A genetic analysis study suggests that common genetic influences affect both height and CAD risk, partly mediated by genetic effects on LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Shorter height is associated clinically with increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). To help delineate the possible mechanism of this relationship, researchers used a genetics approach to investigate the association between height and CAD in 65,066 people with CAD (73.8% men) and 128,383 controls (49.8% men). The investigators analyzed 180 previously identified height-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the study participants.
The average age of participants was 57.3 years. Mean heights in the sample were not reported. In a meta-analysis that looked at individual subject effects, height-associated SNPs were significantly associated with CAD. Each standard-deviation equivalent of 2.6 inches…
