title: Osteoprotegerin, but not osteopontin, as a potential predictor of vascular calcification in normotensive subjects.
abstract: We conducted a cross-sectional observation study that included 500 asymptomatic subjects to investigate the relationship between bone metabolism and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in hypertensive conditions. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteopontin (OPN) levels and their associations with hypertension were analyzed to predict CAC in 316 subjects. Multislice computed tomography was used to quantify CAC. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test the non-interactive effects of hypertension, CAC severity and biomarker levels, and the logistic regression model was applied to predict the risk of CAC. OPG and OPN concentrations were significantly higher in the hypertensive than the normotensive subjects, at 3.0 (2.3-4.0) pmol l(-1) and 51 (21-136) ng ml(-1) vs. 2.4 (2.0-3.0) pmol l(-1) and 41 (13-63) ng ml(-1), respectively. The OPG level, but not OPN level, increased with age (r = 0.29; P = 0.0001). Zero or minimal CAC (<10 Agatston units (AU)) was observed in 63% of the subjects, mild (11-100 AU) in 17%, moderate (101-400 AU) in 12% and severe (401-1000 AU)-to-extensive (>1000 AU) in 8%. In hypertensive subjects, only glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (β = -0.67) and gender (β = 0.52) were significant predictors for CAC (R = 0.68). In normotensive patients, GFR (β = -0.81), gender (β = 0.48) and log-transformed OPG levels (β = 0.15) were significant predictors for CAC. OPG levels were associated with an increased risk of CAC in normotensive subjects only (odds ratio: 3.37; 95% confidence interval (1.63-6.57); P = 0.0002). OPG predicted a premature state of vascular calcification in asymptomatic normotensive individuals, and renal function significantly contributed to this process in both hypertensive and normotensive subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. estepien@cm-uj.krakow.pl
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stępień
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fedak
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klimeczek
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilkosz
authors.forename: Robert Paweł
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Banyś
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Starzyk
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bazanek
authors.forename: Mieczysław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasowicz
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000097:blood*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053244:Osteoprotegerin; C506895:SPP1 protein, human; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; D053495:Osteopontin