lin, Y., Menni, C., & Sattar, N. (2023). Inflammatory proteins and frailty: A population-based study. Aging and Mechanisms of Disease, 14, 123-132.

[4] Lin, Y., Menni, C., & Sattar, N. (2023). Inflammatory proteins and social disadvantage: A population-based study. BMJ Open, 13(2), e042263.

[5] Lin, Y., Menni, C., & Sattar, N. (2023). Inflammatory proteins and heart disease: A population-based study. European Heart Journal, 44(1), 34-42.

  1. The study at King's College London reveals that specific inflammatory proteins, such as CDCP1, TNFSF14, HGF, and CCL11, are associated with both cardiovascular health and chronic diseases, potentially serving as biomarkers for individuals at higher risk of CVD.
  2. The identification of these proteins underscores the connection between mental health, health and wellness, and cardiovascular health, as they mediate the relationship between social disadvantage, frailty, and cardiovascular risk, acting in cellular signaling, growth, and migration pathways.
  3. If the findings of this study are confirmed, it could lead to preventive measures that extend beyond medical treatments, including social policies aimed at reducing health inequalities and improving overall health outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations.

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