Inter-Relationships of Plasma Fibrinogen, Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Cigarette Smoking and the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease

Background The magnitude of the cardiovascular risk associated with plasma fibrinogen concentration is influenced separately by cigarette smoking and by low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The effects of combinations of these factors on risk and the extent to which inclusion of the plasma fibrinogen level further refines the risks associated with smoking and high LDL cholesterol levels are not known.Objective To determine the inter-relationships among all of the three factors smoking, LDL cholesterol level and fibrinogen level with respect to the occurrence of cardiovascular disease.Methods The study was part of the Edinburgh Artery Study, which was a cross-sectional random sample survey of 1592 men and women aged 55–74 years. The assessment of cardiovascular disease included recall of diagnosis by a doctor of angina or myocardial infarction, intermittent claudication determined by a questionnaire and measurement of ankle systolic blood pressure.Results The odds ratio for disease in smokers ...