title: Relationship of serum osteoprotegerin with arterial stiffness, preclinical atherosclerosis, and disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) reportedly have a higher mortality and morbidity risk. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) was recently defined as an important cardiovascular (CV) marker in the general population. We aimed to assess the relationship of serum OPG levels with arterial stiffness, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), and clinical and laboratory data in AS patients. We examined 60 AS patients without CV disease or risk factors and 50 healthy controls. Disease activity was evaluated using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), whereas functional capacity was evaluated using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). Serum OPG levels were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was used as an indicator of arterial stiffness, whereas CIMT (examined via carotid ultrasonography) was used to evaluate preclinical atherosclerosis. The mean serum OPG level, PWV, and CIMT were significantly higher in AS patients than in controls (106.7 ± 50.9 vs. 58.1 ± 12.7 pg/mL; 7.4 ± 1.8 vs. 6.2 ± 1.2 m/s; 0.72 ± 0.13 vs. 0.57 ± 0.07 mm, respectively; P < 0.001 for all). In AS patients, the serum OPG levels were not significantly correlated with PWV and CIMT but were significantly correlated with erthrocyte sedimentation rate, BASFI, and ASDAS. AS patients without CV disease or risk exhibited high OPG levels and increased PWV and CIMT values. Although OPG levels were not significantly correlated with PWV or CIMT, future long-term follow-up studies will help define the predictive value of OPG in these patients.
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey. drmunser@yahoo.com.|Tıp Fakültesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi, 53100, Rize, Turkey. drmunser@yahoo.com.
authors: Münevver
authors: M
authors: Serdaroğlu Beyazal
authors: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey.
authors: Turan
authors: T
authors: Erdoğan
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey.
authors: Aysegül Kücükali
authors: AK
authors: Türkyılmaz
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey.
authors: Gül
authors: G
authors: Devrimsel
authors: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey.
authors: Medine Cumhur
authors: MC
authors: Cüre
authors: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey.
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Beyazal
authors: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey.
authors: Ismail
authors: I
authors: Sahin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D053244:Osteoprotegerin
keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Cardiovascular risk; Carotid intima media thickness; Osteoprotegerin; Pulse wave velocity