Aurora physicians will have access to a test that reportedly predicts who is at risk.
Celera is teaming up with Aurora Health Care, a provider in Wisconsin, to integrate genetic testing aimed at optimizing heart care for patients. Aurora and Celera have also agreed to research areas of mutual interest to validate additional genetic markers for cardiovascular disease risk and treatment.
Aurora reportedly becomes the first healthcare provider in Wisconsin to offer patients a test for a variant in the KIF6 gene, which confers an increased risk for heart disease, according to the organizations.
Studies have shown that untreated KIF6 carriers have a 50% to 55% greater risk for heart attacks and that carriers respond well to certain statins. Celera and Aurora point to two papers in particular that were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology during 2008.
They are titled, “Association of the Trp719Arg polymorphism in kinesin-like protein 6 with myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease in 2 prospective trials: the CARE and WOSCOPS trials” and “Polymorphism in KIF6 gene and benefit from statins after acute coronary syndromes: results from the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 study.”
