title: Elevated C-reactive protein augments increased arterial stiffness in subjects with the metabolic syndrome.
abstract: We examined whether the presence of an increasing number of metabolic syndrome "disorders" was associated with an increasing pulse wave velocity, which is recognized as a marker of cardiovascular risk, and evaluated whether an elevated plasma C-reactive protein level augments this increasing pulse wave velocity. Using a cross-sectional study design, C-reactive protein, metabolic syndrome-related anthropometric parameters, and pulse wave velocity were measured in 5752 middle-aged Japanese men (44+/-10 years old). In linear regression analyses, all of the metabolic "disorders" and the logarithm of the C-reactive protein significantly correlated with pulse wave velocity. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, mean blood pressure, fasting glucose, and the logarithm of the C-reactive protein were significant independent positive predictors of pulse wave velocity (R-square=0.38). The presence of an increasing number of metabolic "disorders" in the subjects was associated with an increasing pulse wave velocity (no disorders 1228+/-139 cm/s > or =3 disorders 1437+/-250 cm/s; P<0.01). Among subjects with the metabolic syndrome, pulse wave velocity was higher in cases with (1508+/-278 cm/s) than in those without an elevated C-reactive protein (1427+/-243 cm/s; P<0.01). In conclusion, an increase in arterial stiffness may constitute a pathophysiological basis for the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with the metabolic syndrome and that an elevated C-reactive protein level may aggravate this cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: Health Care Center, Kajima Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomiyama
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koji
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yambe
authors.forename: Kohki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Motobe
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiina
authors.forename: Zaydun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gulnisa
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamashina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003187:Compliance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011674:Pulse
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein