Daily moderate alcohol consumption increases serum paraoxonase activity; a diet-controlled, randomised intervention study in middle-aged men

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Part of this inverse association may be explained by its effects on HDL. Paraoxonase, an HDL-associated enzyme, has been suggested to protect against LDL oxidation. We examined the effects of moderate consumption of red wine, beer and spirits in comparison...

Job stress, absenteeism and coronary heart disease European cooperative study (the JACE study): Design of a multicentre prospective study

Background: The motives, objectives and design of a multicentre prospective study on job stress, absenteeism and coronary heart disease in Europe (the JACE study) is presented in this paper. Some specific gaps in the reviewed literature are explicitly tapped into by the JACE study. Its objectives are i) to compare the distributions of the...

Opsporing familiaire hypercholesterolemie bij kinderen geindiceerd? Bij uitzondering wel [Search for familial hypercholesterolaemia in children indicated? Only exceptionally]

Searching for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in children is useful only if efficacious treatment is to be administered shortly and if there are relatives with ischaemic heart disease at very early ages. In all other cases, the (psychological) drawbacks probably outweigh the doubtful benefit of early intervention. The search for the major...

Factor VII polymorphisms in populations with different risks of cardiovascular disease

Increased plasma factor VII coagulant activity (FVII:C) has been associated with the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Differences in plasma FVII:C among individuals are associated with three common polymorphisms in the FVII gene. Therefore, we investigated FVII polymorphisms in four populations that differ in their risk of developing...

Trans unsaturated fatty acids in plasma phospholipids and coronary heart disease: A case-control study

A high intake of trans fatty acids (TFAs) has been shown to have an undesirable effect on serum lipid profiles and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels and may thereby increase the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). We performed a study in CHD patients, and measured the TFA concentration of the plasma phospholipid fraction. Comparison was made...

Biochemistry and measurement of fibrinogen

Fibrinogen is a large heterogeneous family of closely related molecules consisting of three pairs of non-identical polypeptide chains: two Aα-, two Bβ- and two γ-chains, held together by disulphide bridges. The heterogeneity of fibrinogen is due to heterogeneities in all three chains. Four main types of assay are used to determine fibrinogen...