# The association between coronary heart disease and the risk of developing colorectal polyps: insights from the UK Biobank

## TL;DR

This study finds that coronary heart disease increases the risk of colorectal polyps, but certain lifestyle and medical factors can reduce this risk.

## Contribution

The study identifies CHD as an independent risk factor for CRPs and highlights protective factors in CHD patients.

## Key findings

- CHD is an independent risk factor for CRPs, confirmed after adjusting for confounding variables.
- Higher income, physical activity, and lipid-lowering medications are protective against CRPs in CHD patients.
- Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of CRPs in individuals with CHD.

## Abstract

While numerous risk factors for colorectal polyps (CRPs) have been identified, the impact of coronary heart disease (CHD) on the etiology of CRPs remains ambiguous.

This investigation involved 424,023 participants from the UK Biobank, with data collected between 2006 and 2010. We utilized Cox regression analysis and subgroup analysis to ascertain risk factors associated with the development of CRPs and to examine the relationship between CRPs and CHD. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to address potential confounding variables.

Among the 424,023 individuals with a history of CHD, the prevalence of colon polyps was 5.6%, while that of rectal polyps was 2.7%. In a longitudinal study with over 12 years of follow-up, Cox regression analysis indicated that CHD constitutes an independent risk factor for the occurrence of CRPs, a conclusion that persisted after adjusting for confounding factors via PSM. Additionally, subgroup analysis revealed that, apart from diabetes mellitus (DM), higher income, moderate physical activity, a nutritious diet, and the use of lipid-lowering medications were associated with favorable outcomes for patients with CHD, as evidenced by hazard ratio (HR) values.

This study establishes a correlation between prolonged CHD duration and an elevated risk of CRPs. In contrast, higher income, moderate physical activity, a nutritious diet, and lipid-lowering medications are protective against CRPs in CHD patients, while DM is a risk factor. These findings support more frequent endoscopic screenings for patients with CHD.