The inverse association of elevated serum bilirubin levels with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Serum bilirubin is negatively associated with the development of coronary heart disease. In the present study, we have focused on the analysis of intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery in hyper- and normobilirubinemic subjects.


METHODS
The study was performed on 111 men without manifested atherosclerosis. In all subjects, complete biochemical tests were determined along with the examination of IMT by carotid ultrasound.


RESULTS
The mean IMT in hyperbilirubinemic subjects as compared with controls was substantially lower (p=0.017), and hyperbilirubinemic men also had very low age-adjusted prevalence odds ratios for having IMT above the 50th percentiles of controls, even after adjustment for selected vascular risk factors (p=0.034).


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, we demonstrate the inverse relationship between serum bilirubin and IMT in healthy men.
4th Department of Internal Medicine and Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. vitek@cesnet.cz
Libor
L
Vítek
Ladislav
L
Novotný
Michal
M
Sperl
Robert
R
Holaj
Jirí
J
Spácil
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005878:Gilbert Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D015415:Biomarkers; D001663:Bilirubin