Men with AS (ankylosing spondylitis) are at elevated risk for CHD (coronary heart disease) but information on risk factors is sparse. We compared a range of conventional and novel risk factors in men with AS in comparison with healthy controls and, in particular, determined the influence of systemic inflammation. Twenty-seven men with confirmed AS and 19 controls matched for age were recruited. None of the men was taking lipid-lowering therapy. Risk factors inclusive of plasma lipids, IL-6 (interleukin-6), CRP (C-reactive protein), vWF (von Willebrand factor), fibrin D-dimer, ICAM-1 (intercellular cell-adhesion molecule-1) and fibrinogen were measured, and blood pressure and BMI (body mass index) were determined by standard techniques. A high proportion (70%) of men with AS were smokers compared with 37% of controls (P=0.024). The AS patients also had a higher BMI. In analyses adjusted for BMI and smoking, men with AS had significantly higher IL-6 and CRP (approx. 9- and 6-fold elevated respectively; P<0.001), fibrinogen (P=0.013) and vWF (P=0.008). Total cholesterol and HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) were lower (P<0.05 and P=0.073 respectively) in AS and thus the ratio was not different. Pulse pressure was also significantly higher in AS (P=0.007). Notably, adjustment for IL-6 and CRP levels rendered all case-control risk factor differences, except pulse pressure, non-significant. In accordance with this finding, IL-6 correlated positively (r=0.74, P<0.001) with fibrinogen, but negatively (r=−0.46, P=0.016) with total cholesterol concentration. In conclusion, men with AS have perturbances in several CHD risk factors, which appear to be driven principally by systemic inflammatory mediators. Inflammation-driven atherogenesis potentially contributes to the excess CHD risk in AS.
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August 2005
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Research Article|
July 25 2005
Cardiovascular risk parameters in men with ankylosing spondylitis in comparison with non-inflammatory control subjects: relevance of systemic inflammation
Hiren Divecha;
Hiren Divecha
*Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, Scotland, U.K.
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Naveed Sattar;
†University Department of Vascular Biochemistry, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, G31 2ER, Scotland, U.K.
Correspondence: Professor Naveed Sattar (email [email protected]).
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Ann Rumley;
Ann Rumley
‡University Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, Scotland, U.K.
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Lynne Cherry;
Lynne Cherry
†University Department of Vascular Biochemistry, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, G31 2ER, Scotland, U.K.
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Gordon D. O. Lowe;
Gordon D. O. Lowe
‡University Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, Scotland, U.K.
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Roger Sturrock
Roger Sturrock
*Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, Scotland, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
November 11 2004
Revision Received:
March 01 2005
Accepted:
March 31 2005
Accepted Manuscript online:
March 31 2005
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society
2005
Clin Sci (Lond) (2005) 109 (2): 171–176.
Article history
Received:
November 11 2004
Revision Received:
March 01 2005
Accepted:
March 31 2005
Accepted Manuscript online:
March 31 2005
Citation
Hiren Divecha, Naveed Sattar, Ann Rumley, Lynne Cherry, Gordon D. O. Lowe, Roger Sturrock; Cardiovascular risk parameters in men with ankylosing spondylitis in comparison with non-inflammatory control subjects: relevance of systemic inflammation. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 August 2005; 109 (2): 171–176. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20040326
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