OR20-5 The Association between Life's Simple 7 Score and Three Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease: Aldosterone, CRP, and IL-6
Authors: Adler Gail K , Haas Andrea , Seely Ellen W , Williams Gordon , Yuan Yan Emily 
Published: November 2022

Background

To promote ideal cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association recommends adhering to Life's Simple 7 (LS7)—achieving healthy targets for BMI, physical activity, dietary intake, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, and cholesterol, along with smoking abstinence. Retrospective data analyses have shown associations between poorer achievement of LS7 (lower score) and the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, less is known about the associations between LS7 and specific biomarkers linked to cardiovascular health.

Hypothesis

We hypothesized that achievement of LS7 (higher score) would be associated with lower levels of aldosterone and inflammatory markers implicated in CVD in individuals with controlled dietary sodium intake.

Methodology

The analysis included 379 normotensive and hypertensive individuals (age 18-66 years) from the HyperPATH (International Hypertensive Pathotype) consortium, who were maintained on at least 200 mEq of NaCl daily for one week and had a urinary salt balance of &gt;150 mEq/24 hours at the time of sample collection. We calculated a 14-point summative LS7 score according to participants’ baseline data. Based on the range of LS7 score in this population, we classified participants as 'inadequate' (3-6), 'average' (7-10), and 'optimal' (11-14). We then performed regression analyses (adjusted for age, sex, race, and serum creatinine) between the LS7 score groups (inadequate, average, or optimal) and biochemical measures, including levels of aldosterone, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6).

Results

When comparing across all three LS7 score groups, a higher LS7 score group was associated with lower aldosterone levels both in the serum (p=0.005, -0.97 [-1.63, -0.30]) and urine (p=0.003, -2.34 [-4.07, -0.825]). Additionally, a higher LS7 score group was associated with lower renin (p=0.008, -0.13 [-0.22, -0.03]) and a blunted increase in aldosterone with angiotensin-II infusion (p=0.019, -1.66 [-3.04, -0.27]). Serum potassium and serum cortisol were not associated with the LS7 scores. Being in the 'optimal' LS7 score group was associated with lower serum levels of CRP (p=0.001, -0.1 [-0.15, -0.04]) and IL-6 (p=0.026, -0.84 [-1.59, -0.10]). Notably, among the individual LS7 components, achieving target blood pressure and exercise goals most significantly impacted the associations between LS7 score and aldosterone levels.

Conclusions

Achieving an optimal American Heart Association's LS7 score was associated with a lower activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and lower levels of the inflammatory markers CRP and IL-6, which may help to explain previous reports of better cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with a higher LS7 score. These findings offer a possible link between ideal cardiovascular health targets and biomarkers known to play a central role in the development of CVD.

Presentation: Monday, June 13, 2022 12:00 p.m. - 12:15 p.m.