Polygenic Risk Score Associates With Atherosclerotic Plaque Characteristics at Autopsy

A Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) uses combinations of genetic variants, each predicting a patient’s likelihood of developing diseases such as coronary artery disease (CAD). As coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the world, PRS has the potential to decrease CAD morbidity and mortality rates as it gives medical experts the knowledge to predict a person’s likelihood of developing heart complications caused by cardiovascular disease. Cornelissen et al.’s study from CVPath Institute is the first to closely study the relationship of PRS and histologic features of CAD by genotyping 2455 randomly selected cases and collecting PRS from genes encoded with CAD predisposition. It was concluded from the histopathological examinations that PRS did correlate with CAD features such as plaque buildup in the arteries. The findings from this study indicate PRS’s potential as a reliable measure for risk factors in patients likely to have or develop cardiovascular health risks due to CAD, especially for younger patients who may have undiagnosed and unrecognized histological symptoms.

Cornelissen et al.’s research is available to read in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37916415/

Written by Gina Miller