Carotid Intima-media Thickness In Group Research Articles

Assessment of Indices of Vascular Involvement in Children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome: A Case-control Study

Introduction: Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) is characterised by proteinuria, oedema, hypoalbuminaemia, and hypercholesterolemia. The latter is a risk factor for atherosclerosis, suggesting a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in children with NS. Atherosclerosis is proposed to be caused by vascular endothelial dysfunction, reflecting the inflammatory response to tissue damage. Aim: To investigate indices of early vascular involvement in children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome (INS). Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted at a tertiary-care hospital, Pt. BD Sharma PGIMS Rohtak, Haryana, India, over a period of two years and two months. The study included 50 children aged <14 years with NS. Vascular indices, including Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT), highsensitive C Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), and Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), were evaluated. Analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) Windows software program. The correlation of cardiovascular risk in children with NS was calculated by measuring CIMT, AIP, and CRP levels, and the relationship was analysed using the Chisquare test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study found that the thickness of CIMT in group 1 was 0.67±1.39 mm, while in group 2, it was 0.31±0.04 mm. The calculated p-value was <0.001, which was statistically significant. The hs-CRP level in group 1 was 4.64±5.87 mg/L, higher than the control group (0.85±0.10 mg/L), with p-value of <0.001. Furthermore, AIP was higher in children with NS (0.80±0.19) compared to the control group (0.02±0.16). There was a statistically significant difference between both groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Early assessment of indices of vascular involvement, such as CIMT, hs-CRP, and AIP, in children with INS can aid in the early identification and prevention of cardiovascular complications.

Assessment of Indices of Vascular Involvement in Children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome: A Case-control Study

Introduction: Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) is characterised by proteinuria, oedema, hypoalbuminaemia, and hypercholesterolemia. The latter is a risk factor for atherosclerosis, suggesting a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in children with NS. Atherosclerosis is proposed to be caused by vascular endothelial dysfunction, reflecting the inflammatory response to tissue damage. Aim: To investigate indices of early vascular involvement in children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome (INS). Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted at a tertiary-care hospital, Pt. BD Sharma PGIMS Rohtak, Haryana, India, over a period of two years and two months. The study included 50 children aged <14 years with NS. Vascular indices, including Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT), highsensitive C Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), and Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), were evaluated. Analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) Windows software program. The correlation of cardiovascular risk in children with NS was calculated by measuring CIMT, AIP, and CRP levels, and the relationship was analysed using the Chisquare test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study found that the thickness of CIMT in group 1 was 0.67±1.39 mm, while in group 2, it was 0.31±0.04 mm. The calculated p-value was <0.001, which was statistically significant. The hs-CRP level in group 1 was 4.64±5.87 mg/L, higher than the control group (0.85±0.10 mg/L), with p-value of <0.001. Furthermore, AIP was higher in children with NS (0.80±0.19) compared to the control group (0.02±0.16). There was a statistically significant difference between both groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Early assessment of indices of vascular involvement, such as CIMT, hs-CRP, and AIP, in children with INS can aid in the early identification and prevention of cardiovascular complications.

Testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol are differentially associated with carotid intima-media thickness and the presence of carotid plaque in men with and without coronary artery disease.

Clarifying the relationship of sex hormones to preclinical atherosclerosis could illuminate pathways by which androgens are associated with cardiovascular events and mortality. Our aim was to determine hormone profiles associated with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid atheroma, in men with and without known coronary artery disease (CAD). We included 492 community-based men aged 20-70 years (Group A) and 426 men with angiographically proven CAD aged <60 years (Group B). Fasting early morning sera were assayed for testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estradiol (E2) using mass spectrometry. CIMT and carotid plaque were assessed ultrasonographically. Mean (±SD) age was Group A: 53.8±12.6 and Group B: 49.6±5.1 years. Higher T was associated with reduced CIMT (-0.011 mm per 1-SD increase, p=0.042) and lower prevalence of carotid plaque (odds ratio [OR] per 1-SD increase, 0.68, p=0.012) in Group A, but not B. E2 was associated with increased CIMT in Group A (0.013 mm, p=0.011) but not B. Higher DHT and E2 were associated with reduced carotid plaque in Group B (DHT: OR=0.77, p=0.024; E2: OR=0.75, p=0.008), but not A. In community-dwelling men, higher T is associated with favourable CIMT and lower prevalence of carotid plaque, while higher E2 is associated with worse CIMT. In men with CAD, higher DHT or E2 are associated with less carotid plaque. T, DHT and E2 are differentially associated with preclinical carotid atherosclerosis in a cardiovascular phenotype-specific manner. Interventional studies are needed to examine effects of exogenous T and its metabolites DHT and E2, on atherogenesis.

Effects of restoration of the euthyroid state on epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima media thickness in subclinical hypothyroid patients.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness is a novel cardiovascular risk indicator, whereas carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) is a known marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to measure EAT thickness and CIMT in subclinical hypothyroid (SCH) patients and to determine the effect of restoration of the euthyroid state on these variables. The study included 43 patients with SCH (mean age: 35.2±10.7 years; F-M ratio: 42:1) and 30 healthy controls (mean age: 34.5±8.2 years; F-M ratio: 25:5). EAT thickness and CIMT were measured via conventional echocardiography and ultrasonography. Among the patients, 23 were followed up with L-thyroxine replacement until restoration of the euthyroid state and re-evaluated 6 months after baseline. Basal EAT thickness was higher in the SCH patients than in the controls (3.2±0.7 vs. 2.3±0.3 mm-p<0.0001), whereas CIMT was similar in both groups (0.50±0.09 vs. 0.48±0.04 mm). EAT thickness was correlated with CIMT in the patient group (r=0.39, p=0.01), but this correlation was not evident based on multivariate analysis when corrected for age and body mass index (r2=0.47 and p=0.0001 for the model). In the follow-up patient subgroup, both EAT thickness and CIMT decreased significantly following L-thyroxine treatment, when normal TSH levels were attained (3.4±0.7 vs. 2.3±0.5 mm-p=0.007 and 0.51±0.09 vs. 0.46±0.07 mm-p=0.01, respectively). EAT thickness was greater in the SCH patients than in controls, whereas CIMT was similar in both groups. Restoration of the euthyroid state with L-thyroxine treatment was associated with significant decreases in EAT thickness and CIMT in the group of patients that received L-thyroxine treatment and, as such, might reduce the cardiovascular risk associated with SCH.

Association between osteoprotegerin, fetuin-A, carotid intima media thickness, and urinary albumin excretion in Type 2 diabetes

Vascular calcification and atherosclerosis play a vital role in the development of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients, especially when complications of diabetic nephropathy occur. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and fetuin-A are two markers of vascular calcification. We evaluated the association between these vascular markers and urinary albumin excretion in diabetic patients. Three groups were arranged containing 40 patients: normoalbuminuric (Group 1), microalbuminuric (Group 2), and macroalbuminuric (Group 3). In addition to the obtained data, levels of hs-CRP (high sensitivity-CRP) and homocysteine were examined. OPG levels of patients in Group 2 were higher than in Group 1 (p = 0.058). OPG levels in Group 3 were lower than in Groups 1 or 2 (p = 0.014 and 0.000, respectively). Levels of fetuin-A in Group 2 were determined to be lower than in Groups 1 and 3 (p = 0.001 and 0.000, respectively). Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in Group 3 was higher than in Group 1 (p = 0.002). CIMT in Group 2 was also higher than in Group 1 (p = 0.039). A positive correlation between fetuin-A and OPG was found (p = 0.012, r = 0.393). Additionally, a positive correlation between hs-CRP and fetuin-A in Group 2 (p = 0.020, r = 0.367) and a negative correlation between hs-CRP and OPG in Group 3 (p = 0.036, r = -0.333) were observed. The differences found between albuminuria and OPG or fetuin-A may be due to the different doses and variety of medications the patients received, in addition to genetic and racial factors. So far, in our country, polymorphisms related to OPG and fetuin-A have not been defined. Further detailed studies about polymorphisms will have additional value.