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- Willeit, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Inflammatory markers and extent and progression of early atherosclerosis : Meta-analysis of individual-participant-data from 20 prospective studies of the PROG-IMT collaboration
- 2016
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Ingår i: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2047-4873 .- 2047-4881. ; 23:2, s. 194-205
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundLarge-scale epidemiological evidence on the role of inflammation in early atherosclerosis, assessed by carotid ultrasound, is lacking. We aimed to quantify cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of inflammatory markers with common-carotid-artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) in the general population. MethodsInformation on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, leucocyte count and CCA-IMT was available in 20 prospective cohort studies of the PROG-IMT collaboration involving 49,097 participants free of pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Estimates of associations were calculated within each study and then combined using random-effects meta-analyses. ResultsMean baseline CCA-IMT amounted to 0.74mm (SD=0.18) and mean CCA-IMT progression over a mean of 3.9 years to 0.011mm/year (SD=0.039). Cross-sectional analyses showed positive linear associations between inflammatory markers and baseline CCA-IMT. After adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, mean differences in baseline CCA-IMT per one-SD higher inflammatory marker were: 0.0082mm for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (p<0.001); 0.0072mm for fibrinogen (p<0.001); and 0.0025mm for leucocyte count (p=0.033). Inflammatory load', defined as the number of elevated inflammatory markers (i.e. in upper two quintiles), showed a positive linear association with baseline CCA-IMT (p<0.001). Longitudinal associations of baseline inflammatory markers and changes therein with CCA-IMT progression were null or at most weak. Participants with the highest inflammatory load' had a greater CCA-IMT progression (p=0.015). ConclusionInflammation was independently associated with CCA-IMT cross-sectionally. The lack of clear associations with CCA-IMT progression may be explained by imprecision in its assessment within a limited time period. Our findings for inflammatory load' suggest important combined effects of the three inflammatory markers on early atherosclerosis.
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| 2. |
- Schmidt, Caroline, 1966, et al.
(författare)
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Chlamydia pneumoniae seropositivity is associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness
- 2000
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Ingår i: Stroke. - 0039-2499 .- 1524-4628. ; 31:7, s. 1526-1531
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Infection may both augment the atherosclerotic process and contribute to later manifestations of overt clinical disease. Chlamydia pneumoniae elementary bodies have been detected in atherosclerotic lesions. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether elevated titers of antibodies and circulating immune complexes to C pneumoniae were associated with ultrasound findings indicating presence of atherosclerosis in the carotid artery. METHODS: Serum titers of antibodies to C pneumoniae (IgM, IgA, IgG, and circulating immune complex) were related to intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque status measured by B-mode ultrasound in the carotid artery in 113 men with treated hypertension and at least 1 of the following risk factors: hypercholesterolemia, smoking, or diabetes. RESULTS: Any of the titers was elevated in 56 (50%) men, and common carotid artery IMT was thicker in this group compared with the 57 men without any elevated titers (1.00 versus 0.92 mm, P<0.05). There were no accompanying differences in blood pressure, lipid levels, blood glucose, or smoking. Elevation of separate antibody types and circulation immune complex were also associated with increased IMT. In the latter group, systolic blood pressure was higher among seropositive patients compared with those who had no circulating immune complex. Seropositivity was not related to plaque status. CONCLUSIONS: Seropositivity for C pneumoniae was associated with an increased intima-media thickness in the common carotid artery but not plaque status in hypertensive men at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
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