title: Collagen cross-links as a marker for subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine the utility of pyridinoline (Pyd) and deoxypyridinoline (Dpd) cross-links in the detection of subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with or without osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured Pyd, Dpd, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), fasting total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure in 59 healthy postmenopausal women: 30 had normal bone mineral density (group I) and the remaining 29 had osteoporosis or osteopenia (group II) according to World Health Organization criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences in age, duration of menopause, age at menopause, lipid profile, body mass index, Pyd level, Dpd level, and Pyd-to-Dpd ratio between the groups (P > 0.05). No significant difference in CIMT was found when groups I and II were compared (P = 0.538). No statistically significant differences in Pyd level, Dpd level, and Pyd-to-Dpd ratio were found when women with CIMT higher than 5 mm and women with CIMT of 5 mm or less were compared in groups I and II (P > 0.05). However, significantly declined Dpd level and increased Pyd-to-Dpd ratio were found in women with CIMT higher than 5 mm when compared with women with CIMT of 5 mm or less. CIMT was found to be negatively correlated with Dpd level (r = -0.346, P = 0.007) and to be positively correlated with the Pyd-to-Dpd ratio (r = 0.702, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in the Pyd-to-Dpd ratio, irrespective of the participants' bone mineral density, may have predictive value in the determination of subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of 1Obstetrics and Gynecology and 2Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ufuk, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gamze Sinem
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Caglar
authors.forename: Inci
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kahyaoglu
authors.forename: Elif Didem
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Rabia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seker
authors.forename: Selda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirtas
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000652:urine*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000652:urine*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D010455:Peptides / Q000652:urine*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D024042:Collagen Type I; D010455:Peptides; D014280:Triglycerides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; C036020:deoxypyridinoline; D002784:Cholesterol