Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the link between the risk of developing coronary heart disease as determined by Framingham risk score (FRS) and the novel cardiac risk factors including serum levels of ferritin, C reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, creatinine, and uric acid.
Methods: A total of 1698 patients aged 65 years or more were examined. Plasma concentrations of lipids, CRP, ferritin, homocysteine, uric acid, and creatinine were measured in all the patients. The FRS was calculated for each patient who were divided into three groups according to their FRSs: score 0-9, score 10-19, and score 20 or more group.
Results: Levels of creatinine, uric acid, CRP, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, folate, ferritin, and homocysteine were significantly different between the three groups. Homocysteine, ferritin, triglyceride, uric acid, and creatinine significantly increased the risk of passing from score 0-9 group to 10-19 group. Triglyceride and creatinine also increased the risk of passing from score 10-19 group to 20 or more group.
Conclusion: An increase in homocysteine, uric acid, ferritin, creatinine, and triglyceride levels is associated with an increase in FRS in elderly people. The current findings support the use of these novel risk factors for diagnosis of coronary heart disease in elderly patients.