Abstract
A number of food micronutrients are reported to influence markers of cardio-metabolic health. There is an expectation that there may be an optimal endocrine profile, with triglycerides as a key factor, which may help minimise atherosclerotic disease and associated risk factors. This study involved 84 participants aged (mean ± SD) 48.2 ± 8.3 years from both sexes segregated into n = 30 controls, n = 25 at-risk, and n = 29 diagnosed with atherosclerosis, including 20 participants using statins. Atherosclerosis status and risk factors were assessed using a combination of clinical records, C-reactive protein (CRP), blood glucose (FBG), lipids profiles, vascular structural and functional characteristics (including carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (CR-PWV), central systolic blood pressure (C-SBP), peripheral systolic blood pressure (P-SBP), peripheral diastolic blood pressure (P-DBP), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and carotid artery inter-adventitial diameter (IAD)). There was a significant difference in triglycerides (TG) levels between the clinical groups (p < 0.05) and between the users and non-users of statin (p < 0.001). Significant associations were distinguished between TG and CRP, FBG, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), C-SBP, P-SBP, P-DBP, CR-PWV, heart rate (HR), and body weight in the pooled sample (p < 0.05). In non-users of statin, TG was associated with C-SBP, P-SBP, P-DBP, and HR. In sub-clinical groups, TG was also associated with most of the blood markers. After controlling for statin use, composite z-score analysis revealed 48%, 2%, and 0% differences in in vivo vascular phenotype between high and low TG subgroups in controls, at-risk, and diagnosed atherosclerosis groups, respectively. Thus, TG levels seem to be good indicators for incidence and risk factors of atherosclerosis.
Highlights
Atherosclerosis is the most common type of heart disease and a major cause of death worldwide [1].It is a condition that thickens artery walls due to the accumulation of white blood cells and fatty substances [2]
This study investigates whether there is an association between atherosclerosis disease incidence and risk factors and TG
Participants were segregated into n = 30 controls (CG), who had never been diagnosed with any systemic disease; n = 25 at-risk of developing atherosclerosis group (ARG), who had at least one of the major risk factor diseases; and n = 29 diagnosed with atherosclerosis group (DAG)
Summary
Atherosclerosis is the most common type of heart disease and a major cause of death worldwide [1]. It is a condition that thickens artery walls due to the accumulation of white blood cells and fatty substances (fatty deposits) [2] Many risk factors such as advanced age, being a male, inheritance of premature atherosclerotic disease, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, smoking, and obesity can increase the chance of developing atherosclerosis [3,4,5,6]. High LDL and low HDL are well established major risk factors of atherosclerosis, especially given the correlation of higher total levels of the HDL particles with reduced incidence of vascular disease in various clinical trials and epidemiological studies [19], the extent to which TG directly promote atherosclerosis development and incidence is unclear [20]. The objective was to add to the body of evidence on the link between concentrations of TG independently linked to clinical atherosclerosis status
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