Mlm. Gronholdt et al., Increased acute phase reactants are associated with levels of lipoproteinsand increased carotid plaque volume, EUR J VAS E, 21(3), 2001, pp. 227-234
Citations number
34
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery
Journal title
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR SURGERY
Objectives: to test the hypotheses that increased acute phase reactants pl
predict elevated levels of lipoproteins and increased plaque volume as well
as echolucency of carotid plaques.
Materials and Methods: the study included 258 patients with greater than or
equal to 50% carotid artery stenosis. Acute phase reactants (orosomucoid,
C-reactive protein (CRP)) were measured in the fasting state, and ultracent
rifugated lipoproteins before and after a standardised fat load test. Echog
enicity of carotid plaques was detected using high-resolution B-mode ultras
ound and computer-assisted image processing. A subgroup of 81 patients unde
rwent carotid endarterectomy.
Results: on linear regression analysis orosomucoid levels were positively a
ssociated with fasting and postprandial levels of all triglyceride-rich lip
oproteins, and negatively associated with HDL cholesterol (p-values <0.001)
; results for CRP were less pronounced. Orosomucoid and CRP both predicted
the presence of an increased carotid plaque volume on univariate analysis (
p = 0.01 and p = 0.02). Finally, orosomucoid was negatively associated with
echolucency of carotid plaques ( p = 0.05).
Conclusions: elevated levels of acute phase reactants are strongly associat
ed with elevated levels of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, increased plaque
volume, and borderline significantly associated with echolucency of caroti
d plaques. Elevated acute phase reactants possibly predict severity of athe
rosclerosis, and presence of lipid-rich, rupture-prone plaques.