Interleukin-18, the metabolic syndrome, and subclinical atherosclerosis: results from the Dallas Heart Study.
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.


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.
Zirlik
Andreas
A
Donald W. Reynolds Centers of the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA. andreas.zirlik@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Abdullah
Shuaib M
SM
Gerdes
Norbert
N
MacFarlane
Lindsey
L
Schönbeck
Uwe
U
Khera
Amit
A
McGuire
Darren K
DK
Vega
Gloria L
GL
Grundy
Scott
S
Libby
Peter
P
de Lemos
James A
JA
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013781:Texas; D044465:White People
D015415:Biomarkers; D020382:Interleukin-18