SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- diaDexus, Inc. today announced the release of a supplement to The American Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 101, No 12A June 16, 2008 that includes an expert consensus panel recommendation to include testing for lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), a vascular-specific inflammatory marker, as an adjunct to traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment. These recommendations are consistent with and build on the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines (ATP III) for the use of inflammatory markers in patients at moderate to high CVD risk to improve identification of those at even higher risk for heart attack and stroke who would benefit from proven therapeutic and lifestyle treatments to prevent these cardiovascular events.
The six paper supplement entitled “Advances in the Detection of Rupture- Prone Plaque: The Role of Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment” was authored by a consensus panel of experts in the fields of cardiology, neurology and laboratory medicine. The panel was formed to review the rapidly emerging literature on Lp-PLA2, an enzyme implicated in the formation of rupture prone plaque.
Peter H. Jones, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Co-Director, Baylor Lipid and Atherosclerosis Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas and co-author of the summary paper entitled “Consensus Panel Recommendation for Incorporating Lipoprotein Associated Phospholipase A2 Testing into Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment Guidelines” comments, “As a highly specific biomarker for vascular inflammation, Lp-PLA2 can identify persons who are at increased risk for heart attack and/or stroke. Elevated Lp- PLA2 levels should prompt consideration of increasing the cardiovascular risk category from moderate to high or high to very high risk, directing initiation or intensification of statin therapy to reduce LDL-cholesterol to prevent heart attacks and strokes.” The consensus panel also endorsed a simplified framework for traditional Framingham risk factor assessment in which any patient with two risk factors is recommended for Lp-PLA2 testing, given that most individuals with two risk factors are at moderate CV risk. In addition, a clinical cutpoint for Lp-PLA2 of >200 ng/mL was recommended for considering a patient at higher risk.
In the paper entitled “Lp-PLA2 and Risk of Stroke”, Philip Gorelick, MD, MPH, Professor and Head of Neurology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, provides a review of several prospective epidemiological studies of Lp-PLA2 and stroke risk, and states that “determining patients at high risk for stroke may be challenging because total and LDL cholesterol may not predict stroke risk very well.” The panel recommends testing Lp-PLA2 to help identify moderate-risk individuals who may be at high risk of stroke for whom more intensive lifestyle and pharmacotherapies may be indicated to reduce stroke and other major vascular events.
In his paper entitled “Lp-PLA2: An Independent Predictor of Coronary Events in Primary and Secondary Prevention,” Jeffrey Anderson, MD, Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), University of Utah School of Medicine reported: “Lp- PLA2 appears to be highly specific for high atherosclerotic disease activity, independent and additive to traditional risk factors and metabolic syndrome. As such, Lp-PLA2 could alert the clinician to initiate proven strategies for coronary event and stroke reduction.”
Both a PDF of the supplement and a searchable text version can be found on The American Journal of Cardiology website at: http://www.ajconline.org/issues/contents?issue_key=S0002-9149(08)X0017-7
ABOUT DIADEXUS
diaDexus, Inc., the educational sponsor of this supplement, is a privately held diagnostics company based in South San Francisco, CA, focused on the development and commercialization of patent-protected in vitro diagnostic products addressing unmet needs in cardiology and oncology. The PLAC Test for Lp-PLA2 is the only blood test cleared by the FDA to aid in assessing risk for both coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke associated with atherosclerosis. The test can be ordered through a physician and is available through many national and local laboratories. For more information, visit http://www.plactest.com or http://www.diaDexus.com.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
The American Journal of Cardiology (http://www.ajconline.org), is one of the oldest and most prestigious cardiology journals published in the United States. AJC publishes peer-reviewed, original scientific studies that have direct clinical significance. The information contained in this supplement in The American Journal of Cardiology is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, and the Journal recommends consultation with your physician or healthcare professional. AJC is published by Elsevier.
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CONTACT: Jane Cordingley of diaDexus, Inc., +1-650-246-6463,
jcordingley@diadexus.com
Web site: http://www.diadexus.com/
http://www.ajconline.org/
