Boosting levels of a key growth factor may help prevent cardiovascular disease

New research indicates that low levels of a growth factor called stem cell factor (SCF)—which is thought to be important for blood vessel repair—are linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In a study of 384 patients with a first coronary event and 409 event-free individuals, SCF measurements had a predictive value that was in the same range as that of established cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL and HDL cholesterol. Moreover, smokers and diabetics had reduced