Arteriosclerosis In Patients Research Articles

Correlation between the cardiometabolic index and arteriosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BackgroundThe cardiometabolic index (CMI) is a new metric derived from the triglyceride-glucose index and body mass index and is considered a potential marker for cardiovascular risk assessment. This study aimed to examine the correlation between the CMI and the presence and severity of arteriosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).MethodsThis study involved 2243 patients with T2DM. The CMI was derived by dividing the triglyceride level (mmol/L) by the high-density lipoprotein level (mmol/L) and then multiplying the quotient by the waist-to-height ratio. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the correlations between the CMI and BMI blood biomarkers, blood pressure, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).ResultsPatients were categorized into three groups based on their CMI: Group C1 (CMI < 0.775; n = 750), Group C2 (CMI: 0.775–1.355; n = 743), and Group C3 (CMI > 1.355; n = 750). Increased BMI, fasting glucose, insulin (at 120 min), total cholesterol (TC), and baPWV values were observed in Groups C2 and C3, with statistically significant trends (all trends P < 0.05). The CMI was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.74, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that an increased CMI contributed to a greater risk for arteriosclerosis (OR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.66–2.10, P < 0.001). Compared to the C1 group, the C2 group and C3 group had a greater risk of developing arteriosclerosis, with ORs of 4.55 (95%CI: 3.57–5.81, P<0.001) and 5.56 (95%CI: 4.32–7.17, P<0.001), respectively. The association was notably stronger in patients with a BMI below 21.62 kg/m² than in those with a BMI of 21.62 kg/m² or higher (OR = 4.53 vs. OR = 1.59).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the CMI is a relevant and independent marker of arteriosclerosis in patients with T2DM and may be useful in the risk stratification and management of these patients.

Biochemical predictors of preclinical arteriosclerosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after COVID-19

This article presents the findings of an open, comparative, prospective study aimed to investigate the state of vascular endothelial function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have recovered from COVID-19, and to assess the potential for long-term prediction of preclinical atherosclerosis development.Materials and methods. A total of 133 COPD patients were examined under outpatient conditions: the main group (n=90), with a history of COVID-19, and a comparison group (n=43). Participants were examined twice: V1 - initial examination from 3 weeks to three months post-infection, V2 - a follow-up examination 12 months after the first visit. Based on the CAVI index values at point V2, the main group was divided into 2 subgroups. The state of vascular endothelial function was assessed using volume sphygmomanometry and by determining the concentration of biochemical markers in the blood.Results. In the main group at point V2, the studied parameters of arterial stiffness were significantly higher compared to the comparison group (aortic pulse wave velocity, cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) on the right and left, augmentation indices on the brachial and carotid arteries). At point V1, in the 1st subgroup (R-CAVI≥8.5 units), the concentration of biomarkers such as endothelin-1, total homocysteine, monocyte chemoattractant protein, vascular endothelial growth factor, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6,10 was significantly higher than in the 2nd subgroup (R-CAVI&lt;8.5 units). Conclusion. Taking into account the results obtained, a mathematical model for predicting preclinical atherosclerosis in COPD patients 12 months after COVID-19 was developed, which can be applied by clinicians in the long-term assessment of cardiovascular risk. Key words: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COVID-19, sphygmomanometry, predictors, prognosis, CAVI index&gt; ˂ 8.5 units).Conclusion. Taking into account the results obtained, a mathematical model for predicting preclinical atherosclerosis in COPD patients 12 months after COVID-19 was developed, which can be applied by clinicians in the long-term assessment of cardiovascular risk.

