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CVD risk increased in women with HPV
Kuo H. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;
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The cancer-causing strain of human papillomavirus may increase the risk for CVD and stroke in women, even if those women have no other risk factors for CVD, according to recent study results.
Self-collected vaginal swab specimens from 2,450 women (mean age 37.9 years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003-2006 were analyzed for human papillomavirus DNA by L1 consensus polymerase chain reaction followed by type-specific hydridization. Researchers obtained age, race, sex behavior, and alcohol consumption by self-report, and CVD by self-reported questionnaires which diagnosed the women with MI or stroke.
CVD prevalence was found in 60 (2.5%) women. Thirty-nine of the women had human papillomavirus DNA and 21 did not. The OR for CVD among women with human papillomavirus DNA compared with those who did not have human papillomavirus DNA was 2.30 (95% CI, 1.27-4.16). The OR for CVD among women with cancer-associated human papillomavirus DNA was 2.86 (95% CI, 1.43-5.70).
Adjusting for health and sex behaviors, medical comorbidities, composite metabolic Z score and CV risk factors and management only mildly weakened the association between human papillomavirus and CVD. Human papillomavirus had no association with systolic BP, diastolic BP, abdominal circumference, levels of blood glucose, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol or a composite metabolic Z score, according to study results.
“Nearly 20% of individuals with CVD do not show any risk factors, indicating that other ‘nontraditional’ causes may be involved in the development of the disease. HPV appears to be one such factor among women,” Ken Fujise, MD, director of the division of cardiology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said in a press release. “This has important clinical implications. First, the HPV vaccine may also help prevent heart disease. Second, physicians should monitor patients with cancer-associated HPV to prevent heart attack and stroke, as well as HPV patients already diagnosed with CVD to avoid future CV events.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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