Novel Blood-Based Risk Score Based on Lipids Improves Prediction of Heart Disease

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 26 Aug 2024

Image: The new tool can reclassify heart risk and reduce heart attacks (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

In the field of cardiovascular health, some individuals fall into an ambiguous "intermediate zone" of risk for heart attacks or strokes—neither distinctly low nor high-risk, yet potentially on the cusp of heart disease. This grey area calls for improved methodologies for accurate risk prediction. Traditionally, risk assessments like the widely recognized Framingham Risk Score have utilized factors such as levels of 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol to categorize individuals into risk groups. However, these conventional tools have several limitations, especially in identifying the risks for those in this intermediate category. This oversight is particularly critical as heart disease can progress silently, making early detection crucial to avoid late-stage interventions that are less effective. Now, scientists have developed and validated a novel, blood-based risk score based on lipids (fats in the blood).

The tool, outlined in a paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, was developed by scientists at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (Melbourne, VC, Australia) and La Trobe University (Melbourne, VC, Australia) to improve the precision of risk predictions for individuals within the intermediate risk group, potentially necessitating more aggressive preventive measures or, conversely, suggesting less intensive interventions like lifestyle changes.

This lipidomic risk score offers a refined approach to assessing intermediate risk, addressing the limitations of traditional models. The score has been adapted for clinical use, suggesting its integration into regular blood testing protocols to better predict heart disease risks based on arterial plaque accumulation. This advancement could enable healthcare providers to more effectively determine which patients might benefit from further diagnostic imaging, such as Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring, thus optimizing strategies for heart disease prevention and management.

“This approach aims to ensure that we are making efficient use of our health resources and that resources are directed at those who really need them, including treating those at high risk while avoiding overtreating those who don’t need it,” said Professor Peter Meikle, lipidomics expert at the Baker Institute and head of the Baker Department of Cardiovascular Research, Translation and Implementation at La Trobe University. “We want to continue to push the boundaries, to make things easier for clinicians, to make better use of limited health resources and to ensure better outcomes for people who may be at high risk of heart disease but unrecognized.”