title: Adropin is associated with hyperhomocysteine and coronary atherosclerosis.
abstract: Homocysteine has been recognized as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Adropin is a newly-identified energy homeostasis protein with a potential protective effect against coronary artery disease (CAD). This study attempted to measure the correlation between serum homocysteine and adropin levels in patients with CAD, and to ascertain how the two hormones could affect the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. A cohort of CAD patients who had undergone coronary angiography was prospectively recruited. The serum homocysteine and adropin levels of the patients were measured and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis was quantified with the SYNTAX score. The data were analyzed with a generalized structural equation model. In total, 170 consecutive patients were recruited with a mean serum homocysteine level of 15.9±8.3 µmol/l, and 76 (44.7%) patients were identified as hyperhomocysteinemic with a serum homocysteine level >15 µmol/l. Serum homocysteine level was found to be significantly negatively correlated with serum adropin level (r=-0.169, P=0.028). Patients with hyperhomocysteinemia had lower serum adropin levels and higher SYNTAX scores than patients without hyperhomocysteinemia. Further analysis with a generalized structural equation model showed that adropin was significantly associated with hyperhomocysteinemia (adjusted odds ratio: 0.95, 95% confidence interval: 0.93 to 0.98; P=0.002), which in turn was significantly associated with the SYNTAX score (coefficient: 4.71, 95% confidence interval: 1.39 to 8.03; P=0.005). In conclusion, the serum homocysteine level was inversely correlated with the serum adropin level in patients with CAD. A low serum adropin level was associated with hyperhomocysteinemia and more severe coronary atherosclerosis, as reflected by a higher SYNTAX score.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liang-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Republic of Singapore; Cardiovascular Research Institute, National University Heart Centre Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore 119228, Republic of Singapore; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Siew-Pang
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jian-Chang
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei-Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Xu
keywords: SYNTAX score; adropin; atherosclerosis; correlation; homocysteine