Repository logo
 

Association of Genetic Variants Related to Serum Calcium Levels With Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Infarction

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

No Thumbnail Available

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Larsson, SC 
Michaëlsson, K 

Abstract

Importance: Serum calcium has been associated with cardiovascular disease in observational studies and evidence from randomized clinical trials indicates that calcium supplementation, which raises serum calcium levels, may increase the risk of cardiovascular events, particularly myocardial infarction. Objective: To evaluate the potential causal association between genetic variants related to elevated serum calcium levels and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction using mendelian randomization. Design, Setting, and Participants: The analyses were performed using summary statistics obtained for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified from a genome-wide association meta-analysis of serum calcium levels (N = up to 61 079 individuals) and from the Coronary Artery Disease Genome-wide Replication and Meta-analysis Plus the Coronary Artery Disease Genetics (CardiogramplusC4D) consortium's 1000 genomes-based genome-wide association meta-analysis (N = up to 184 305 individuals) that included cases (individuals with CAD and myocardial infarction) and noncases, with baseline data collected from 1948 and populations derived from across the globe. The association of each SNP with CAD and myocardial infarction was weighted by its association with serum calcium, and estimates were combined using an inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis. Exposures: Genetic risk score based on genetic variants related to elevated serum calcium levels. Main Outcomes and Measures: Co-primary outcomes were the odds of CAD and myocardial infarction. Results: Among the mendelian randomized analytic sample of 184 305 individuals (60 801 CAD cases [approximately 70% with myocardial infarction] and 123 504 noncases), the 6 SNPs related to serum calcium levels and without pleiotropic associations with potential confounders were estimated to explain about 0.8% of the variation in serum calcium levels. In the inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis (combining the estimates of the 6 SNPs), the odds ratios per 0.5-mg/dL increase (about 1 SD) in genetically predicted serum calcium levels were 1.25 (95% CI, 1.08-1.45; P = .003) for CAD and 1.24 (95% CI, 1.05-1.46; P = .009) for myocardial infarction. Conclusions and Relevance: A genetic predisposition to higher serum calcium levels was associated with increased risk of CAD and myocardial infarction. Whether the risk of CAD associated with lifelong genetic exposure to increased serum calcium levels can be translated to a risk associated with short-term to medium-term calcium supplementation is unknown.

Description

Keywords

aged, calcium, coronary artery disease, dietary supplements, female, genetic predisposition to disease, genome-wide association study, humans, male, mendelian randomization analysis, middle aged, myocardial infarction, polymorphism, single nucleotide, risk factors

Journal Title

JAMA

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0098-7484
1538-3598

Volume Title

318

Publisher

American Medical Association
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/L003120/1)
British Heart Foundation (None)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00002/7)
Wellcome Trust (204623/Z/16/Z)
Support has been provided by a Junior Researcher Award grant from the Strategic Research Area in Epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet (Dr Larsson).