scholarly journals Personal NO2 and Volatile Organic Compounds Exposure Levels are Associated with Markers of Cardiovascular Risk in Women in the Cape Town Region of South Africa

Author(s):  
Frans Everson ◽  
Patrick De Boever ◽  
Tim S. Nawrot ◽  
Nandu Goswami ◽  
Mashudu Mthethwa ◽  
...  

Exposure to ambient NO2 and benzene, toluene ethyl-benzene and m+p- and o-xylenes (BTEX) is associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, but limited information is available on the effects of personal exposure to these compounds in South African populations. This 6-month follow-up study aims to determine 7-day personal ambient NO2 and BTEX exposure levels via compact passive diffusion samplers in female participants from Cape Town, and investigate whether exposure levels are associated with cardiovascular risk markers. Overall, the measured air pollutant exposure levels were lower compared to international standards. NO2 was positively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and inversely associated with the central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) and mean baseline brachial artery diameter. o-xylene was associated with DBP and benzene was strongly associated with carotid intima media thickness (cIMT). Our findings showed that personal air pollution exposure, even at relatively low levels, was associated with several markers of cardiovascular risk in women residing in the Cape Town region.

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 194-204
Author(s):  
Teim Baaj ◽  
Ahmed Abu-Awwad ◽  
Mircea Botoca ◽  
Octavian Marius Cretu ◽  
Elena Ardeleanu ◽  
...  

Organ damages, which contribute to the overall cardiovascular risk of hypertensive patients, should be early detected, prevented and treated. The study evaluated organ damage in a hypertensive study group with chronic kidney disease (CKD), compared with a study group of hypertension without CKD. Albuminuria was present in 41.2% and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate [60 ml/min/m2 was present in 72.5% of hypertensive with CKD. The comparison of organ damage revealed in the CKD group a statistical significant higher prevalence of organ damage as follows: intima-media thickness ]0.9 mm in 39.9% vs 10.5%, carotid plaques in 28.2% vs 12.6%, left ventricular hypertrophy in 39.9% vs 31%, ankle brachial index in 6.2% vs 3.5%. Early detection and treatment of additional cardiovascular risk factors as dyslipidaemia and hyperglycaemia, that have significant role in the pathogenesis of organ damage, contribute to the better prevention of cardiovascular and renal complications in hypertension with CKD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1119.3-1120
Author(s):  
L. Nacef ◽  
H. Ferjani ◽  
H. Riahi ◽  
Y. Mabrouk ◽  
E. Labbene ◽  
...  

Background:Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at higher cardiovascular risk (CVR) than the general population due to chronic inflammation. Several factors, both modifiable and non-modifiable, can increase this risk. Intima-media thickness (IMT) was considered as a marker for atherosclerosis.Objectives:This study aimed to identify predictor factors of increasing IMT.Methods:The prospective study was carried out on patients with RA who met the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. These patients were followed in the rheumatology department of the Kassab Institute. The socio-demographic data, biological and immunological parameters were collected.Framingham’s score quantified the cardiovascular risk at 10-years. Carotid Ultrasonography (US) using a high resolution B mode carotid measured intima-media thickness (IMT) as a subclinical marker of atherosclerosis. Carotid US was performed in the supine position, according to American Society of Echocardiography guidelines. IMT was measured in the left (LCC) and right (RCC) common carotid arteries, the left (LIC) and right (RIC) internal carotid arteries, and the left (LEC) and right (RIC) internal carotid arteries. An increased IMT was defined as ≥0.9 mm.We analyzed data by the SPSS statistical package. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.Results:Of the 47 patients surveyed, 78.7% were female. The mean age was 52.5 ±11.06 [32-76]. The duration disease was 86.25 ±63 months [5-288] and was erosive in 81.6% of cases. The rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 57.8% of patients, and citrullinated antipeptide antibodies (ACPA) were present in 62.2%. Eight patients had a previous CV history (hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia) and 16.4% were active smokers. Among women, 43.6% were postmenopausal. ITM was significantly higher in men at LIC (0.037) and LEC (0.025). Older age was associated with increased ITM in LIC (p=0.046; r=0.295), LEC (p=0.05; r=0.412), RCC (p=0.034; r=0.317), and REC (p=0.009; r=0.382). The ITM for LCC, LIC, LEC, RCC, RIC, and REC was higher in postmenopausal women, with no significant difference (p=0.782, p=0.208, p=0.877, r=0.734, p=0.808, p=0.437, respectively).Among the modifiable factors, active smoking was associated with a higher ITM at the REC level (p=0.047). However, weight was not associated with an increased ITM (LCC: p=0.092; LIC: p=0.985; LEC: p=0.952; RCC: p=0.744; RIC: p=0.210; REC: p=0.510). In our study, there was no significant association between DAS28 disease activity or inflammatory marks and ITM (LCC: p=0.784; LIC: p=0.316; LEC: p=0.420; RCC: p=0.784; RIC: p=0.484; REC: p=0.754).Conclusion:In our study, the non-modifiable factors associated with increased ITM were advanced age and male gender. The modifiable factor impacting ITM was primarily active smoking. Surprisingly, disease activity and biological inflammation did not influence ITM.References:[1]S. Gunter and al. Arterial wave reflection and subclinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical and experimental rheumatology 2018; 36: clinical e.xperimental.[2]Aslan and al. Assessment of local carotid stiffness in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid Arthritis. Scandinavian cardiovascular journal, 2017.[3]Martin i. Wah-suarez and al, carotid ultrasound findings in rheumatoid arthritis and control subjects: a case-control study. Int j rheum dis. 2018;1–7.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit-Christiane Zyriax ◽  
Kira Dransfeld ◽  
Eberhard Windler

