Kirsten Bjørklund Holven

Professor - Diet and atherosclerosis

Norwegian version of this page

Email k.b.holven@medisin.uio.no

Phone +47 22851361

Room 2200

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Visiting address Sognsvannsveien 9 Domus Medica 0372 Oslo

Postal address Postboks 1046 Blindern 0317 Oslo

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Academic interests

The main research interest of the Research Group to understand the impact of cholesterol exposure on early atherosclerosis and the effect of cholesterol modulation through medical and dietary means including cholesterol exposure in utero and the impact on offspring Health.

Mild hypercholesterolemia is primarily lifestyle-induced, but more severe hypercholesterolemia is often caused by a genetic disposition such as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). FH is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by increased LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, increased risk for premature atherosclerosis and CVD. FH represent thus an ideal model-disease for studying premature CVD and of the benefits of early intervention to prevent CVD.

In Europe, people aged 65 years and older will be the fastest growing segment of the population in the coming decades. The ageing process may be influenced throughout the whole life span and factors like healthy lifestyle (e.g. healthy dietary intake, physical activity, no-smoking), psychosocial factors and socio-demographics may influence healthy ageing.

The research group is involved in projects delineating the role and impact of nutrition and catabolic stressors on healthy ageing

We are performing clinical studies with patients or healthy individuals and the effects of the interventions are studied at cellular and molecular level.

By using comprehensive metabolic profiling we can more precisely define phenotypes and understand the impact of different interventions. This information will enable us to give more precise medical treatment (personalized medicine) and dietary advices (personalized nutrition).

Courses taught

Bachelor courses in nutrition: ERN 3100, ERN 3200, MED3300.

Background

2007- Professor in Clinical Nutrition
1998-2007: Researcher/post.doc
1991-1997: PhD in nutrtion
1984-1990: Nutrition physiologist (ernæringsfysiolog)

Positions held

1993-1995 Member of the board in the Norwegian Society of Nutrition
2003-2007 Member of the board in the Scandinavian Society of Atherosclerosis Research
2007- member of education Committee, Department of nutrition
2014-2018 Deputy leader of education Committee, Department of nutrition
Sept 2018- Leader of of education Committee, Department of nutrition

Collaboration

The National Advisory Unit on FH, OUS-HF
The Lipid Clinic, OUS-HF
Inst for Internal medicine, OUS-HF
Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, NL

Tags: Cholesterol, FH, Maternal, Atherosclerosis Nutrition, Inflammation

Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Sonestedt, Emily (2024). Milk and dairy products - a scoping review for nordic nutrition recommendations 2023. Food & Nutrition Research (FNR). ISSN 1654-6628. 68. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v68.10486.
Bålsrud, Pia; Ulven, Stine Marie; Christensen, Jacob J.; Ottestad, Inger & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2024). Inflammatory markers and frailty in home-dwelling elderly, a cross-sectional study. BMC Geriatrics. ISSN 1471-2318. 24(1), p. 1–11. doi: 10.1186/s12877-024-04690-2.
Gregersen, Ida; Narverud, Ingunn; Christensen, Jacob J.; Hovland, Anders Wilhelm; Øyri, Linn Kristin Lie & Ueland, Thor [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2024). Plasma legumain in familial hypercholesterolemia: associations with statin use and cardiovascular risk markers. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation. ISSN 0036-5513. doi: 10.1080/00365513.2024.2309617.
Rønning, Sissel Beate; Carlsen, Harald; Rocha, Sergio Domingos Cardoso; Rud, Ida; Solberg, Nina & Høst, Vibeke [Show all 18 contributors for this article] (2024). Dietary intake of micronized avian eggshell membrane in aged mice reduces circulating inflammatory markers, increases microbiota diversity, and attenuates skeletal muscle aging. Frontiers in Nutrition. ISSN 2296-861X. 10, p. 1–19. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1336477. Full text in Research Archive
Christensen, Jacob J.; Arnesen, Erik Kristoffer; Rundblad, Amanda; Telle-Hansen, Vibeke; Narverud, Ingunn & Blomhoff, Rune [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2023). Dietary fat quality, plasma atherogenic lipoproteins, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: An overview of the rationale for dietary recommendations for fat intake. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 389. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.117433. Full text in Research Archive
Skytte, Hege; Roland, Marie Cecilie; Christensen, Jacob J.; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Lekva, Tove & Gunnes, Nina [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Maternal metabolic profiling across body mass index groups: An exploratory longitudinal study. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. ISSN 0001-6349. 103(3), p. 540–550. doi: 10.1111/aogs.14750. Full text in Research Archive
Roeters Van Lennep, Jeanine E.; Tokgözoǧlu, Lale S.; Badimon, Lina; Dumanski, Sandra M.; Gulati, Martha & Hess, Connie N. [Show all 16 contributors for this article] (2023). Women, lipids, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: a call to action from the European Atherosclerosis Society. European Heart Journal. ISSN 0195-668X. 44(39), p. 4157–4173. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad472. Full text in Research Archive
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Roeters van Lennep, Jeanine (2023). Sex differences in lipids: A life course approach. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 384. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.117270.
Klevmoen, Marianne; Mulder, Janneke W.C.M.; Roeters van Lennep, Jeanine E. & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2023). Sex Differences in Familial Hypercholesterolemia. Current Atherosclerosis Reports. ISSN 1523-3804. 25, p. 861–868. doi: 10.1007/s11883-023-01155-6. Full text in Research Archive
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Fossli, Maria; Ottestad, Inger ; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ulven, Stine Marie & Løland, Beate Fossum [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Dietary treatment postpartum in women with obesity reduces weight and prevents weight gain: a randomised controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. ISSN 1471-2393. 23. doi: 10.1186/s12884-023-05976-w. Full text in Research Archive
Schreuder, M.M.; Hamkour, S.; Siegers, K.E.; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Johansen, Anja Katrin & van de Ree, de [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2023). LDL cholesterol targets rarely achieved in familial hypercholesterolemia patients: A sex and gender-specific analysis. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 384. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.03.022. Full text in Research Archive
Macpherson, Magnhild Eide; Skarpengland, Tonje; Hov, Johannes Espolin Roksund; Ranheim, Trine; Vestad, Beate & Dahl, Tuva Børresdatter [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2023). Increased Plasma Levels of Triglyceride-Enriched Lipoproteins Associate with Systemic Inflammation, Lipopolysaccharides, and Gut Dysbiosis in Common Variable Immunodeficiency. Journal of Clinical Immunology. ISSN 0271-9142. 43, p. 1229–1240. doi: 10.1007/s10875-023-01475-x. Full text in Research Archive
Rodriguez-Borjabad, Celia; Narverud, Ingunn; Christensen, Jacob J.; Ibarretxe, Daiana; Andreychuk, Natalia & Girona, Josefa [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2023). Association between Nordic and Mediterranean diets with lipoprotein phenotype assessed by <sup>1</sup>HNMR in children with familial hypercholesterolemia. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 373, p. 38–45. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.04.009. Full text in Research Archive
Johansen, Anja Katrin; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Christensen, Jacob J.; Rundblad, Amanda; Narverud, Ingunn & Ulven, Stine Marie [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2023). Young women with familial hypercholesterolemia have higher LDL-cholesterol burden than men: Novel data using repeated measurements during 12-years follow-up. Atherosclerosis Plus. ISSN 2667-0909. 51, p. 28–34. doi: 10.1016/j.athplu.2023.01.001. Full text in Research Archive
Sequeira de Sousa, Ana Rita; Ottestad, Inger ; Gjevestad, Gyrd Omholt; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ulven, Stine Marie & Christensen, Jacob J. (2023). Associations between PBMC whole genome transcriptome, muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance in healthy home-dwelling older women. GeroScience. ISSN 2509-2715. 45, p. 3175–3186. doi: 10.1007/s11357-023-00819-0. Full text in Research Archive
Rundblad, Amanda; Sandoval Sandoval, Viviana Paz; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ordovás, José M. & Ulven, Stine Marie (2023). Omega-3 fatty acids and individual variability in plasma triglyceride response: A mini-review. Redox Biology. ISSN 2213-2317. 63, p. 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102730. Full text in Research Archive
Øyri, Linn K. L.; Christensen, Jacob J.; Sebert, Sylvain; Thoresen, Magne; Michelsen, Trond M. & Ulven, Stine M. [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2023). Maternal prenatal cholesterol levels predict offspring weight trajectories during childhood in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. BMC Medicine. ISSN 1741-7015. 21. doi: 10.1186/s12916-023-02742-9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background Numerous intrauterine factors may affect the offspring’s growth during childhood. We aimed to explore if maternal and paternal prenatal lipid, apolipoprotein (apo)B and apoA1 levels are associated with offspring weight, length, and body mass index from 6 weeks to eight years of age. This has previously been studied to a limited extent. Methods This parental negative control study is based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study and uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. We included 713 mothers and fathers with or without self-reported hypercholesterolemia and their offspring. Seven parental metabolites were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and offspring weight and length were measured at 12 time points. Data were analyzed by linear spline mixed models, and the results are presented as the interaction between parental metabolite levels and offspring spline (age). Results Higher maternal total cholesterol (TC) level was associated with a larger increase in offspring body weight up to 8 years of age (0.03 ≤ Pinteraction ≤ 0.04). Paternal TC level was not associated with change in offspring body weight (0.17 ≤ Pinteraction ≤ 0.25). Higher maternal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apoA1 levels were associated with a lower increase in offspring body weight up to 8 years of age (0.001 ≤ Pinteraction ≤ 0.005). Higher paternal HDL-C and apoA1 levels were associated with a lower increase in offspring body weight up to 5 years of age but a larger increase in offspring body weight from 5 to 8 years of age (0.01 ≤ Pinteraction ≤ 0.03). Parental metabolites were not associated with change in offspring height or body mass index up to 8 years of age (0.07 ≤ Pinteraction ≤ 0.99). Conclusions Maternal compared to paternal TC, HDL-C, and apoA1 levels were more strongly and consistently associated with offspring body weight during childhood, supporting a direct intrauterine effect.
Skytte, Hege; Christensen, Jacob J.; Gunnes, Nina; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Lekva, Tove & Henriksen, Tore [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2023). Metabolic profiling of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia: A longitudinal study. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. ISSN 0001-6349. 102(3), p. 334–343. doi: 10.1111/aogs.14505. Full text in Research Archive
Rundblad, Amanda; Christensen, Jacob J.; Hustad, Kristin Solheim; Bastani, Nasser Ezzatkhah; Ottestad, Inger & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Associations between dietary intake and glucose tolerance in clinical and metabolomics-based metabotypes. Genes & Nutrition. ISSN 1555-8932. 18(3). doi: 10.1186/s12263-023-00721-6. Full text in Research Archive
Hovland, Anders; Mundal, Liv; Veierød, Marit Bragelien; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven & Tell, Grethe Seppola [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2022). The risk of various types of cardiovascular diseases in mutation positive familial hypercholesterolemia; a review. Frontiers in Genetics. ISSN 1664-8021. 13. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1072108. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common, inherited disease characterized by high levels of low-density lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) from birth. Any diseases associated with increased LDL-C levels including atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs) would be expected to be overrepresented among FH patients. There are several clinical scoring systems aiming to diagnose FH, however; most individuals who meet the clinical criteria for a FH diagnosis do not have a mutation causing FH. In this review, we aim to summarize the literature on the risk for the various forms of ASCVD in subjects with a proven FH-mutation (FH+). We searched for studies on FH+ and cardiovascular diseases and also included our and other groups published papers on FH + on a wide range of cardiovascular and other diseases of the heart and vessels. FH + patients are at a markedly increased risk of a broad range of ASCVD. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the most common in absolute numbers, but also aortic valve stenosis is by far associated with the highest excess risk. Per thousand patients, we observed 3.6 incident AMI per year compared to 1.9 incident aortic valve stenosis, however, standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for incident AMI was 2.3 compared to 7.9 for incident aortic valve stenosis. Further, occurrence of ischemic stroke seems not to be associated with increased risk in FH+. Clinicians should be aware of the excess risk of almost all kind of ASCVD in FH+, and the neutral risk of stroke need to be studied further in FH + patients.
Urke, Eli Bjørnøy; Igland, Jannicke; Mundal, Liv; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Retterstøl, Kjetil & Svendsen, Karianne (2022). Individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia have excess risk of eating disorders: a prospectively matched cohort study. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (EJPC). ISSN 2047-4873. 30(4). doi: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwac291. Full text in Research Archive
Christensen, Jacob Juel; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Retterstøl, Kjetil; Veierød, Marit Bragelien & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2022). Use of statins and other lipid-modifying agents across pregnancy – a nationwide drug utilization study of 822 071 pregnancies in Norway in 2005-2018. medRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2022.06.28.22276237. Full text in Research Archive
Christensen, Jacob Juel; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Retterstøl, Kjetil; Veierød, Marit Bragelien & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2022). Use of statins and other lipid-modifying agents across pregnancy: A nationwide drug utilization study in Norway in 2005–2018. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. p. 1–10. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2022.11.022. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background and aims Statins are becoming more widely used among women of reproductive age; however, nationwide data on statin use across pregnancy is scarce. We therefore aimed to describe the drug utilization patterns for statins and other lipid-modifying agents (LMAs) before, during, and after pregnancy, for all pregnancies in Norway from 2005 to 2018. Methods We linked individual-level data from four nationwide electronic health care registries in Norway and characterized the prescription fills of statins and other LMAs across pregnancy. We also examined trends in pregnancy-related LMA use, and characterized women using statins and other LMAs on parameters of health status and co-morbidity. Results In total, 822,071 pregnancies for 503,723 women were included. The number of statin prescription fills decreased rapidly during the first trimester and returned to pre-pregnancy levels about one year postpartum. Pregnancy-related statin use increased from 2005 (approx. 0.11% of all pregnancies) to 2018 (approx. 0.29% of all pregnancies); however, in total, few statin prescriptions were filled within any trimester of pregnancy (n = 331, 0.04% of all pregnancies). Statin use was more common in women with higher age, higher weight, smoking, and comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus; also, statin users often had co-medication pertinent to these conditions. Conclusions Although statins and other LMAs were increasingly being used around the time of pregnancy among women in Norway, drug use was mostly discontinued during the first trimester. Our results suggest that pregnancy-related statin use should be monitored, and that drug safety analyses for maternal and offspring health outcomes are needed.
Berk, Kirsten A.; Borgeraas, Heidi; Narverud, Ingunn; Mulder, Monique T.; Øyri, Linn Kristin Lie & Verhoeven, Adrie J M [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2022). Differential effects of bariatric surgery and lifestyle interventions on plasma levels of Lp(a) and fatty acids. Lipids in Health and Disease. ISSN 1476-511X. 21(145), p. 1–14. doi: 10.1186/s12944-022-01756-1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Limited evidence suggests that surgical and non-surgical obesity treatment differentially influence plasma Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels. Further, a novel association between plasma arachidonic acid and Lp(a) has recently been shown, suggesting that fatty acids are a possible target to influence Lp(a). Here, the effects of bariatric surgery and lifestyle interventions on plasma levels of Lp(a) were compared, and it was examined whether the effects were mediated by changes in plasma fatty acid (FA) levels. Methods The study includes two independent trials of patients with overweight or obesity. Trial 1: Two-armed intervention study including 82 patients who underwent a 7-week low energy diet (LED), followed by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and 52-week follow-up (surgery-group), and 77 patients who underwent a 59-week energy restricted diet- and exercise-program (lifestyle-group). Trial 2: A clinical study including 134 patients who underwent a 20-week very-LED/LED (lifestyle-cohort). Results In the surgery-group, Lp(a) levels [median (interquartile range)] tended to increase in the pre-surgical LED-phase [17(7–68)-21(7–81)nmol/L, P = 0.05], but decreased by 48% after surgery [21(7–81)—11(7–56)nmol/L, P < 0.001]. In the lifestyle-group and lifestyle-cohort, Lp(a) increased by 36%[14(7–77)—19(7–94)nmol/L, P < 0.001] and 14%[50(14–160)—57(19–208)nmol/L, P < 0.001], respectively. Changes in Lp(a) were independent of weight loss. Plasma levels of total saturated FAs remained unchanged after surgery, but decreased after lifestyle interventions. Arachidonic acid and total n-3 FAs decreased after surgery, but increased after lifestyle interventions. Plasma FAs did not mediate the effects on Lp(a). Conclusion Bariatric surgery reduced, whereas lifestyle interventions increased plasma Lp(a), independent of weight loss. The interventions differentially influenced changes in plasma FAs, but these changes did not mediate changes in Lp(a).
Canet, Francisco; Christensen, Jacob J.; Victor, Victor M.; Hustad, Kristin Solheim; Ottestad, Inger & Rundblad, Amanda [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2022). Glycated proteins, glycine, acetate, and monounsaturated fatty acids may act as new biomarkers to predict the progression of type 2 diabetes: Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. ISSN 2072-6643. 14(23), p. 1–19. doi: 10.3390/nu14235165. Full text in Research Archive
Adank, Maria C.; Johansen, Anja Katrin; Benschop, Laura; Van Streun, Sophia P.; Smak Gregoor, Anna M. & Øyri, Linn Kristin Lie [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2022). Maternal lipid levels in early pregnancy as a predictor of childhood lipid levels: a prospective cohort study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. ISSN 1471-2393. 22(1). doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04905-7. Full text in Research Archive
Telle-Hansen, Vibeke; Gaundal, Line; Bastani, Nasser Ezzatkhah; Rud, Ida; Byfuglien, Marte G. & Gjøvaag, Terje [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2022). Replacing saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids increases the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and is associated with reduced total cholesterol levels-a randomized controlled trial in healthy individuals. Lipids in Health and Disease. ISSN 1476-511X. 21, p. 1–13. doi: 10.1186/s12944-022-01702-1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Improving dietary fat quality strongly affects serum cholesterol levels and hence the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Recent studies have identified dietary fat as a potential modulator of the gut microbiota, a central regulator of host metabolism including lipid metabolism. We have previously shown a significant reduction in total cholesterol levels after replacing saturated fatty acids (SFAs) with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary fat quality on gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and bile acids in healthy individuals. In addition, to investigate how changes in gut microbiota correlate with blood lipids, bile acids, and fatty acids.
Brunvoll, Sonja Hjellegjerde; Nygaard, Anders Benteson; Ellingjord-Dale, Merete; Holland, Petter; Istre, Mette Stausland & Kalleberg, Karl Trygve [Show all 15 contributors for this article] (2022). Prevention of covid-19 and other acute respiratory infections with cod liver oil supplementation, a low dose vitamin D supplement: quadruple blinded, randomised placebo controlled trial. The BMJ. ISSN 1756-1833. 378. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2022-071245. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Objective To determine if daily supplementation with cod liver oil, a low dose vitamin D supplement, in winter, prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection, serious covid-19, or other acute respiratory infections in adults in Norway. Design Quadruple blinded, randomised placebo controlled trial. Setting Norway, 10 November 2020 to 2 June 2021. Participants 34601 adults (aged 18-75 years), not taking daily vitamin D supplements. Intervention 5 mL/day of cod liver oil (10 µg of vitamin D, n=17278) or placebo (n=17323) for up to six months. Main outcome measures Four co-primary endpoints were predefined: the first was a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result determined by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the second was serious covid-19, defined as self-reported dyspnoea, admission to hospital, or death. Other acute respiratory infections were indicated by the third and fourth co-primary endpoints: a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result and self-reported symptoms. Side effects related to the supplementation were self-reported. The fallback method was used to handle multiple comparisons. Results Supplementation with cod liver oil was not associated with a reduced risk of any of the co-primary endpoints. Participants took the supplement (cod liver oil or placebo) for a median of 164 days, and 227 (1.31%) participants in the cod liver oil group and 228 (1.32%) participants in the placebo group had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result (relative risk 1.00, multiple comparison adjusted confidence interval 0.82 to 1.22). Serious covid-19 was identified in 121 (0.70%) participants in the cod liver oil group and in 101 (0.58%) participants in the placebo group (1.20, 0.87 to 1.65). 8546 (49.46%) and 8565 (49.44%) participants in the cod liver oil and placebo groups, respectively, had ≥1 negative SARS-CoV-2 test results (1.00, 0.97 to 1.04). 3964 (22.94%) and 3834 (22.13%) participants in the cod liver oil and placebo groups, respectively, reported ≥1 acute respiratory infections (1.04, 0.97 to 1.11). Only low grade side effects were reported in the cod liver oil and placebo groups. Co nclusion Supplementation with cod liver oil in the winter did not reduce the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, serious covid-19, or other acute respiratory infections compared with placebo. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04609423.
Melnes, Torunn; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Thorsen, Ida; Fossum, Julie; Christensen, Jacob J. & Narverud, Ingunn [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). What characterizes event-free elderly FH patients? A comprehensive lipoprotein profiling. NMCD. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. ISSN 0939-4753. 32(7), p. 1651–1660. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2022.03.028. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterized by lifelong elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increased risk of pre- mature coronary heart disease (CHD). Cholesterol-lowering therapy (statins) reduces CHD risk, but have been available only in the last 25 years, thus, elderly FH patients have been exposed to elevated LDL-C levels most of their life. Surprisingly, some of these have never experienced any CHD event, raising the question whether they present CHD resistant characteristics. Identifying possible cardioprotective biomarkers could contribute to future CHD preventive treatment, therefore, we aimed to identify metabolic markers in event-free elderly FH subjects. Methods and results: We used a high-throughput nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy platform to quantify a large number of metabolites in serum samples from 83 FH patients >65 years, and analyze differences between subjects with (n = 39) and without (n = 44) CHD. Mean age was 70 years in both groups (57% and 38% female in the event-free group and CHD group, respectively). The event-free group had significantly higher levels of large and extra-large high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, and higher concentration of Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and cholesterol in HDL and HDL2 particles, compared to the CHD group (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: CHD resistant elderly FH patients have higher levels of large HDL particles. The mechanisms behind the event-free survival among these patients remain unclear; hence, a deeper understanding of the metabolic profile in event-free elderly FH subjects may lead to development of novel preventive therapies.
Hjorth, Marit; Doncheva, Atanaska Ivanova; Norheim, Frode Amador; Ulven, Stine Marie; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Sæther, Thomas [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Consumption of salmon fishmeal increases hepatic cholesterol content in obese C57BL/6 J mice. European Journal of Nutrition. ISSN 1436-6207. 61, p. 4027–4043. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02930-y. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Abstract Purpose By-products from farmed fish contain large amounts of proteins and may be used for human consumption. The purpose of this study was to investigate cardiometabolic effects and metabolic tolerance in mice consuming fishmeal from salmon by-products, salmon filet or beef. Methods Female C57BL/6J mice were fed chow, as a healthy reference group, or a high-fat diet for 10 weeks to induce obesity and glucose intolerance. Obese mice were subsequently given isocaloric diets containing 50% of the dietary protein from salmon fishmeal, salmon filet or beef for 10 weeks. Mice were subjected to metabolic phenotyping, which included measurements of body composition, energy metabolism in metabolic cages and glucose tolerance. Lipid content and markers of hepatic toxicity were determined in plasma and liver. Hepatic gene and protein expression was determined with RNA sequencing and immunoblotting. Results Mice fed fishmeal, salmon filet or beef had similar food intake, energy consumption, body weight gain, adiposity, glucose tolerance and circulating levels of lipids and hepatic toxicity markers, such as p-ALT and p-AST. Fishmeal increased hepatic cholesterol levels by 35–36% as compared to salmon filet (p = 0.0001) and beef (p = 0.005). This was accompanied by repressed expression of genes involved in steroid and cholesterol metabolism and reduced levels of circulating Pcsk9. Conclusion Salmon fishmeal was well tolerated, but increased hepatic cholesterol content. The high cholesterol content in fishmeal may be responsible for the effects on hepatic cholesterol metabolism. Before introducing fishmeal from salmon by-products as a dietary component, it may be advantageous to reduce the cholesterol content in fishmeal. Introduction
Parys, Anthea van; Sæle, Jostein; Puaschitz, Nathalie Genevieve; Anfinsen, Åslaug Matre; Karlsson, Therese & Olsen, Thomas [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2022). The association between dairy intake and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with stable angina pectoris. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (EJPC). ISSN 2047-4873. 30(3), p. 219–229. doi: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwac217. Full text in Research Archive
Svendsen, Karianne; Olsen, Thomas; Vinknes, Kathrine Jørgensen; Mundal, Liv; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Bogsrud, Martin Prøven [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). Risk of stroke in genetically verified familial hypercholesterolemia: A prospective matched cohort study. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 358, p. 34–40. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2022.08.015. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background and aims: Individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), causing severely elevated LDL-C, are expected to have a higher risk of ischemic stroke. The risk of hemorrhagic stroke and impact of statin use are, however, not known. We aimed to investigate the risk of incident total, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in individuals with FH compared to controls, and to explore the association between cumulative statin use and risk of total stroke in FH. Methods: This prospective cohort study consists of 4186 individuals with genetically verified FH and 82 180 age and sex matched controls followed from 2008 to 2018 for incident stroke. Daily defined doses (DDD) described cumulative statin exposure: 0–5000 DDD (“low”), 5000–10,000 DDD (“intermediate”), and >10 000 DDD (“high”). Results were presented as hazard ratio (95% CI) derived from Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Individuals with FH did not have a higher risk of total stroke (1.16 (0.95–1.43) nor ischemic stroke (1.11 (0.88–1.38). Excess risk of hemorrhagic stroke was observed (1.63 (1.07, 2.48) but attenuated after adjusting for antithrombotic medication (1.25 (0.81, 1.93). Among individuals with FH, there was no association between statin use and total stroke for intermediate vs. low DDD [0.69 (0.32, 1.48)] or for high vs. low DDD [0.83 (0.41, 1.67)]. Conclusions: No significant excess risk of incident total and ischemic stroke in FH, and no difference in total stroke risk among the FH population with low, intermediate, and high statin exposure were observed. The observed relationship between FH and hemorrhagic stroke was no longer significant after adjusting for use of anti- thrombotic medication.
Gaundal, Line; Myhrstad, Mari; Rud, Ida; Gjøvaag, Terje; Byfuglien, Marte G. & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). Gut microbiota is associated with dietary intake and metabolic markers in healthy individuals. Food & Nutrition Research (FNR). ISSN 1654-6628. 66. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v66.8580. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: Metabolic diseases have been related to gut microbiota, and new knowledge indicates that diet impacts host metabolism through the gut microbiota. Identifying specific gut bacteria associated with both diet and metabolic risk markers may be a potential strategy for future dietary disease prevention. However, studies investigating the association between the gut microbiota, diet, and metabolic markers in healthy indi-viduals are scarce.Objective: We explored the relationship between a panel of gut bacteria, dietary intake, and metabolic and anthropometric markers in healthy adults.Design: Forty-nine volunteers were included in this cross-sectional study. Measures of glucose, serum tri-glyceride, total cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), and body mass index (BMI) were collected after an overnight fast, in addition to fecal samples for gut microbiota analyzes using a targeted approach with a panel of 48 bacterial DNA probes and assessment of dietary intake by a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Correlations between gut bacteria, dietary intake, and metabolic and anthropometric markers were assessed by Pearson’s correlation. Gut bacteria varying according to dietary intake and metabolic markers were assessed by a linear regression model and adjusted for age, sex, and BMI.Results: Of the 48 gut bacteria measured, 24 and 16 bacteria correlated significantly with dietary intake and metabolic and/or anthropometric markers, respectively. Gut bacteria including Alistipes, Lactobacillus spp., and Bacteroides stercoris differed according to the intake of the food components, fiber, sodium, saturated fatty acids, and dietary indices, and metabolic markers (BP and total cholesterol) after adjustments. Notably, Bacteroides stercoris correlated positively with the intake of fiber, grain products, and vegetables, and higher Bacteroides stercoris abundance was associated with higher adherence to Healthy Nordic Food Index (HNFI) and lower diastolic BP after adjustment.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the relationship between the gut microbiota, diet, and metabolic mark-ers in healthy individuals. Further investigations are needed to address whether these findings are causally linked and whether targeting these gut bacteria can prevent metabolic diseases.
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Kirchner, Lisa; Winkvist, Anna; Bertz, Fredrik; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Ulven, Stine Marie [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Effects of dietary and exercise treatments on HDL subclasses in lactating women with overweight and obesity: A secondary analysis of an RCT. British Journal of Nutrition. ISSN 0007-1145. 128, p. 2105–2114. doi: 10.1017/S0007114522000241. Full text in Research Archive
Pigsborg, Kristina; Gürdeniz, Gözde; Rangel-Huerta, Oscar Daniel; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Dragsted, Lars Ove & Ulven, Stine Marie (2022). Effects of changing from a diet with saturated fat to a diet with n-6 polyunsaturated fat on the serum metabolome in relation to cardiovascular disease risk factors. European Journal of Nutrition. ISSN 1436-6207. 61, p. 2079–2989. doi: 10.1007/s00394-021-02796-6. Full text in Research Archive
Mundal, Liv; Igland, Jannicke; Svendsen, Karianne; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Leren, Trond Paul & Retterstøl, Kjetil (2022). Association of familial hypercholesterolemia and statin use with risk of dementia in Norway. JAMA Network Open. ISSN 2574-3805. 5:e227715(4), p. 1–11. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.7715. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
IMPORTANCE Hypercholesterolemia, which is a cardiovascular risk factor, may also be associated with dementia risk. The benefit of statin treatment on dementia risk is controversial. OBJECTIVE To determine whether individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), who have been exposed to lifelong hypercholesterolemia, have an excess risk of dementia and whether statin use is associated with dementia risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This was a prospective cohort study performed from 2008 to 2018 in Norway. Statistical analysis was performed from January 2021 to February 2022. This study included individuals with genetically verified FH and age-matched and sex-matched controls obtained from the general Norwegian population. EXPOSURES Dementia was defined according to International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes F00-03 and G30. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Incident cases of total dementia, vascular dementia, Alzheimer disease–dementia in Alzheimer disease, and data on lipid-lowering medication were obtained from the Norwegian Patient Registry, Cause of Death Registry, and the Norwegian Prescription Database. Hazard ratios (HRs) for risk of dementia for individuals with FH vs matched controls were calculated using Cox regression. The cumulative sum of defined daily doses (DDDs) of statins prescribed during study follow-up was calculated for individuals with FH and was analyzed as a time-varying covariate with 3 levels: 1 to 4999 DDDs, 5000 to 10 000 DDDs, and more than 10 000 DDDs. RESULTS Among the 3520 individuals with FH (1863 women [52.9%]; mean [SD] age at the start of follow-up, 51.8 [11.5] years) and the 69 713 controls (36 958 women [53.0%]; mean [SD] age at the start of follow-up, 51.7 [11.5] years), 62 patients with FH (39 women [62.9%]) and 1294 controls (801 women [61.9%]) had developed dementia over the course of 10 years of follow-up. Most dementia cases occurred among individuals aged 70 years and older (39 patients with FH [62.9%] and 870 patients [67.2%] in the control group). We found no excess risk of dementia in patients with FH vs matched controls (HR for total dementia, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.7-1.2). There was no association between cumulative DDDs of statins and total dementia in patients with FH with HRs of 1.2 (95% CI, 0.4-3.8) for cumulative DDDs of 5000 to 10 000 and 1.9 (95% CI, 0.7-5.0) for cumulative DDDs greater than 10 000. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings suggest that individuals with FH have no excess risk of dementia compared with age-matched and sex-matched controls and that there is no association between use of statins and risk of dementia in patients with FH
Telle-Hansen, Vibeke; Gaundal, Line; Høgvard, Benedicte; Ulven, Stine Marie; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Byfuglien, Marte Gjeitung [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2022). A three-day intervention with granola containing cereal beta-glucan improves glycemic response and changes the gut microbiota in healthy individuals: A crossover study. Frontiers in Nutrition. ISSN 2296-861X. 9, p. 1–16. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.796362. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Intake of soluble fibers including beta-glucan, is known to improve post-prandial glycemic response. The mechanisms have been attributed to the viscous gel forming in the stomach and small intestine, giving a longer absorption time. However, recent evidence suggests a link between intake of beta-glucan and improved glycemic regulation at subsequent meals through the gut microbiota. We investigated the short-term effect of granola with different amounts of cereal beta-glucan on glycemic response and gut microbiota. After a two-week run-in period (baseline), fourteen healthy, normal weight adults completed a dose-response dietary crossover study. Different amounts of cereal beta-glucan (low: 0.8 g, medium: 3.2 g and high: 6.6 g) were provided in granola and eaten with 200 ml low-fat milk as an evening meal for three consecutive days. Blood glucose and insulin were measured fasted and after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) the following day, in addition to peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-2), fasting short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in blood, breath H2, and gut microbiota in feces. Only the intervention with medium amounts of beta-glucan decreased blood glucose and insulin during OGTT compared to baseline. Fasting PYY increased with both medium and high beta-glucan meal compared to the low beta-glucan meal. The microbiota and SCFAs changed after all three interventions compared to baseline, where acetate and butyrate increased, while propionate was unchanged. Highest positive effect size after intake of beta-glucan was found with Haemophilus, followed by Veillonella and Sutterella. Furthermore, we found several correlations between different bacterial taxa and markers of glycemic response. In summary, intake of granola containing 3.2 g cereal beta-glucan as an evening meal for three consecutive days reduced the glycemic response after an OGTT 0-180 min and changed gut microbiota composition. Since we cannot rule out that other fiber types have contributed to the effect, more studies are needed to further explore the effect of cereal beta-glucan on glycemic regulation.
Ronkainen, Justiina; Nedelec, Rozenn; Atehortua, Angelica; Balkhiyarova, Zhanna; Cascarano, Anna & Dang, Vien Ngoc [Show all 73 contributors for this article] (2022). LongITools: Dynamic longitudinal exposome trajectories in cardiovascular and metabolic noncommunicable diseases. Environmental Epidemiology. ISSN 2474-7882. 6(1). doi: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000184. Full text in Research Archive
Hjorth, Marit; Galigniana, Natalia; Ween, Ola; Ulven, Stine Marie; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Dalen, Knut Tomas [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Postprandial Effects of Salmon Fishmeal and Whey on Metabolic Markers in Serum and Gene Expression in Liver Cells. Nutrients. ISSN 2072-6643. 14(8). doi: 10.3390/nu14081593. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Fish is considered an important part of a healthy diet, in part due to the content of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. However, both lean and fatty fish have beneficial health effects, suggesting that micronutrients and proteins may play a role. In a randomised, controlled, cross-over trial, five healthy male participants consumed 5.2 g of protein from either salmon fishmeal or whey. Blood samples were taken before and 30 and 60 min after intake. The concentration of glucose, lipids, hormones and metabolites, including 28 different amino acids and derivatives, were measured in serum or plasma. Cultured HepG2 cells were incubated with or without serum from the participants, and transcriptomic profiling was performed using RNA sequencing. The ingestion of both salmon fishmeal and whey reduced the glucose and triglyceride levels in serum. Protein intake, independent of the source, increased the concentration of 22 amino acids and derivatives in serum. Fishmeal increased the concentration of arginine, methionine, serine, glycine, cystathionine and 2-aminobutyric acid more than whey did. Incubation with postprandial serum resulted in large transcriptomic alterations in serum-fasted HepG2 cells, with the differential expression of >4500 protein coding genes. However, when comparing cells cultivated in fasting serum to postprandial serum after the ingestion of fishmeal and whey, we did not detect any differentially regulated genes, neither with respect to the protein source nor with respect to the time after the meal. The comparable nutrigenomic effects of fishmeal and whey do not change the relevance of fish by-products as an alternative food source.
Hustad, Kristin Solheim; Ottestad, Inger ; Olsen, Thomas; Sæther, Thomas; Ulven, Stine Marie & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2022). Salmon fish protein supplement increases serum vitamin B12 and selenium concentrations: secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. European Journal of Nutrition. ISSN 1436-6207. 61(6), p. 3085–3093. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02857-4. Full text in Research Archive
Langslet, Gisle; Johansen, Anja Katrin; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Narverud, Ingunn; Risstad, Hilde & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2021). Thirty percent of children and young adults with familial hypercholesterolemia treated with statins have adherence issues. American Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpc.2021.100180.
Vallejo-Vaz, Antonio J.; Stevens, Christophe A.T.; Lyons, Alexander R M; Dharmayat, Kanika I.; Freiberger, Tomas & Hovingh, G Kees [Show all 51 contributors for this article] (2021). Global perspective of familial hypercholesterolaemia: a cross-sectional study from the EAS Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC). The Lancet. ISSN 0140-6736. 398(10312), p. 1713–1725. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01122-3.
Hustad, Kristin Solheim; Ottestad, Inger Olaug; Hjorth, Marit; Dalen, Knut Tomas; Sæther, Thomas & Sheikh, Navida Akhter [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2021). No effect of salmon fish protein on 2-h glucose in adults with increased risk of type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition. ISSN 0007-1145. 126(9), p. 1304–1313. doi: 10.1017/S0007114521000040. Full text in Research Archive
Øyri, Linn Kristin Lie; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Kristiansen, Anne Lene; Myhre, Jannicke Borch; Astrup, Helene & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2021). Cholesterol at ages 6, 12 and 24 months: Tracking and associations with diet and maternal cholesterol in the Infant Cholesterol Study. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 326, p. 11–16. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.04.017. Full text in Research Archive
Larsen, Sunniva Veen; Holven, Kirsten B.; Christensen, Jacob J.; Flatberg, Arnar; Rundblad, Amanda & Leder, Lena [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2021). Replacing Saturated Fat with Polyunsaturated Fat Modulates Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Gene Expression and Pathways Related to Cardiovascular Disease Risk Using a Whole Transcriptome Approach. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. ISSN 1613-4125. 65(24). doi: 10.1002/mnfr.202100633. Full text in Research Archive
Quiles-Jiménez, Ana M T; Gregersen, Ida; Segers, Filip; Skarpengland, Tonje; Kroustallaki, Pinelopi & Yang, Kuan [Show all 30 contributors for this article] (2021). DNA glycosylase Neil3 regulates vascular smooth muscle cell biology during atherosclerosis development. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 324, p. 123–132. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.02.023. Full text in Research Archive
Milić, Mirta; Ceppi, Marcello; Bruzzone, Marco ; Azqueta, Amaya; Brunborg, Gunnar & Godschalk, Roger [Show all 90 contributors for this article] (2021). The hCOMET project: International database comparison of results with the comet assay in human biomonitoring. Baseline frequency of DNA damage and effect of main confounders. Mutation research. Reviews in mutation research. ISSN 1383-5742. 787. doi: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2021.108371. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The alkaline comet assay, or single cell gel electrophoresis, is one of the most popular methods for assessing DNA damage in human population. One of the open issues concerning this assay is the identification of those factors that can explain the large inter-individual and inter-laboratory variation. International collaborative initiatives such as the hCOMET project - a COST Action launched in 2016 - represent a valuable tool to meet this challenge. The aims of hCOMET were to establish reference values for the level of DNA damage in humans, to investigate the effect of host factors, lifestyle and exposure to genotoxic agents, and to compare different sources of assay variability. A database of 19,320 subjects was generated, pooling data from 105 studies run by 44 laboratories in 26 countries between 1999 and 2019. A mixed random effect log-linear model, in parallel with a classic meta-analysis, was applied to take into account the extensive heterogeneity of data, due to descriptor, specimen and protocol variability. As a result of this analysis interquartile intervals of DNA strand breaks (which includes alkali-labile sites) were reported for tail intensity, tail length, and tail moment (comet assay descriptors). A small variation by age was reported in some datasets, suggesting higher DNA damage in oldest age-classes, while no effect could be shown for sex or smoking habit, although the lack of data on heavy smokers has still to be considered. Finally, highly significant differences in DNA damage were found for most exposures investigated in specific studies. In conclusion, these data, which confirm that DNA damage measured by the comet assay is an excellent biomarker of exposure in several conditions, may contribute to improving the quality of study design and to the standardization of results of the comet assay in human populations.
