title: Atherosclerotic Vessel Changes in Sarcoidosis.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vessel disease. The aim of our present study was to investigate whether sarcoidosis could be associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic vessel changes. Angiological analysis and blood tests were performed in 71 sarcoidosis patients and 12 matched controls in this prospective cross-sectional study. Specifically, angiological measurements comprised ankle brachial index (ABI), central pulse wave velocity (cPWV), pulse wave index (PWI), and duplex sonography of central and peripheral arteries. Sarcoidosis activity markers (angiotensin converting enzyme, soluble interleukin-2 receptor) and cardiovascular risk parameters such as cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, fibrinogen, d-dimer, and blood count were analyzed in blood. We found no relevant differences in ABI, cPWV, and plaque burden between the sarcoidosis and control groups (1.10 ± 0.02 vs. 1.10 ± 0.02, 6.7 ± 0.5 vs. 6.1 ± 1.2, 53.7 % vs. 54.5 %, respectively). However, PWI was significantly higher in sarcoidosis patients (146.2 ± 6.8) compared with controls (104.9 ± 8.8), irrespectively of the activity of sarcoidosis and immunosuppressive medication. Except for increased lipoprotein(a) and d-dimer in sarcoidosis, the remaining cardiovascular markers were similar in both groups. We conclude that sarcoidosis is associated with increased pulse wave index, which may indicate an early stage of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany. Izabela.Tuleta@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tuleta
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pingel
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biener
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hammerstingl
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Öztürk
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schahab
authors.affiliation: Evangelische Lungenklinik Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grohé
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nickenig
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, Pulmonology and Angiology, University of Bonn, 25 Sigmund-Freud-St., D-53105, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skowasch
mesh_terms: D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000378:metabolism; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Cardiovascular risk factors; Systemic inflammation; Vascular ultrasound; Vasculopathy