Association Between Fibulin-1 and Aortic Augmentation Index in Male Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease.
BACKGROUND
Fibulin-1 (FBLN-1), a newly identified biomarker for vascular stiffness in type 2 diabetes, may participate in the pathophysiological processes leading to progression of arterial stiffness in atherosclerosis. In the present study, the relationship between FBLN-1 and arterial stiffness was examined in patients with atherosclerosis and in healthy subjects.


METHODS
Thirty-eight patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (age 62.4 ± 9.0 years), 38 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (age 64.0 ± 9.5 years), and 30 apparently healthy controls (age 61.1 ± 6.4 years) were studied. Serum FBLN-1, oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), resistin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were measured using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. The technique of applanation tonometry was used for non-invasive pulse wave analysis and pulse wave velocity assessments.


RESULTS
The levels of FBLN-1 (PAD = 9.4 [4.9-17.8] vs. CAD = 7.1 [4.8-11.8] vs. controls = 5.6 [4.1-8.4] μg/mL; p = .005), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) (9.8 ± 2.2 vs. 9.5 ± 2.2 vs. 8.3 ± 2.2 m/s; p = .023) and the heart rate corrected augmentation index (AIx@75) (29.4 ± 7.2 vs. 19.2 ± 7.2 vs. 15.4 ± 7.1%; p < .001), differed among the three groups. A correlation between FBLN-1 and AIx@75 was observed only in patients with PAD (rho = 0.37, p = .021). The relationship retained statistical significance in a multiple regression model after adjustment for potential confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
An independent association was demonstrated between serum FBLN-1 and AIx@75 in the PAD group. Thus, the findings suggest that FBLN-1 may play a role in arterial stiffening in patients with atherosclerosis.
Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. Electronic address: paapstel@outlook.com.
K
K
Paapstel
Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
M
M
Zilmer
Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Department of Cardiology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
J
J
Eha
Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
K
K
Tootsi
Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
A
A
Piir
Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Endothelial Centre, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Department of Vascular Surgery, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
J
J
Kals
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
D015415:Biomarkers; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C060820:fibulin
Arterial stiffness; Atherosclerosis; Augmentation index; Fibulin-1; Peripheral arterial disease