Nordengen, Anne Lene; Øyri, Linn Kristin Lie; Ulven, Stine Marie; Raastad, Truls; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Ottestad, Inger Olaug (2021). Comparison of methods to identify individuals with obesity at increased risk of functional impairment among a population of home-dwelling older adults. British Journal of Nutrition. ISSN 0007-1145. doi: 10.1017/S0007114521004128. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Obesity is associated with increased muscle mass and muscle strength. Methods taking into account the total body mass to reveal obese older individuals at increased risk of functional impairment are needed. Therefore, we aimed to detect methods to identify obese older adults at increased risk of functional impairment. Home-dwelling older adults (n 417, ≥ 70 years of age) were included in this cross-sectional study. Sex-specific cut-off points for two obesity phenotypes (waist circumference (WC) and body fat mass (FM %)) were used to divide women and men into obese and non-obese groups, and within-sex comparisons were performed. Obese women and men, classified by both phenotypes, had similar absolute handgrip strength (HGS) but lower relative HGS (HGS/total body mass) (P < 0·001) than non-obese women and men, respectively. Women with increased WC and FM %, and men with increased WC had higher appendicular skeletal muscle mass (P < 0·001), lower muscle quality (HGS/upper appendicular muscle mass) (P < 0·001), and spent longer time on the stair climb test and the repeated sit-to-stand test (P < 0·05) than non-obese women and men, respectively. Absolute muscle strength was not able to discriminate between obese and non-obese older adults. However, relative muscle strength in particular, but also muscle quality and physical performance tests, where the total body mass was taken into account or served as an extra load, identified obese older adults at increased risk of functional impairment. Prospective studies are needed to determine clinically relevant cut-off points for relative HGS in particular.
Christensen, Jacob J.; Narverud, Ingunn; Ruuth, Maija; Heier, Martin; Jauhiainen, Matti & Ulven, Stine Marie [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2021). Children with familial hypercholesterolemia display changes in LDL and HDL function: A cross-sectional study . Journal of Internal Medicine. ISSN 0954-6820. 290(5), p. 1083–1097. doi: 10.1111/joim.13383.
Klevmoen, Marianne; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Retterstøl, Kjetil; Svilaas, Tone; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug & Hovland, Anders [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2021). Loss of statin treatment years during pregnancy and breastfeeding periods in women with familial hypercholesterolemia. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 335, p. 8–15. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.09.003. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background and aims Women with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are recommended to initiate statin treatment at the same age as men (from 8 to 10 years of age). However, statins are contraindicated when pregnancy is planned, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The aim of the study was to determine the duration of pregnancy-related off-statin periods and breastfeeding in FH women. Methods A cross-sectional study using an anonymous online self-administered questionnaire was conducted. Women with FH were recruited through Lipid Clinics in Norway and Netherlands and national FH patient organizations. Results 102 women with FH (n = 70 Norwegian and n = 32 Dutch) were included in the analysis. Total length of pregnancy-related off-statin periods was estimated for 80 women where data were available, and was median (min-max) 2.3 (0–14.2) years. Lost statin treatment time was estimated for 67 women where data were available, and was median (min-max) 18 (0–100)% at mean (SD) age of 31 (4.3) years at last pregnancy. More women breastfed in Norway (83%) and for longer time [8.5 [1-42] months] compared to the Netherlands [63%, p = 0.03; 3.6 (0–14) months, p < 0.001]. Eighty-six percent of the women reported need for more information on pregnancy and breastfeeding in relation to FH. Conclusions Young FH women lose years of treatment when discontinuing statins in relation to pregnancy and breastfeeding periods and should be closely followed up to minimize the duration of these off-statin periods. Whether these periods of interrupted treatment increase the cardiovascular risk in FH women needs to be further elucidated.
Svendsen, Karianne; Torheim, Liv E.; Fjellberg, Vibeke; Sorprud, Anita; Narverud, Ingunn & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2021). Gender differences in nutrition literacy levels among university students and employees: a descriptive study. Journal of Nutritional Science (JNS). ISSN 2048-6790. 10, p. 1–7. doi: 10.1017/jns.2021.47. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The impact of nutrition information on public health is partly determined by the population’s level of nutrition literacy (NL), which involves functional NL (such as knowledge of dietary guidelines) and critical NL (such as the ability to distinguish between evidence-based nutrition information and alternative facts). The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe aspects of functional and critical NL and predictors of NL scores among university students and employees. We recruited at different university campuses, 414 students and 112 employees, of which 80 % were females and 69 % were in the ages of 18–30 years. In total, 82 % reported knowledge about where to find information on nutrition issues, and 70 % were familiar with Norwegian dietary guidelines. Being female, having higher age, being highly physically active and studying or working within health sciences were significant predictors of higher levels of functional nutrition knowledge. Significantly more women than men found it difficult to judge if media information on nutritional issues could be trusted (69 v. 54 %) and found it hard to distinguish between scientific and non-scientific information about diet (60 v. 42 %). Our findings indicate that for a sample of university students and employees, affiliation with health sciences, being female, having a higher age and being physically active were associated with higher functional NL. Women did, however, seem to have lower levels of some aspects of critical NL, e.g. how to critically judge nutrition information. A more thorough assessment of NL in university students and employees should therefore be conducted.
Øyri, Linn Kristin Lie; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Christensen, Jacob J.; Ulven, Stine Marie; Brantsæter, Anne Lise & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2021). Novel associations between parental and newborn cord blood metabolic profiles in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. BMC Medicine. ISSN 1741-7015. 19. doi: 10.1186/s12916-021-01959-w. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background:More than one third of Norwegian women and men between 20 and 40 years of age have elevated cholesterol concentration. Parental metabolic health around conception or during pregnancy may affect the offspring’s cardiovascular disease risk. Lipids are important for fetal development, but the determinants of cord blood lipids have scarcely been studied. We therefore aimed to describe the associations between maternal andpaternal peri-pregnancy lipid and metabolic profile and newborn cord blood lipid and metabolic profile. Methods:This study is based on 710 mother–father–newborn trios from the Norwegian Mother, Father and ChildCohort Study (MoBa) and uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). The sample included in thisstudy consisted of parents with and without self-reported hypercholesterolemia the last 6 months before pregnancy and their partners and newborns. Sixty-four cord blood metabolites detected by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were analyzed by linear mixed model analyses. The false discovery rate procedure wasused to correct for multiple testing. Results:Among mothers with hypercholesterolemia, maternal and newborn plasma high-density lipoproteincholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, linoleic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, alanine, glutamine, isoleucine, leucine, valine,creatinine, and particle concentration of medium high-density lipoprotein were significantly positively associated(0.001≤q≤0.09). Among mothers without hypercholesterolemia, maternal and newborn linoleic acid, valine,tyrosine, citrate, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein size, and particle concentration of small high-density lipoproteinwere significantly positively associated (0.02≤q≤0.08). Among fathers with hypercholesterolemia, paternal andnewborn ratio of apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A1 were significantly positively associated (q= 0.04). Amongfathers without hypercholesterolemia, no significant associations were found between paternal and newbornmetabolites. Sex differences were found for many cord blood lipids. Conclusions:Maternal and paternal metabolites and newborn sex were associated with several cord bloodmetabolites. This may potentially affect the offspring’s long-term cardiovascular disease risk.Keywords:MoBa, the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study, MBRN, Medical Birth Registry of Norway,Cholesterol, Metabolic profiling, Cord blood, Sex differences
Rodriguez-Borjabad, Celia; Narverud, Ingunn; Christensen, Jacob J.; Ulven, Stine Marie; Malo, Ana Irene & Ibarretxe, Daiana [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2021). Dietary intake and lipid levels in Norwegian and Spanish children with familial hypercholesterolemia. NMCD. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. ISSN 0939-4753. 31(4), p. 1299–1307. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2020.12.002.
Futema, Marta; Ramaswami, Uma; Tichy, Lukas; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & van Lennep, Jeanine Roeters [Show all 20 contributors for this article] (2021). Comparison of the mutation spectrum and association with pre and post treatment lipid measures of children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) from eight European countries. Atherosclerosis. ISSN 0021-9150. 319, p. 108–117. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.01.008.

