Association of Common Carotid Artery Measurements with N-terminal Pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide in Elderly Participants

Novel Plasma Biomarkers Associated with Future Peripheral Atherosclerotic Disease and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm-Insights from Contemporary Prospective Studies from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study

INTRODUCTION

The potential utility of inflammatory and hemodynamic plasma biomarkers for the prediction of incident lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), carotid artery stenosis (CAS), isolated atherosclerotic disease without concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and isolated AAA without concomitant atherosclerotic disease has not yet been integrated in clinical practice. The main objective of this prospective study was to find predictive plasma biomarkers for cardiovascular disease and to evaluate differences in plasma biomarker profiles between asymptomatic and symptomatic CAS, as well as between isolated atherosclerotic disease and isolated AAA.

METHODS

Blood samples collected at baseline from participants in the prospective Malmö Diet and Cancer study (MDCS) cardiovascular cohort (n = 5550 middle-aged individuals; baseline 1991-1994) were used for plasma biomarker analysis. Validation of each incident cardiovascular diagnosis was performed by random sampling. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) per one standard deviation increment of each respective log-transformed plasma biomarker with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Adjusted lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) activity (HR 1.33; CI 1.17-1.52) and mass (HR 1.20; CI 1.05-1.37), C-reactive protein (CRP) (HR 1.55; CI 1.36-1.76), copeptin (HR 1.46; CI 1.19-1.80), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) (HR 1.28; 1.11-1.48), and cystatin C (HR 1.19; 95% 1.10-1.29) were associated with incident symptomatic LEAD. Adjusted N-BNP (HR 1.59; CI 1.20-2.11), mid-regional proadrenomedullin (HR 1.40; CI 1.13-1.73), cystatin C (HR 1.21; CI 1.02-1.43), and CRP (HR 1.53; CI 1.13-1.73) were associated with incident symptomatic but not asymptomatic CAS. Adjusted HR was higher for Lp-PLA2 (mass) for incident isolated AAA compared to for isolated atherosclerotic disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma biomarker profile data support that subclinical vascular inflammation and cardiovascular stress seem to be relevant for the development of atherosclerotic disease and AAA.

Hemodynamic parameters and diabetes mellitus in community-dwelling middle-aged adults and elders: a community-based study

Hemodynamic parameters have been correlated with stroke, hypertension, and arterial stenosis. While only a few small studies have examined the link between hemodynamics and diabetes mellitus (DM). This case-control study enrolled 417 DM patients and 3475 non-DM controls from a community-based cohort. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), blood flow velocity (MFV), pulsatility index (PI), and the resistance index (RI) of the common carotid arteries were measured by color Doppler ultrasonography. Generalized linear regression analyses showed that as compared to the non-DM controls, the age-sex-adjusted means of PSV, EDV, and MFV were - 3.28 cm/sec, - 1.94 cm/sec, and - 2.38 cm/sec, respectively, lower and the age-sex-adjusted means of RI and PI were 0.013 and 0.0061, respectively, higher for the DM cases (all p-values < 0.0005). As compared to the lowest quartiles, the multivariable-adjusted ORs of DM for the highest quartiles of PSV, EDV, MFV, RI, and PI were 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.83), 0.45 (95% CI 0.31-0.66), 0.53 (95% CI 0.37-0.77), 1.61 (95% CI 1.15-2.25), and 1.58 (95% CI 1.12-2.23), respectively. More importantly, the additions of EDV significantly improved the predictabilities of the regression models on DM. As compared to the model contained conventional CVD risk factors alone, the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) increased by 1.00% (95% CI 0.29-1.73%; p = 0.0059) and 0.80% (95% CI 0.15-1.46%; p = 0.017) for models that added EDV in continuous and quartile scales, respectively. Additionally, the additions of PSV and MFV also significantly improved the predictabilities of the regression models (all 0.01 < p-value < 0.05). This study reveals a significant correlation between DM and altered hemodynamic parameters. Understanding this relationship could help identify individuals at higher risk of DM and facilitate targeted preventive strategies to reduce cardiovascular complications in DM patients.

