AS126 - Hormones and Biomarkers Predicting Stroke in Women

This page provides study documentation for AS126. For description of the specimen results, see Specimen Results Description (open to public). Data sets of the specimen results are included in the existing WHI datasets located on the WHI Data on this site (sign in and a completed Data Distribution Agreement are required; see details on the Data site).

Investigator Names and Contact Information

Sylvia Smoller, Ph.D., Albert Einstein Medical School

Introduction/Intent

The goal of this research is to determine whether blood-based biomarkers and polymorphisms in candidate genes can be used to characterize individuals at high risk for future stroke.  The study will use a population based nested case-control of 1100 stroke cases and 1100 controls to investigate the associations of selected biomarkers, genetic factors, and lifestyle variables, with risk of stroke among participants in the Observational Study component of WHI. 

The molecular and genetic markers to be examined in this study are hypothesized to participant in the etiology of stroke through the pathways of inflammation and thromboisis/atherocsclerosis/hemostasis. 

  • Aim 1:  Determine whether genetic factors and serologic markers related to inflammation are associated with increased risk of stroke in postmenopausal women. 

  • Aim 2:  Compare incident cases of stroke with controls with regard to baseline measures of markers of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, lipid and glucose metabolism, antioxidants and other blood analytes.  Compare allelic frequencies within race group of candidate genes involved in thrombosis/atherosclerosis. 

  • Aim 3:  determine the effects of use of exogenous estrogen on risk of stroke and on markers of inflammation and thromboisis/atherocsclerosis/hemostasis.

  • Aim 4:  Determine whether allelic variations in candidate genes involved in hypertension are associated with risk of stroke.

  • Aim 5:  Determine whether the effects on stroke risk of established risk factors and use of specific medications, will be modified in the presence of markers of inflammation and/or thromboisis/atherocsclerosis/hemostasis.

Results/Findings

Some of the publications related to this ancillary study are:

Ms602 - Kaplan RC, McGinn AP, Baird AE, Hendrix SL, Kooperberg C, Lynch J, Rosenbaum DM, Johnson KC, Strickler HD, Wassertheil-Smoller S. Inflammation and hemostasis biomarkers for predicting stroke in postmenopausal women: the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2008 Nov-Dec;17(6):344-55.

Ms603 - Wassertheil-Smoller S, Kooperberg C, McGinn AP, Kaplan RC, Hsia J, Hendrix SL, Manson JE, Berger JS, Kuller LH, Allison MA, Baird AE. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, hormone use, and the risk of ischemic stroke in postmenopausal women. Hypertension. 2008 Apr;51(4):1115-22. Epub 2008 Feb 7.

Ms672 - Wildman RP, Kaplan R, Manson JE, Rajkovic A, Connelly SA, Mackey RH, Tinker LF, Curb JD, Eaton CB and Wassertheil-Smoller S. Body size phenotypes and inflammation in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. Obesity. 2011 Jan 13. [Epub ahead of print]

Ms829 - Berger JS, McGinn AP, Howard BV, Kuller L, Manson JE, Otvos J, Curb JD, Eaton CB, Kaplan RC, Lynch JK, Rosenbaum DM, Wassertheil-Smoller S. Lipid and lipoprotein biomarkers and the risk of ischemic stroke in postmenopausal women. Stroke. 2012 Feb 2. [Epub ahead of print]

Ms869 - Ogorodnikova AD, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Mancuso P, Sowers MR, Rajpathak SN, Allison MA, Baird AE, Rodriguez B, and Wildman RP. High-molecular-weight adiponectin and incident ischemic stroke in postmenopausal women. A Women’s Health Initiative Study. Stroke. 2010 May 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Ms872 - Wassertheil-Smoller S, McGinn A, Allison M, Ca T, Curb D, Eaton C, Hendrix S, Kaplan R, Ko M, Martin LW, Xue X. Improvement in stroke risk prediction: role of C-reactive protein and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) in the Women's Health Initiative. Int J Stroke. 2012 Oct 23. [Epub ahead of print]

Ms944 - Yaemsiri S, Sen S, Tinker L, Rosamond W, Wassertheil-Smoller S, He K. Trans fat, aspirin, and ischemic stroke in postmenopausal women. Ann Neurol. 2012 March 1 [Epub ahead of print]

For a complete, up-to-date list of WHI papers related to this ancillary study, please use the searchable Bibliography section of this website. To search for papers by study number, access the Simple Search, and enter the study number in the “Related Studies” field.