Lipid markers of cardiac aging and later coronary heart disease risk in American Indians
In 1801 American Indians, repeated lipid measurements over about 5.5 years were linked to measures of cardiac aging; some of these lipids were also linked to later coronary heart disease risk over 20 years. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The Strong Heart Family Study repeatedly measured 1542 fasting plasma lipid species in 1801 American Indians across two exams about 5.5 years apart, with mean baseline age 40.0 years. [1]
Multiple lipid species, mainly glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids and sphingomyelins, were associated with cardiac aging measures, mostly inversely, and some were confirmed in the Bogalusa Heart Study. [1]
Baseline glycerophospholipids and fatty acids linked to diastolic function were associated with lower CHD risk (HR 0.21–0.86), while other E/A-associated glycerophospholipids were linked to higher risk (HR 1.24–1.34) over 20 years. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Longitudinal cohort study (abstract)
- Population / context
- 1801 American Indians in the Strong Heart Family Study, with replication in African American and White participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- July 2, 2026
Lipid profiling across two exams in American Indians
The Strong Heart Family Study repeatedly measured 1542 fasting plasma lipid species in 1801 American Indians at two clinical exams. Mean age at baseline was 40.0 years, and the exams were on average 5.5 years apart. The authors note that longitudinal lipid profiling of cardiac aging in large human populations had not been done systematically.
Supporting source [1]
Lipids linked to diastolic measures, some replicated
The study examined associations between individual lipid species and measures of cardiac aging: E/A ratio, isovolumic relaxation time and deceleration time. Multiple lipid species, mainly glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids and sphingomyelins, were associated with these measures, and most showed inverse associations. Some associations were confirmed in the Bogalusa Heart Study, a biracial cohort of African American and White participants with a mean baseline age of 48.1 years.
Supporting source [1]
Some cardiac-aging lipids predicted CHD over 20 years
Using frailty Cox proportional hazards models, the authors examined whether cardiac-aging-related lipids predicted incident coronary heart disease over a 20-year follow-up. Baseline levels of specific glycerophospholipids and fatty acids associated with diastolic function (E/A ratio and deceleration time) were linked to reduced CHD risk (hazard ratio range 0.21–0.86). Other E/A-associated glycerophospholipids were linked to increased CHD risk (hazard ratio range 1.24–1.34). These are associations, not proof of cause.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
This is an abstract; the full text was not reviewed. The abstract reports associations only, not causes. The replication cohort differed in age and ancestry, and the abstract does not report how many lipids were tested or adjusted for multiple comparisons.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Chen M, Sun Y, Miao G, Wen X, Razavi AC, Fernandez C, Roman MJ, Devereux RB, Fabsitz RR, Zhang Y, Umans JG, Cole SA, Bazzano LA, Fiehn O, Kelly TN, Zhao J. · europepmc.org · July 2, 2026