NT-proBNP as a Potential Marker of Cardiovascular Damage in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is difficult. Great expectations have been associated with biomarkers, including the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). This study aimed to determine the correlation between NT-proBNP and cardiovascular complications in children with CKD. Serum NT-proBNP, arterial stiffness, common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT), echocardiographic (ECHO) parameters (including tissue Doppler imaging), and biochemical and clinical data were analyzed in 38 pediatric patients with CKD (21 boys, 12.2 ± 4.2 years). Mean NT-proBNP in CKD patients was 1068.1 ± 4630 pg/mL. NT-proBNP above the norm (125 pg/mL) was found in 16 (42.1%) subjects. NT-proBNP correlated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (r = -0.423, p = 0.008), and was significantly higher in CKD G5 (glomerular filtration rate grade) patients compared to CKD G2, G3, and G4 children (p = 0.010, p = 0.004, and p = 0.018, respectively). Moreover, NT-proBNP correlated positively with augmentation index (AP/PP: r = 0.451, p = 0.018, P2/P: r = 0.460, p = 0.016), cIMT (r = 0.504, p = 0.020), and E/E' in ECHO (r = 0.400, p = 0.032). In multivariate analysis, logNT-proBNP was the only significant predictor of cIMT Z-score (beta = 0.402, 95CI (0.082-0.721), p = 0.014) and P2/P1 (beta = 0.130, 95CI (0.082-0.721), p = 0.014). Conclusions: NT-proBNP may serve as a possible marker of thickening of the carotid artery wall in pediatric patients with CKD. The final role of NT-proBNP as a biomarker of arterial damage, left ventricular hypertrophy, or cardiac diastolic dysfunction in CKD children needs confirmation in prospective studies.

Association of Flow Parameters and Diameter in the Common Carotid Artery with Impaired Glucose Metabolism

AIM

Diameter, intima-media thickness (IMT), and flow parameters, including resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI), in the common carotid artery (CCA) are markers of arterial remodeling, atherosclerosis, and vascular resistance, respectively. We investigated the differences among these markers in association with plasma glucose level, serum insulin level, and insulin resistance in participants without cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

CCA parameters (including the CCA interadventitial diameter and mean IMT at the time of 75-g oral glucose tolerance testing) were assessed in 4218 participants. RI and PI were assessed in 3380 of these participants. To assess plasma glucose and serum immunoreactive insulin profiles during oral glucose tolerance testing, we used the total areas under the curves (AUCglu and AUCins, respectively). We used the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the Matsuda index to assess insulin resistance. Insulin secretion was assessed with the HOMA-β.

RESULTS

AUCglu was significantly associated with CCA interadventitial diameter (β=0.048, P＜0.001), RI (β=0.144, P＜0.001), and PI (β=0.103, P＜0.001) but not with mean IMT. AUCins (β=-0.064, P＜0.001) and HOMA-β (β=-0.054, P＜0.001) were significantly and negatively associated with CCA interadventitial diameter, but not with mean IMT. Both HOMA-IR and Matsuda index were significantly associated with RI and PI.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that all CCA parameters except IMT are associated with impaired glucose metabolism in patients without cardiovascular disease.

Pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide and Midregional Proadrenomedullin are Associated with Incident Carotid Stenosis During Long Term Follow-up

BACKGROUND

Plasma biomarkers may be useful to detect healthy individuals at increased risk for atherosclerotic manifestations, such as carotid artery stenosis. The aim of this longitudinal cohort study was to evaluate new biomarkers in relation to C-reactive protein and conventional risk factors for carotid artery stenosis during long term follow-up METHODS: The following markers were measured in 5550 middle-aged subjects: C-reactive protein, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, proneurotensin, midregional pro-adrenomedullin, midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, copeptin, and cystatin C. Subjects with prevalent carotid artery stenosis were excluded. Subjects were followed in national patient registers for 23.4 (interquartile range 19.5-24.3) years regarding incident carotid artery stenosis, both operated and non-operated.

RESULTS

When including conventional risk markers in Cox regression, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (Hazard ratio 1.36; 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.65; p = 0.002) was independently associated with incident carotid artery stenosis, whereas there were trends for C-reactive protein (HR 1.20; 95% confidence interval 0.98-1.48; p = 0.071), and midregional pro-adrenomedullin (Hazard ratio 1.21; 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.47; p = 0.061). Midregional pro-adrenomedullin (Hazard ratio 1.30; 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.65; p = 0.029) was independently associated with incident surgery for carotid artery stenosis, whereas there was a trend for N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (Hazard ratio 1.31; 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.72; p = 0.052).

CONCLUSIONS

N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide and midregional pro-adrenomedullin can be used as predictors for clinically detected carotid artery stenosis during long-term follow-up of healthy subjects.