Interleukin-18, the metabolic syndrome, and subclinical atherosclerosis: results from the Dallas Heart Study.

• Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Although IL-18 promotes atherogenesis in animal studies and predicts cardiovascular risk in humans, it is unknown whether elevated IL-18 levels are associated with coronary atherosclerosis in the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: IL-18 plasma levels were determined by ELISA in 2231 subjects from the Dallas Heart Study. In univariable analysis, IL-18 levels associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors and particularly with components of the metabolic syndrome (MS, P<0.01 for trend across the number of MS components); IL-18 also associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores measured by electron beam computed tomography and aortic plaque measured by MRI (P<0.01 for each). In multivariable analyses, IL-18 remained associated with multiple components of the MS but not with CAC or aortic plaque. CONCLUSIONS: In a large population-based sample, elevated IL-18 plasma levels associated with risk factors for atherosclerosis and with the metabolic syndrome. The association between IL-18 and atherosclerosis diminished after accounting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. These data suggest that IL-18 does not add independently to detection of atherosclerotic burden in asymptomatic individuals.
• Authors: Andreas Zirlik, Shuaib M Abdullah, Norbert Gerdes, Lindsey MacFarlane, Uwe Schönbeck, Amit Khera, Darren K McGuire, Gloria L Vega, Scott Grundy, Peter Libby, James A de Lemos (Affiliation: Donald W. Reynolds Centers of the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA. andreas.zirlik at uniklinik-freiburg.de)
• Journal: Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol) Vol. 27 Issue 9 Pg. 2043-9 (Sep 2007) ISSN: 1524-4636 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 17626902 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biological Markers
• Interleukin-18

Topics

• Adult
• African Americans
• Age Factors
• Biological Markers
• Cohort Studies
• Coronary Artery Disease (blood, epidemiology)
• European Continental Ancestry Group
• Female
• Humans
• Interleukin-18 (blood)
• Life Style
• Male
• Metabolic Syndrome X (blood, epidemiology)
• Middle Aged
• Sex Factors
• Texas