Abstract
OBJECTIVE - Although IL-18 promotes atherogenesis in animal studies and predicts cardiovascular risk in humans, it is unknown whether elevated IL-18 levels are associated with coronary atherosclerosis in the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS - IL-18 plasma levels were determined by ELISA in 2231 subjects from the Dallas Heart Study. In univariable analysis, IL-18 levels associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors and particularly with components of the metabolic syndrome (MS, P<0.01 for trend across the number of MS components); IL-18 also associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores measured by electron beam computed tomography and aortic plaque measured by MRI (P<0.01 for each). In multivariable analyses, IL-18 remained associated with multiple components of the MS but not with CAC or aortic plaque. CONCLUSIONS - In a large population-based sample, elevated IL-18 plasma levels associated with risk factors for atherosclerosis and with the metabolic syndrome. The association between IL-18 and atherosclerosis diminished after accounting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. These data suggest that IL-18 does not add independently to detection of atherosclerotic burden in asymptomatic individuals.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2043-2049 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2007 |
Keywords
- Atherosclerosis
- Imaging
- Interleukins
- Metabolic syndrome
- Risk factors
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine