P8 PROPROTEIN CONVERTASE SUBTILISIN/KEXIN TYPE 9 LEVELS AND ARTERIAL FUNCTION

DOI

10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.061How to use a DOI?

Abstract

Purpose/Background/Objectives: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels are modestly but significantly associated with increased risk of total cardiovascular events. Aortic stiffness and wave reflections are also important predictors of cardiovascular events. The aim of this pilot study was to determine if PCSK9 levels are associated with aortic elastic properties in patients with familial dyslipidemia.

Methods: Thirty-three patients with familial dyslipidemia (mean age 45 ± 12 years, 21 men, 14 with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and 19 with familial combined hyperlipidemia) without known cardiovascular disease were enrolled. PCSK9 levels were measured with ELISA. Aortic stiffness was assessed with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and wave reflections were assessed with aortic augmentation index corrected for heart rate (AIx@75). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were determined as a marker of subclinical inflammation.

Results: There was a positive correlation between AIx@75 and PCSK9 levels (r = 0.371, p = 0.034). (Figure) No association was found between levels PCSK9 and cfPWV (r = 0.043, p = 0.813) or hsCRP (r = 0.199, p = 0.274). In multivariate regression analysis, after adjustment for potential confounders such as age and sex, AIx@75 showed a significant positive correlation with PCSK9 levels (Adjusted R2 = 0.23, p = 0.007). Even after further adjustment for possible confounders such as the type of familial dyslipidemia, low-density lipoprotein levels, cfPWV and hsCRP this association remained statistically significant (Adjusted R2 = 0.16, p = 0.03). Gender was also significantly associated with levels of PCSK9 (p = 0.029).

Conclusions: In a group of patients with familial dyslipidemia PCSK9 levels were positively associated with wave reflections but not aortic stiffness.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Losif Koutagiar
AU  - Charalambos Vlachopoulos
AU  - Dimitrios Terentes-Printzios
AU  - John Skoumas
AU  - Nikitas Skliros
AU  - Magkas Nikolaos
AU  - Antigoni Miliou
AU  - Dimitrios Tousoulis
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2017/12/06
TI  - P8 PROPROTEIN CONVERTASE SUBTILISIN/KEXIN TYPE 9 LEVELS AND ARTERIAL FUNCTION
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 63
EP  - 64
VL  - 20
IS  - C
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.061
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.061
ID  - Koutagiar2017
ER  -