Relation between serum osteoprotegerin and carotid intima media thickness in a general population - the Tromsø Study.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have reported conflicting results on the relation between serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) concentration and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT).


METHODS
The present study was conducted to investigate the relations between OPG, risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in a large cross-sectional study including 6516 subjects aged 25-85years who participated in a population-based health survey.


RESULTS
CIMT increased significantly across tertiles of OPG after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as age, gender, smoking, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, CVD and diabetes mellitus (P<0.0001). There was a significant interaction between age and OPG (P=0.026). The risk of being in the uppermost quartile of CIMT was reduced (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.30-0.88) with each standard deviation (SD) higher level of OPG in subjects <45years (n=444), whereas subjects ≥55years of age (n=4884) had an increased risk of being in the uppermost quartile of CIMT (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10-1.29) after adjustment for traditional CVD risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Age has a differential impact on the association between OPG and CIMT in a general population. The present findings may suggest that increased serum OPG does not promote early atherosclerosis in younger subjects.
Vik
A
A
Department of Medicine, Center for Atherothrombotic Research in Tromsø (CART), University of Tromsø, Tromsø,Norway. anders.vik@uit.no
Mathiesen
E B
EB
Brox
J
J
Wilsgaard
T
T
Njølstad
I
I
Jørgensen
L
L
Hansen
J-B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein