This study included 964 apparently healthy (no self-reported chronic illnesses, free from clinical symptoms of CVD) black and white men and women (aged 20–30 years old) from the African-PREDICT study. Cardiovascular risk factors used for stratification included obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use, high alcohol intake, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Participants were divided into low (0 risk factors), medium (1–2 risk factors) and high (≥3 risk factors) CV risk groups. We found lower abundances of collagen type I and III derived peptides in the high compared to the low cardiovascular risk group, which may suggest early alterations in the cardiovascular extracellular matrix.
- Dalene de Beer
- Catharina M. C. Mels
- Ruan Kruger