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Melnes, Torunn; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Christensen, Jacob J.; Rundblad, Amanda; Narverud, Ingunn & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2023). Difference in PBMC gene expression between elderly event-free FH patients and FH patients with CHD.
Melnes, Torunn; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Christensen, Jacob J.; Rundblad, Amanda; Narverud, Ingunn & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2023). Difference in PBMC gene expression between elderly event-free FH patients and FH patients with CHD.
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Melnes, Torunn; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Christensen, Jacob J.; Rundblad, Amanda; Narverud, Ingunn & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2023). Difference in PBMC gene expression between elderly event-free FH patients and FH patients with CHD.
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Fossli, Maria; Ottestad, Inger ; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ulven, Stine Marie & Løland, Beate Fossum [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Effect of a postpartum weight loss intervention in women with obesity: a randomized controlled trial.
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Fossli, Maria; Ottestad, Inger ; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ulven, Stine Marie & Løland, Beate Fossum [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Kostprogram postpartum reduserer vekt og forebygger vektoppgang blant kvinner med fedme – en randomisert kontrollert studie .
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ulven, Stine Marie; Christensen, Jacob Juel & Ottestad, Inger Olaug (2023). Betydning av kosten for endring i skrøpelighet hos hjemmeboende eldre etter 8 års oppfølging.
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ulven, Stine Marie; Ottestad, Inger Olaug & Christensen, Jacob Juel (2023). Inflammatory markers and frailty markers in home-dwelling elderly, a cross-sectional study.
Ulven, Stine Marie; Ottestad, Inger Olaug; Christensen, Jacob Juel & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2023). Inflammatory markers and frailty in home-dwelling elderly, a cross-sectional study.
Rundblad, Amanda; Das, Siddhartha; Matthews, Jason; Ginos, Gina; Kavousi, Maryam & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Air pollution, built environment and associations with gene expression and CVD risk markers in adults.
Rundblad, Amanda; Christensen, Jacob Juel; Hustad, Kristin Solheim; Bastani, Nasser Ezzatkhah; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Ulven, Stine Marie (2023). Associations between dietary intake and glucose tolerance in clinical and metabolomics-based metabotypes.
Rundblad, Amanda; Hansen, Anna Lena; Christensen, Jacob Juel; Melnes, Torunn; Ottestad, Inger Olaug & Narverud, Ingunn [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2023). Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia have shorter telomeres than controls in older, but not in young subjects: a cross-sectional study.
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2023). Plasma cholesterol levels in infancy: a neglected resource. European Heart Journal. ISSN 0195-668X. 44(42), p. 4419–4421. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad558.
Troensegaard, Hannibal; Khoury, Janette; Westerberg, Ane Cecilie; Tonstad, Serena; Roeters van Lennep, Jeanine & Veierød, Marit Bragelien [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2023). Protocol for a 20-year follow-up after a randomized controlled trial of a Mediterranean diet in pregnancy: maternal and offspring risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Frontiers in pediatrics. ISSN 2296-2360. 11. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1256815. Full text in Research Archive
Ueland, Thor; Äikäs, Lauri A.O.; Dahl, Tuva Børresdatter; Gregersen, Ida; Olsen, Maria Belland & Michelsen, Annika Elisabet [Show all 20 contributors for this article] (2023). Low-density lipoprotein particles carrying proinflammatory proteins with altered aggregation pattern detected in COVID-19 patients 3 months after hospitalization. Journal of Infection. ISSN 0163-4453. 86(5), p. 489–492. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.02.024.
Melnes, Torunn; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Thorsen, Ida; Fossum, Julie; Christensen, Jacob J. & Narverud, Ingunn [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). What characterizes event-free elderly FH patients? A comprehensive lipoprotein profiling.
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Roeters van Lennep, Jeanine (2022). Sex differences in cholesterol burden and treatment .
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2022). Long term follow-up of children with familial hypercholesterolemia and relatively normal LDL-cholesterol at diagnosis .
Klevmoen, Marianne; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Retterstøl, Kjetil; Svilaas, Tone; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug & Hovland, Anders Wilhelm [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). Loss of statin treatment years during pregnancy and breastfeeding periods in women with familial hypercholesterolemia.
Telle-Hansen, Vibeke; Christensen, Jacob J.; Formo, Gulla Aase; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Ulven, Stine Marie (2022). Do All People With Obesity Have Increased Risk of Disease? Frontiers for Young Minds. ISSN 2296-6846. 10. doi: 10.3389/frym.2022.792630.
Svendsen, Karianne; Olsen, Thomas; Vinknes, Kathrine Jørgensen; Mundal, Liv; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Bogsrud, Martin Prøven [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). No increased risk of stroke in genetically verified familial hypercholesterolemia: a prospective matched cohort study.
Urke, Eli Bjørnøy; Igland, Jannicke; Mundal, Liv; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Retterstøl, Kjetil & Svendsen, Karianne (2022). REGISTRY DATA INDICATE HIGHER RISK OF EATING DISORDERS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA COMPARED WITH AGE AND SEX MATCHED CONTROLS .
Svendsen, Karianne; Mundal, Liv; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Igland, Jannicke & Leren, Trond Paul [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). UNCHANGED HAZARD RATIOS OF INCIDENT ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN PATIENTS WITH FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA DURING 2001-2017.
Svendsen, Karianne; Mundal, Liv; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Igland, Jannicke; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven & Leren, Trond Paul [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Diseases occuring frequently in a “genetic high LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) model disease” may be caused by LDL-C itself, or by the treatment of a high LDL-C. .
Svendsen, Karianne; Urke, Eli Bjørnøy; Igland, Jannicke; Mundal, Liv; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Retterstøl, Kjetil (2022). Can disease-related diet treatment from childhood result in eating disorders in adulthood?
Mundal, Liv; Igland, Jannicke; Svendsen, Karianne; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Leren, Trond Paul & Retterstøl, Kjetil (2022). No excess risk of dementia in individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia compared with age and sex matched controls .
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Fossli, Maria; Brekke, Hilde Kristin; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Ulven, Stine Marie & Ottestad, Inger [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Dietary treatment prevents postpartum weight gain in women with obesity: a randomised controlled trial. Show summary
Background: Women with pre-pregnancy obesity have an increased risk of retaining or gaining weight postpartum. Previously, we performed a dietary treatment which resulted in sustained weight loss and improved cardiometabolic risk factors in lactating women with a mean BMI=30 kg/m2. However, evidence is lacking for higher BMI classes. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the dietary treatment on change in weight and markers of lipid- and glucose metabolism as well as postpartum weight retention (PPWR) and change in waist-and-hip-circumference in postpartum women with obesity. Methodology: At baseline, approximately 8 weeks postpartum, 29 women were randomised to a 12-week dietary treatment for weight loss (n=14) or to a control treatment (n=15) receiving a brochure on healthy eating. Measurements were made at baseline and 3 and 12 months later. Data was analysed using mixed model. Results: Mean BMI at baseline was 40.0 ± 5.2 kg/m2. Weight change after 3 months was -2.3 ± 3.1 kg in the diet group compared to 1.7 ± 3.1 kg in the control group (P=0.025), and -4.2 ± 5.6 kg in the diet group compared to 4.8 ± 11.8 kg in the control group after 12 months (P=0.010). The dietary treatment led to reduced waist circumference (P<0.032) and PPWR (P<0.002) compared to the control treatment at both time points. There were no effects of the treatment on markers of lipid- and glucose metabolism. Conclusion: The dietary treatment prevented postpartum women with obesity from retaining or gaining weight, and may even reduce weight.
Hjorth, Marit; Doncheva, Atanaska Ivanova; Norheim, Frode Amador; Ulven, Stine Marie; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Sæther, Thomas [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Consumption of salmon fishmeal increases hepatic cholesterol content in obese C57BL/6J mice .
Rønning, Sissel Beate; Carlsen, Harald; Rocha, Sergio Domingos Cardoso; Solberg, Nina; Høst, Vibeke & Veiseth-Kent, Eva [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2022). Intake of avian Eggshell membrane powder can reduce inflammation and attenuate skeletal muscle aging.
Vuorio, Alpo; Ramaswami, Uma & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2022). Editorial: Genetics of familial hypercholesterolemia: New insight—Volume II. Frontiers in Genetics. ISSN 1664-8021. 13. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1041342.
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Roeters van Lennep, Jeanine (2021). Women and men with FH: a life-course approach .
Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2021). Loss of treatment years in young FH women during pregnancy and breastfeeding periods .
vourio, Alpo; Ramaswami, Uma & Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund (2021). Genetics of Familial Hypercholesterolemia: New Insight. Frontiers in Genetics. ISSN 1664-8021. 12. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2021.669373. Full text in Research Archive
Christensen, Jacob Juel; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Retterstøl, Kjetil; Veierød, Marit Bragelien & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2021). Maternal use of statins in pregnancy: a population based registry study.
Christensen, Jacob Juel; Narverud, Ingunn; Ruuth, Maija; Heier, Martin; Jauhiainen, Matti & Ulven, Stine Marie [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2021). Children with FH display changes in LDL and HDL function: a cross-sectional study.
Langslet, Gisle; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Bogsrud, Martin Prøven (2021). Treatment goals in familial hypercholesterolaemia-time to consider low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol burden. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (EJPC). ISSN 2047-4873. 29(17), p. 2278–2280. doi: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwab228.
Melnes, Torunn; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Thorsen, Ida; Fossum, Julie; Christensen, Jacob J. & Narverud, Ingunn [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2021). Event-free FH patients >65 years of age are characterized by higher concentration of large HDL particles.
Melnes, Torunn; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Thorsen, Ida; Fossum, Julie; Christensen, Jacob J. & Narverud, Ingunn [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2021). Event-free FH patients ≥65 years of age are characterized by higher concentration of large HDL particles.
Christensen, Jacob Juel; Telle-Hansen, Vibeke; Ulven, Stine Marie; T. Kovanen, Petri; Jauhiainen, Matti & Öörni, Katariina [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2021). The homeoviscous adaptation to dietary lipids (HADL) hypothesis is probably incorrect. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ISSN 0002-9165. 113(6), p. 1711–1712. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab110.
Johansen, Anja Katrin; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; van Lennep, Jeanine Roeters; Narverud, Ingunn; Langslet, Gisle & Retterstøl, Kjetil [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2021). Long term follow-up of children with familial hypercholesterolemia and relatively normal LDL-cholesterol at diagnosis. Journal of Clinical Lipidology. ISSN 1933-2874. p. 1–4. doi: 10.1016/j.jacl.2021.01.007.
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Kirchner, Lisa; Winkvist, Anna; Bertz, Fredrik; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Ulven, Stine Marie [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2020). Effects of dietary and exercise treatments on HDL subclasses in lactating women with overweight and obesity: a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Kirchner, Lisa; Winkvist, Anna; Bertz, Fredrik; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Ulven, Stine Marie [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2020). Effects of dietary and exercise treatments on HDL subclasses in lactating women with overweight and obesity: a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.
Øhman, Elisabeth Adolfsen; Kirchner, Lisa; Winkvist, Anna; Bertz, Fredrik; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Ulven, Stine Marie [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2020). Effects of dietary and exercise treatments on HDL subclasses in lactating women with overweight and obesity: a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.
Christensen, Jacob Juel; Ulven, Stine Marie; Thoresen, Magne; Westerman, Kenneth; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund & Andersen, Lene Frost (2020). Associations between dietary patterns and gene expression pattern in PBMCs: a cross-sectional study.
Narverud, Ingunn; Christensen, Jacob Juel; Bakke, Siril Skaret; Ulven, Stine Marie; Rundblad, Amanda & Aukrust, Pål [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2020). Profiling of immune‐related gene expression in children with familial hypercholesterolaemia.
Arnesen, Erik Kristoffer; Hjelmesæth, Jøran Sture; Torheim, Liv Elin; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Mortensen, Kari Hege & Korsæth, Audun (2021). Ekspertuttalelse om fett fra Nasjonalt råd for ernæring. Helsedirektoratet.