Incremental values of AOPP, IL-6, and GDF15 for identifying arteriosclerosis in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to determine the independent and incremental values of advanced oxidative protein product (AOPP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) in identifying arteriosclerosis in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).MethodsA total of 104 individuals diagnosed with OSA by polysomnography were recruited in our study. Arteriosclerosis was defined by measuring the ultrafast pulse wave velocity of the carotid artery. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected to analyze the levels of AOPP, IL-6, and GDF15 utilizing commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.ResultsCompared to OSA patients without arteriosclerosis, those with arteriosclerosis exhibited significantly higher levels of AOPP, IL-6, and GDF15. GDF15 remained significantly associated with arteriosclerosis even after accounting for clinical factors such as age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, smoking, and the apnea–hypoxia index (AHI). GDF15 demonstrated the largest area under the curve (AUC) for identifying arteriosclerosis in OSA patients (AUC, 0.85 [0.77–0.94]). The logistic regression model, combining clinical factors and AHI, was enhanced by the inclusion of AOPP and IL-6 (Chi-square = 25.06), and even further improved when GDF15 was added (Chi-square = 50.74). The integrated discrimination index increased by 0.06 to 0.16 when GDF15 was added to the models including clinical factors, AOPP, and IL-6.ConclusionsThis study verified the independent and incremental value of GDF15 in identifying arteriosclerosis in OSA patients, surpassing clinical risk factors and other serum biomarkers such as AOPP and IL-6.

Ultrasonic AccV: a potential indicator of peripheral arteriosclerosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the risk factors for peripheral arteriosclerosis (PAS) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and potential ultrasound indicators that could be used to improve detection.MethodOutpatients seeking care between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020, in The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University were prospectively recruited. Subjects were divided into COPD and non-COPD (control) groups, and the COPD group was further divided into PAD and non-PAD subgroup, at the same time, PAS and non-PAS subgroup. Indicators of PAD -ankle-brachial index (ABI), indicators of PAS- pulse wave velocity (PWV), and ultrasound indices -peak systolic blood flow velocity (PSV) and blood flow acceleration velocity (AccV) were compared.ResultSixty-nine (61.6%) of 112 enrolled subjects had COPD. COPD patients had higher age, and blood pressure (BP)lower than controls. Seventeen (24.6%) COPD patients had PAD, the prevalence of PAD increases with the decrease of lung function, and seven (16.3%) non-COPD patients had PAD, however, there was no significant statistical difference between COPD and non-COPD groups. Fifty (72.5%) COPD patients had PAS, and thirty-four (79.1%) non-COPD patients had PAS, however, there was also no significant difference. The PAS subgroup had higher age, body mass index(BMI), body fat percentage(BFP), lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC, as well as higher levels of right brachial artery and left dorsalis pedis artery AccV. Factors that correlated with ABI were 6MWD, post-bronchodilator FEV1, FEV1/ FVC, and maximal middle expiratory flow between 75% and 25% of FVC. Age, BP, and 6MWD, but not pulmonary function, were associated with brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV). There was a positive correlation between baPWV and radial artery AccV bilaterally.ConclusionRadial artery AccV correlated well with baPWV, which suggests that ultrasound could be used to assess both morphological and functional changes in vessels, may serving as a better method to identify PAS in high-risk COPD patients.

The effect of anthracycline-based chemotherapy on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in breast cancer patients

Abstract Introduction Cardiotoxicity restricts anthracycline and trastuzumab treatment of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 positive early breast cancer. Endothelial dysfunction and arteriosclerosis are significant cardiovascular risk factors. Purpose We studied the effect of anthracycline-based chemotherapy, with or without trastuzumab, on endothelium and arteriosclerosis in patients with breast cancer. Methods In this case-control study, 52 women with breast cancer and 104 women without breast cancer were examined longitudinally up to 15 months following (in the breast cancer group) initiation of chemotherapy. Arterial stiffness was evaluated through pulse wave velocity (PWV), while endothelial function via flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) at baseline (T0), 3 (T1), 6 (T2), and 15 (T3) months later. Results There was no difference between subjects with breast cancer and control in PWV and FMD at baseline. Longitudinally, participants with breast cancer exhibited considerable impairment of PWV and FMD compared to the control group (p for interaction &amp;lt; 0.001 for both parameters). In breast cancer patient there was a significant increase from T0 to T3 in PWV (7.43 ± 1.68 m/sec vs. 8.18 ± 2.00 m/sec, p = 0.01) and decrease in FMD (6.95 ± 2.86 % vs. 5.03 ± 2.83 %, p = 0.006). The addition of trastuzumab in the treatment did not have any effect on PWV (p = 0.74) or FMD (p = 0.91). Conclusions In patients with breast cancer, there is progression of endothelial dysfunction and arteriosclerosis up to 15 months following initiation of anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Trastuzumab has no additive effect on endothelial function or arterial stiffness.Figure 1Figure 2

Prolonged impact of anti-cancer therapy on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in breast cancer patients

BackgroundCardiotoxicity restricts anthracycline and trastuzumab treatment of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 positive early breast cancer. Endothelial dysfunction and arteriosclerosis are significant cardiovascular risk factors. ObjectivesWe studied the effect of anthracycline-based chemotherapy, with or without trastuzumab, on endothelium and arteriosclerosis in patients with breast cancer. MethodsIn this case-control study, 52 women with breast cancer and 104 women without breast cancer were examined longitudinally up to 15 months following (in the breast cancer group) initiation of chemotherapy. Arterial stiffness was evaluated through pulse wave velocity (PWV), while endothelial function via flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) at baseline (T0), 3 (T1), 6 (T2), and 15 (T3) months later. ResultsThere was no difference between subjects with breast cancer and control in PWV and FMD at baseline. Longitudinally, participants with breast cancer exhibited considerable impairment of PWV and FMD compared to the control group (p for interaction <0.001 for both parameters). In breast cancer patients, there was a significant increase from T0 to T3 in PWV (7.43 ± 1.68 m/s vs. 8.18 ± 2.00 m/s, p = 0.01) and decrease in FMD (6.95 ± 2.86% vs. 5.03 ± 2.83%, p = 0.006). The addition of trastuzumab in the treatment did not have any effect on PWV (p = 0.74) or FMD (p = 0.91). ConclusionsIn patients with breast cancer, there is progression of endothelial dysfunction and arteriosclerosis up to 15 months following initiation of anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Trastuzumab has no additive effect on endothelial function or arterial stiffness.

Serum cystatin C is associated with peripheral artery stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with chronic kidney disease

ObjectiveCystatin C (CysC) is associated with arterial stiffness. However, its suitability for evaluating patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between CysC levels and peripheral arterial stiffness (PAS) in patients with T2DM combined with CKD. MethodsParticipants’ arterial stiffness was assessed using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and those with a baPWV ≥ 1800 cm/s were included in the PAS group. Additionally, patients were divided into young (18–44 years old), middle-aged (45–59 years old), and older (≥60 years old) groups. ResultsOf 200 patients, 94 (47%) were diagnosed with PAS. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that age, pulse pressure, and CysC levels (odds ratio = 1.525, 95% confidence interval: 1.072–2.168, P = 0.019) were independently correlated with PAS in patients with T2DM combined with CKD. The levels of CysC in different age groups were positively correlated with baPWV, and the correlation was significantly higher in the young group (r = 0.739, P < 0.001) than in the middle-aged (r = 0.329, P < 0.001) and older (r = 0.496, P < 0.001) groups. The multifactor linear regression analysis revealed that CysC was significantly correlated with baPWV in the young group (β = 0.455, P = 0.002). ConclusionCysC was an independent predictor of PAS in patients with T2DM combined with CKD and was more significantly associated with baPWV in young patients than in middle-aged and older patients. CysC may may be an early predictor of peripheral arteriosclerosis in patients with T2DM combined with CKD.

A nomogram based on radiomics intermuscular adipose analysis to indicate arteriosclerosis in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Early identifying arteriosclerosis in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients could contribute to choosing proper subjects for early prevention. Here, we aimed to investigate whether radiomic intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) analysis could be used as a novel marker to indicate arteriosclerosis in newly diagnosed T2D patients. A total of 549 patients with newly diagnosed T2D were included in this study. The clinical information of the patients was recorded and the carotid plaque burden was used to indicate arteriosclerosis. Three models were constructed to evaluate the risk of arteriosclerosis: a clinical model, a radiomics model (a model based on IMAT analysis proceeded on chest CT images), and a clinical-radiomics combined model (a model that integrated clinical-radiological features). The performance of the three models were compared using the area under the curve (AUC) and DeLong test. Nomograms were constructed to indicate arteriosclerosis presence and severity. Calibration curves and decision curves were plotted to evaluate the clinical benefit of using the optimal model. The AUC for indicating arteriosclerosis of the clinical-radiomics combined model was higher than that of the clinical model [0.934 (0.909, 0.959) vs. 0.687 (0.634, 0.730), P < 0.001 in the training set, 0.933 (0.898, 0.969) vs. 0.721 (0.642, 0.799), P < 0.001 in the validation set]. Similar indicative efficacies were found between the clinical-radiomics combined model and radiomics model (P = 0.5694). The AUC for indicating the severity of arteriosclerosis of the combined clinical-radiomics model was higher than that of both the clinical model and radiomics model [0.824 (0.765, 0.882) vs. 0.755 (0.683, 0.826) and 0.734 (0.663, 0.805), P < 0.001 in the training set, 0.717 (0.604, 0.830) vs. 0.620 (0.490, 0.750) and 0.698 (0.582, 0.814), P < 0.001 in the validation set, respectively]. The decision curve showed that the clinical-radiomics combined model and radiomics model indicated a better performance than the clinical model in indicating arteriosclerosis. However, in indicating severe arteriosclerosis, the clinical-radiomics combined model had higher efficacy than the other two models. Radiomics IMAT analysis could be a novel marker for indicating arteriosclerosis in patients with newly diagnosed T2D. The constructed nomograms provide a quantitative and intuitive way to assess the risk of arteriosclerosis, which may help clinicians comprehensively analyse radiomics characteristics and clinical risk factors more confidently.

PS-C04-5: ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN INTERARM SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE DIFFERENCE AND HYPERTENSIVE ORGAN DAMAGES IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

Objective: Several studies and meta-analyses have reported that interarm systolic blood pressure difference (IAD) in the upper limbs is associated with risks such as all-cause mortality and cardiovascular diseases. However, few results have examined the usefulness of IAD as an index of arteriosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension (EHT). We investigated the relationship between IAD and vascular structures and evaluated the usefulness of IAD as an index of hypertensive organ damages in EHT patients. Design and method: In 71 untreated EHT patients (48 males, average age 56 ± 13 years) without chronic kidney disease (urinary albumin excretion less than 300 mg / g of creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate 60 mL / min / 1.73m2 or more), blood sampling, 24-hour urine collection, and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring were performed. Next, as cardiovascular structural indices, Next, as indicators of vascular structure, the intima media thickness of carotid artery (IMT) was measured by ultrasonography, and the cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) and ankle brachial index (ABI) were measured by using the Vascular Screening System VaSera VS-1000 (Fukuda Denshi, Tokyo, Japan) device. The absolute value of the difference between the left and right blood pressure measured at the same time was defined as IAD. Results: IAD was not associated with age, BMI, or systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. IAD increased accompanying with a decrease in creatinine clearance (r = -0.25, p &lt; 0.05). IAD correlated positively with IMT (r = 0.24, p &lt; 0.05) and negatively with ABI (r = -0.45, p &lt; 0.01), whereas it did not associate with CAVI. Furthermore, in multiple regression analysis using any of IMT, ABI and creatinine clearance as objective variables, and conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis and IAD as explanatory variables, IAD became an independent determinant factor for IMT, ABI and creatinine clearance. Conclusions: In EHT patients, IAD was associated with decreased renal function and vascular abnormalities. IAD was considered to be a useful index as an initial screening for latent hypertensive organ damages in EHT patients.

Retracted: Multislice Computed Tomography Angiography Imaging Diagnosis of Lower Extremity Arteriosclerosis in Patients with Hypertension and Its Correlation with the Level of High‐Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein

Retracted: Multislice Computed Tomography Angiography Imaging Diagnosis of Lower Extremity Arteriosclerosis in Patients with Hypertension and Its Correlation with the Level of High‐Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein

Multislice Computed Tomography Angiography Imaging Diagnosis of Lower Extremity Arteriosclerosis in Patients with Hypertension and Its Correlation with the Level of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between multislice computed tomography (CT) angiography (MSCTA) imaging and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with hypertension and lower extremity arteriosclerosis. 68 hypertensive patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis were selected as the observation group, and 68 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group to compare the differences in hs-CRP. According to the degree of stenosis, the patients were further divided into five grades: no obvious stenosis, mild stenosis, moderate stenosis, severe stenosis, and occlusion. The correlation between the degree of stenosis and the content of hs-CRP was compared. The changes of hs-CRP content before and after treatment were compared, and the difference of images before and after surgical treatment and the difference of hs-CRP expression in patients with occlusion were compared. Compared with the control group, the content of hs-CRP in the observation group was significantly higher (P < 0.05), and the degree of stenosis was positively correlated with the content of hs-CRP. After two weeks of treatment, the hs-CRP levels of patients with severe stenosis and occlusion were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.01). The level of hs-CRP in patients with occlusion after arterial stent intervention was significantly lower than before, and the images also showed that the blood vessels were significantly expanded. The degree of stenosis in patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis diagnosed by MSCTA imaging was closely related to the expression of hs-CRP in the patient, and a sustained high concentration of hs-CRP corresponded to a more severe degree of vascular occlusion. In conclusion, the hs-CRP can be used as one of the factors to predict and evaluate the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF HYPERTENSION IN DIABETIC PATIENTS WITH VERSUS WITHOUT CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Objective: Adequate control of hypertension is a guideline based strategy to retard the progression of kidney injury in patients with diabetes. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare the prevalence and control rates of hypertension in diabetic patients with versus without chronic kidney disease (CKD). Design and method: In 483 outpatients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes from a tertiary university hospital of the region of Thessaloniki, office blood pressure (BP) was recorded under standardized conditions (triplicate recordings after a 5-minute seated rest period) using the validated automated device HEM-705 (Omron, HealthCare). Hypertension was defined as office BP equal as or higher than 140/90 mmHg or current use of at least 1 antihypertensive drug. Results: The prevalence of hypertension was 69.8% in diabetic patients with estimated-glomerular-filtration-rate (eGFR) &gt; 90 ml/min/1.73m2, 79.6% in patients with eGFR 60–90 ml/min/1.73m2 and 91.4% in those with eGFR &lt; 60 ml/min/1.73m2 (P&lt; 0.001 for the trend across eGFR strata). Despite the fact that 69.6% of the overall population was being treated with an average of 2.2 antihypertensive drugs daily, the control rates of hypertension were 41.8%, 40.0% and 34.5% in patients with eGFR &gt; 90, 60–90 and &lt; 60 ml/min/1.73m2, respectively (P = 0.245). The decline in eGFR was accompanied by a parallel rise in systolic BP, decline in diastolic BP, and widening of pulse pressure (51.5 ± 14.8 vs. 55.5 ± 16.5 vs. 65.9 ± 17.3 mmHg in the eGFR strata of &gt; 90, 60–90 and &lt; 60 ml/min/1.73m2, respectively, P &lt; 0.001). A similar distribution of the severity of hypertension was observed when the patients were stratified by level of albuminuria. Conclusions: The present study shows that among patients with diabetes, the severity of hypertension increases in parallel with the decline in eGFR and rise in albuminuria. The widening of pulse pressure is possibly reflecting the more severe arteriosclerosis in patients with diabetes and established CKD.

The Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Increases the Risk of Arteriosclerosis.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder worldwide. It is associated with myocardial remodeling and arteriosclerosis in patients with hypertension. Our study investigated the relationship between OSA severity and arteriosclerosis and blood pressure in an Asian population. We enrolled 365 subjects from July 2018 to December 2020 at Ruijin Hospital. We recorded data from the medical history and collected blood samples from all participants. We performed 24-hour ambulatory Blood Pressure (BP) monitoring and Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) measurements. Overnight polysomnography (PSG) was performed using Respironics Alice PDxSleepware. PSG was performed in a total of 365 subjects; mean age of 49.1 ± 12.8 years and Body Mass Index (BMI) 28.1 ± 3.8 kg/m2. The majority (89.3%) were male. The office systolic BP was significantly higher in the moderate to severe group than mild OSA group (148 ± 21 mmHg vs 139 ± 19 mmHg, p < 0.01). The subjects with moderate to severe OSA presented higher cf-PWV values than those in the mild group (10.03 ± 3.67 m/s vs 7.62 ± 1.48 m/s, p < 0.01). BMI was significantly higher in the moderate to severe than the mild OSA groups (28.3 ± 4.0 kg/m2 vs 27.5 ± 3.2 kg/m2, p < 0.05). The Pearson correlation showed that the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was significantly and positively correlated with cf-PWV (r = 0.217, p < 0.01), Age (r = 0.148, p < 0.01), BMI (r = 0.228, p < 0.01) and HbA1c (r = 0.172, p < 0.01). After adjusting for age, BMI, low density lipoprotein cholesterin (LDL-c), FGB, AHI, estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), Night BP, office diastolic BP and Day BP in Logistic regression model, AHI (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05) and office diastolic pressure (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.08) and age (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.06-1.19) were independent risk factors for arteriosclerosis. The severity of OSA was positively correlated with pulse wave velocity. AHI, office BP and age were independent risk factors for arteriosclerosis.

Correlation among cystatin C, homocysteine and arteriosclerosis indexes in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become an important public health problem in the world. The occurrence of cardiovascular events is the main cause of death in patients with CKD, and arteriosclerosis is an important pathophysiological basis for cardiovascular diseases. Nowadays, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) are clinically important indicators to reflect early atherosclerosis. Cystatin C (Cys C)and homocysteine (Hcy) are related to arteriosclerosis in healthy, hypertensive, and diabetic people, while there are few studies on the correlation among Hcy, CysC and arteriosclerosis in patients with CKD. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Cys C, Hcy and atherosclerosis in patients with CKD. A total of 611 individuals, who met the diagnostic criteria for CKD and underwent physical examination in the Health Management Center of Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from June 2019 to June 2020, were selected as the research subjects. Height, weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured and recorded, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Blood samples (5 mL) were collected and Cys C, Hcy, fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), serum creatinine (SCr), and other blood indexes were tested. Urine was collected to detect microalbumin and creatinine, and the albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) was calculated. baPWV and ABI were measured by automatic arteriosclerosis detector. The quartiles of Cys C and Hcy were divided into groups, and the proportion of baPWV and ABI abnormalities among groups was compared pairwise. The correlation between Cys C, Hcy, and baPWV was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the effects of Cys C and Hcy on ABI and baPWV. Among 611 patients with CKD, 435 (71.19%) had abnormal baPWV and 48 (7.86%) had abnormal ABI. With the increase of Cys C and Hcy levels, the proportion of baPWV and ABI abnormalities were gradually increased. BaPWV was positively correlated with Cys C (r=0.32) and Hcy (r=0.20). After adjusting for confounding factors such as gender, BMI, and FBG, Cys C (OR=6.54, 95% CI 1.93 to 22.14, P<0.01) and Hcy (OR=1.08, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.16, P=0.02) were independent risk factors for abnormal baPWV. Also, after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, sex, BMI, and FBG, Cys C (OR=9.95, 95% CI 2.84 to 34.92, P<0.01) and Hcy (OR=1.06, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.11, P=0.02) were independent risk factors for abnormal ABI. In patients with CKD, baPWV and ABI are significantly correlated with Cys C and Hcy levels. Detection of Cys C and Hcy levels is helpful for the early diagnosis of arteriosclerosis.

Evaluation of the common carotid artery and carotid bulb plaque: A population-based study from Japan

Background: To investigate factors associated with the maximal intima-media thickness (max-IMT) of the carotid artery, particularly plaques of an max-IMT of >1.5 mm, in a geographically coherent population in Japan. Methods: A total of 1,073 residents underwent carotid artery ultrasonography during the health screening conducted in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, from October 2015 to March 2019. The observable visual field of max-IMT was evaluated in 929 participants without stroke or coronary artery disease. The results of a self-administered questionnaire survey examining risk factors for vascular disease were assessed, and factors associated with a max-IMT of >1.5 mm were analyzed. Results: Overall, 15.1% of the participants had a max-IMT of >1.5 mm. There were more elderly male patients and hypertensive patients (47.9% vs. 30.8%) in the max-IMT >1.5-mm group than in the max-IMT ≤1.5-mm group. The prevalence of dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus was higher in the max-IMT >1.5-mm group than in the max-IMT ≤1.5-mm group. Logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age and sex revealed that hypertension (odds ratio, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.26; p = 0.0284) was the sole predictor of a max-IMT of >1.5 mm. Conclusion: Among residents in a relatively high stroke-related mortality region, hypertension was associated with a max-IMT of >1.5 mm. For prevention of stroke, screening tests, including carotid artery ultrasonography, must be employed for arteriosclerosis in patients with hypertension.

Comparison of the usefulness of the cardio-ankle vascular index and augmentation index as an index of arteriosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension.

Arteriosclerosis leads to various serious diseases that substantially reduce the quality of life. When treating hypertension, it is important to evaluate the degree of arteriosclerosis. In recent years, the cardio-ankle vascular index and augmentation index have been frequently used as indicators of arterial wall sclerosis. However, the superiority of either the cardio-ankle vascular index or the augmentation index as an index of arteriosclerosis remains unclear. Therefore, the present study compared the usefulness of these two indices as an index of arteriosclerosis. Associations between the cardio-ankle vascular index or augmentation index and risk factors for arteriosclerosis and other indices of arteriosclerosis in 535 consecutive patients with essential hypertension were evaluated. The cardio-ankle vascular index was significantly correlated with age, hemoglobin A1c, brain natriuretic peptide, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In contrast, the augmentation index showed significant correlations only with age, brain natriuretic peptide, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In addition, these correlations with the augmentation index were generally weaker than those with the cardio-ankle vascular index. The cardio-ankle vascular index, but not the augmentation index, was significantly correlated with flow-mediated dilation, an index of vascular endothelial function, and carotid intima-media thickness, an index of carotid atherosclerosis. Similar results were observed in subgroups stratified by sex and age. These data indicate that the cardio-ankle vascular index is more closely associated with risk factors for arteriosclerosis and other indices of arteriosclerosis than the augmentation index, suggesting that the cardio-ankle vascular index may be superior to the augmentation index as an index of arteriosclerosis.

Low dose red yeast rice with monacolin K lowers LDL cholesterol and blood pressure in Japanese with mild dyslipidemia: A multicenter, randomized trial.

Red yeast rice contains monacolin K, an inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter. The daily dose of red yeast rice and monacolin K in previous studies was relatively high; therefore, there were safety concerns. We aimed to examine the effects of low daily dose red yeast rice on arteriosclerosis in patients with mild dyslipidemia. Eighteen patients without known cardiovascular disease and unsatisfactory low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.96±0.19 mmol/L) controlled only by diet therapy were randomly allocated to receive low dose red yeast rice (200 mg/day) containing 2 mg monacolin K or diet therapy alone for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was the absolute change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Secondary outcomes included total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and blood pressure. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly in the red yeast rice group than in the diet therapy group (median [interquartile range]: control -0.20 [-0.62, 1.19] mmol/L vs. red yeast rice -0.96 [-1.05, -0.34] mmol/L, p=0.030). The red yeast rice group also exhibited significant decreases in total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and blood pressure. No severe treatment-related adverse effects on muscles, liver, or renal function were observed. We found that patients in the red yeast rice group exhibited significant reductions in lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and blood pressure without any recognised adverse effect. This suggests that low daily dose red yeast rice could reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with dyslipidemia.

Effects of linagliptin on inflammatory factors and arteriosclerosis in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

Effects of linagliptin on inflammatory factors and arteriosclerosis in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

Elevation of Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in Patients with Malignant Lymphoma Treated with R-CHOP Regimen

Introduction: An increased risk of arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease has been noted in cancer survivors. However, there are only a few reports available that consider the risk of arteriosclerosis in patients treated with chemotherapy. R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) regimen is a standard treatment for patients with B-cell malignant lymphoma. In this regimen, prednisolone has a potential risk of diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia (HL), and osteoporosis and doxorubicin has cardiotoxicity. However, there are no studies that have investigated the effect of R-CHOP therapy on arteriosclerosis. An arterial stiffness parameter, the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), was developed as a marker evaluating arteriosclerosis of aorta, femoral and tibial arteries. The principle of CAVI is based on the stiffness parameter ß theory proposed by Hayashi et al, and it is based on the variance of the arterial pressure that is required to change the vascular diameter. So, CAVI does not depend on blood pressure changes during the measurement. As previously demonstrated, CAVI is significantly elevated in arteriosclerotic diseases such as coronary artery disease and cerebral infarction. We reported the first report evaluating the changes of CAVI during R-CHOP therapy in a patient with follicular lymphoma (2017, J Clin Med Res.). The patients had an elevated CAVI in combination with plaque formation after 8 cycles of R-CHOP. In this study, we evaluated CAVI in patients with malignant lymphoma treated with R-CHOP therapy. In addition, we investigated the change of von Willebrand factor (vWF) as a vascular endothelial damage during the treatment.Materials and methods:Patients with B cell malignant lymphoma who received R-CHOP therapy were enrolled from April 2014 to January 2017. The changes in CAVI before and after the first and the final courses of R-CHOP were evaluated. Some recent patients who did not complete R-CHOP therapy were also evaluated the change of vWF in the course of treatment.Results: CAVI was evaluated in 8 patients (4 men and 4 women, with a median age of 69 years old). Three patients had DM, one had hypertension and 3 patients had HL in their medical histories. Their primary diseases were; 5 with diffuse large B cell lymphoma, 2 with follicular lymphoma and I with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. The clinical stages of patients were IIA to IVB. All eight patients achieved complete remission after 4 to 8 courses of chemotherapy. Figure 1 shows the changes of CAVI at pretreatment, just before the second R-CHOP treatment and just before the final treatment. The median value of CAVI was significantly elevated from 8.7±0.64 to 9.2±0.64 after the first course (p=0.012), and was elevated to 9.2±0.91) before the final treatment although not statistically significant (p=0.067). Figure 2 shows the change of vWF during the course of treatment in 5 patients. vWF show a tendency to elevate with following the treatment.Conclusions: We report that patients with B-cell malignant lymphoma showed the elevated CAVI after R-CHOP even after the first course. We also confirmed an elevation of vWF following the course of treatment. These data suggest that R-CHOP therapy might be a risk factor for the progression of arteriosclerosis in patients with malignant lymphoma.Figure 1. The change of CAVI pretreatment, just before the second course and before the final treatment in patients with malignant lymphoma treated with R-CHOP.Figure 2. The increment of vWF in patients with malignant lymphoma treated with R-CHOP therapy. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Dental caries status is associated with arteriosclerosis in patients on hemodialysis.

We previously found that worse dental caries status was associated with high pulse pressure among patients on hemodialysis, indicating that such patients might have arteriosclerosis. In this study, we used abdominal computed tomography to evaluate arteriosclerosis in patients on hemodialysis and investigated the association between arteriosclerosis and dental caries status. We also prospectively examined risk factors associated with 2-year prognosis. The dental caries and periodontal disease statuses of 80 patients on hemodialysis were evaluated using the decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT) index, and periodontal pocket depth, respectively. The aortic calcification index was semiquantitatively measured using computed tomography images of the abdominal aorta. Clinical data were also analyzed after all patients on hemodialysis provided written, informed consent to participate in the study. Regression analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between the DMFT and aortic calcification indexes. Multiple regression analysis showed that the DMFT index was significantly correlated with the aortic calcification index, following adjustment for age, sex, and dialysis period. Thirteen of the 80 patients died during the 2-year follow-up period; logistic regression analysis showed that mortality rate was significantly associated with the aortic calcification index, but not the DMFT index. However, periodontal pocket depth was not correlated with the aortic calcification index. These findings suggest that worse dental caries status could be associated with arteriosclerosis among patients on hemodialysis, which may indirectly affect the prognosis of arteriosclerosis in these patients.