Serum chloride as a new marker of cardiovascular risk

Serum Chloride - epidemiology and genetic dissection of a novel marker of cardiovascular risk

Too much dietary salt is widely recognised as a risk factor for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. However, salt’s constituent chloride (Cl) is commonly over-looked. Chloride is an ion found in the body, which makes up around 0.15 per cent of total body weight. After looking at around 13,000 patients with high blood pressure at the Glasgow Pressure Clinic, Dr Padmanabhan and colleagues showed that people with low levels of circulating Cl had a 20 percent higher risk of death and cardiovascular disease. In this Clinical Research Training Fellowship, the fellow at Glasgow University will first look at whether chloride in the serum can be used as an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. They will do this by carrying out a genome-wide association (GWAS) study, with the aim of identifying genes or variants in people which influence serum chloride levels. The team can then use the identified genes to learn more about how genetic variants linked to serum chloride affect the risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers hope a better understanding of how salt levels are maintained in the body will lead to the identification of new treatment targets.