title: Inflammatory markers and cardiovascular disease (The Health, Aging and Body Composition [Health ABC] Study).
abstract: This study investigates the association of several inflammatory markers with subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease in older men and women. Data are from the baseline assessment of 3,045 well-functioning persons aged 70 to 79 years, participating in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. The study sample was divided into 3 groups: "cardiovascular disease" (diagnosis of congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, or stroke), "subclinical cardiovascular disease" (positive findings on the Rose questionnaire for angina or claudication, ankle-brachial index <0.9, or electrocardiographic abnormalities), and "no cardiovascular disease." Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and the soluble receptors IL-6 soluble receptor, IL-2 soluble receptor, TNF soluble receptor I, and TNF soluble receptor II were assessed. Of those with IL-6 levels in the highest compared with the lowest tertile, the odds ratio (OR) for subclinical cardiovascular disease was 1.58 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26 to 1.97) and for clinical cardiovascular disease was 2.35 (95% CI 1.79 to 3.09). A similar association was found for TNF-alpha (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.88 and OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.72, respectively). In adjusted analyses, CRP was not significantly associated with overall subclinical or clinical cardiovascular disease, although additional analyses did find a strong specific association between CRP and congestive heart failure (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.41). Of the soluble cytokine receptors, only TNF soluble receptor I showed a significant association with clinical cardiovascular disease. Thus, our findings suggest an important role for IL-6 and TNF-alpha in clinical as well as subclinical cardiovascular disease. In this study, CRP had a weaker association with cardiovascular disease than the cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Sticht Center on Aging, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA. mcesari@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cesari
authors.forename: Brenda W J H
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Penninx
authors.forename: Anne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kritchevsky
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Nicklas
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sutton-Tyrrell
authors.forename: Russell P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Tamara B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pahor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D012307:Risk Factors; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein