Researchers used a detailed collection of genetic and metabolomic data to assess how genetic risk of CAD is associated with established and potential risk factors for CAD in young individuals (aged 7, 15, 17) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort.

This study showed that genetic variants influencing CAD risk in adults are associated with large perturbations in metabolite levels in individuals as young as seven. The variants identified are mostly within lipid-related loci and the metabolites they associated with are primarily linked to lipoproteins. This knowledge could allow for preventative measures, such as increased monitoring of at-risk individuals and perhaps treatment earlier in life, to be initiated years before any symptoms of the disease arise.