title: Interleukin-12 is associated with arterial stiffness in healthy individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic inflammatory disease mediated by the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). Evidence suggests that IL-12 is dominant in early atherosclerosis, while IL-18 is critical in advanced atherosclerosis. In this study, we explore the association between IL-12 and IL-18 and arterial stiffness in healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study examining pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx), IL-12, and IL-18 in healthy individuals (N = 53) without CVD risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariate regression, age (P < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.05), and IL-12 (P < 0.01) were positively associated with PWV, and high-density lipoprotein (P = 0.04) was negatively associated with PWV (model R (2) = 0.476, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-12, but not IL-18, is associated with PWV in healthy individuals without clinical CVD, supporting a role for IL-12 in early atherosclerosis as suggested by animal studies.
authors: Department of Renal Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia. kenneth.yong@health.wa.gov.au
authors: Kenneth
authors: K
authors: Yong
authors: Gursharan
authors: G
authors: Dogra
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Boudville
authors: Doris
authors: D
authors: Chan
authors: Leon
authors: L
authors: Adams
authors: Helena
authors: H
authors: Ching
authors: Ee M
authors: EM
authors: Lim
authors: Wai H
authors: WH
authors: Lim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020382:Interleukin-18; D018664:Interleukin-12