High apoB/apoA-I ratio is associated with increased progression rate of carotid artery intima-media thickness in clinically healthy 58-year-old men: Experiences from very long-term follow-up in the AIR study
Abstract
Objectives
The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between atherosclerotic progression rate as measured by carotid artery IMT during very long-term follow-up in clinically healthy men and a number of baseline risk factors of potential importance for atherosclerosis progression including apoA-I, apoB, apoB/apoA-I ratio, other lipid variables including LDL particle size, body composition variables, blood pressure, smoking, fasting blood glucose and insulin, and also hsCRP.
Background
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is associated with increased carotid IMT progression rate during long-term follow-up, whereas the relationship between newer biomarkers such as apoB/apoA-I ratio and carotid artery IMT progression rate has been less investigated.
Methods
58-year-old men identified by screening in the community (n
=
391) with varying degrees of obesity and insulin sensitivity were examined with high-resolution B-mode ultrasound at baseline and after 3, and 8.9 years of follow-up (n
=
305 investigated after 8.9 years). The carotid arteries were examined bilaterally, and the mean intima-thickness was calculated for 10
mm sections of the composite of common carotid arteries and bulbs (IMTcomposite). Serum levels of apoB and apoA-I were measured using a turbidimetric method. Uni- and multi-variable analyses were performed to study the relationship between carotid IMTcomposite progression rate and risk factors.
Results
In a multi-variable analysis including all baseline variables only the apoB/apoA-I ratio (p
=
0.003; β
=
0.181, standard error
=
0.003) and serum insulin (p
=
0.026; β
=
−0.133, standard error
=
0.000) was significantly related to IMTcomposite progression rate.
Conclusion
The results indicate that apoB/apoA-I ratio is an important risk factor for predicting atherosclerotic progression rate during very long-term follow-up in clinically healthy middle-aged men.
Keywords: Ultrasonography, Apolipoproteins, Carotid arteries, Progression rate, Intima-media thickness
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PII: S0021-9150(08)00819-8
doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2008.11.025
© 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
