Triglycerides and remnant cholesterol associated with risk of aortic valve stenosis: Mendelian randomization in the Copenhagen General Population Study

AIMS: We tested the hypothesis that higher levels of plasma triglycerides and remnant cholesterol are observationally and genetically associated with increased risk of aortic valve stenosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 108 559 individuals from the Copenhagen General Population Study. Plasma triglycerides, remnant cholesterol (total cholesterol minus low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and 16 genetic variants causing such increased or decreased levels were determined. Incident aortic valve stenosis occurred in 1593 individuals. Observationally compared to individuals with triglycerides <1 mmol/L (<89 mg/dL), the multifactorially adjusted hazard ratio for aortic valve stenosis was 1.02 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87-1.19] for individuals with triglycerides of 1.0-1.9 mmol/L (89-176 mg/dL), 1.22 (1.02-1.46) for 2.0-2.9 mmol/L (177-265 mg/dL), 1.40 (1.11-1.77) for 3.0-3.9 mmol/L (266-353 mg/dL), 1.29 (0.88-1.90) for 4.0-4.9 mmol/L (354-442 mg/dL), and 1.52 (1.02-2.27) for individuals with triglycerides ≥5 mmol/L (≥443 mg/dL). By age 85, the cumulative incidence of aortic valve stenosis was 5.1% for individuals with plasma triglycerides <2.0 mmol/L (77 mg/dL), 6.5% at 2.0-4.9 mmol/L (177-442 mg/dL), and 8.2% for individuals with plasma triglycerides ≥5.0 mmol/L (443 mg/dL). The corresponding values for remnant cholesterol categories were 4.8% for <0.5 mmol/L (19 mg/dL), 5.6% for 0.5-1.4 mmol/L (19-57 mg/dL), and 7.4% for ≥1.5 mmol/L (58 mg/dL). Genetically, compared to individuals with allele score 13-16, odds ratios for aortic valve stenosis were 1.30 (95% CI 1.20-1.42; Δtriglycerides +12%; Δremnant cholesterol +11%) for allele score 17-18, 1.41 (1.31-1.52; +25%; +22%) for allele score 19-20, and 1.51 (1.22-1.86; +51%; +44%) for individuals with allele score 21-23.

CONCLUSION: Higher triglycerides and remnant cholesterol were observationally and genetically associated with increased risk of aortic valve stenosis.