Abstract Background Assessment of cardiovascular risk by scores lacks sensitivity and leaves the majority of future cardiovascular patients unidentified particularly individuals at low cardiovascular risk. The present analysis investigates into the correlation of carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT) and cardiovascular risk factors and derived scores as to the potential of improved cardiovascular risk prediction by combining the two. Methods The Stress, Atherosclerosis and ECG Study (STRATEGY) is a cross-sectional study of selectively healthy 107 women and 106 men without diagnosed and treated cardiovascular risk factors evenly distributed between 30 and 70 years. CIMT was determined by evaluating B-mode ultrasonograms offline according to a standardized protocol. The unpaired t-test was used to compare normal-distributed continuous variables, the Chi-squared test for normal-distributed categorical variables and the Mann–Whitney U test for non-normal distributed continuous variables. The association between risk prediction scores and CIMT was calculated by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for the correlation between cardiovascular risk factors and CIMT. A multiple linear regression analysis was executed for the association of cardiovascular risk factors and CIMT. Results Age, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, total, LDL- and non-HDL-cholesterol and waist circumference were significantly associated with CIMT (each P ≤ 0.03). The Framingham Risk Score, the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster Study Score and the European Society of Cardiology Score correlated significantly but only moderately with CIMT. The Framingham Risk Score considering BMI correlated most strongly and predicted 27% of the CIMT variance in men and 20% in women. Conclusion In individuals without overt cardiovascular risk factors and thus at low cardiovascular risk, CIMT and cardiovascular risk factors correlated only partially suggesting that combining CIMT and conventional risk factors or common derived scores may improve risk prediction in individuals at low cardiovascular risk. The clinical benefit as to cardiovascular events of such combined risk prediction needs to be explored in large prospective cohorts of still healthy low-risk volunteers. DRKS ID DRKS00015209 07/02/2019 retrospectively registered https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=resultsExt


Author(s):  
Eliana Portilla-Fernández ◽  
Shih-Jen Hwang ◽  
Rory Wilson ◽  
Jane Maddock ◽  
W. David Hill ◽  
...  

AbstractCommon carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is an index of subclinical atherosclerosis that is associated with ischemic stroke and coronary artery disease (CAD). We undertook a cross-sectional epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of measures of cIMT in 6400 individuals. Mendelian randomization analysis was applied to investigate the potential causal role of DNA methylation in the link between atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk factors and cIMT or clinical cardiovascular disease. The CpG site cg05575921 was associated with cIMT (beta = −0.0264, p value = 3.5 × 10–8) in the discovery panel and was replicated in replication panel (beta = −0.07, p value = 0.005). This CpG is located at chr5:81649347 in the intron 3 of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor repressor gene (AHRR). Our results indicate that DNA methylation at cg05575921 might be in the pathway between smoking, cIMT and stroke. Moreover, in a region-based analysis, 34 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified of which a DMR upstream of ALOX12 showed the strongest association with cIMT (p value = 1.4 × 10–13). In conclusion, our study suggests that DNA methylation may play a role in the link between cardiovascular risk factors, cIMT and clinical cardiovascular disease.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1428.2-1428
Author(s):  
V. Valinotti ◽  
A. Paats ◽  
R. Acosta ◽  
L. Roman ◽  
I. Acosta-Colman ◽  
...  

Background:The mechanism of increased cardiovascular risk in RA is not well understood and is independent of traditional CV risk factors. Intima-media thickness of the common carotid wall measured by ultrasonogram is a safe and useful biomarker of early stage atherosclerosis that correlates with coronary involvement; and it correlates with severity and duration of disease. Several studies have shown a relationship between inflammation markers, endothelial dysfunction markers, and carotid involvement. (1)Objectives:To determine the presence of inflammation biomarkers and its relationship with subclinical atherosclerosis measured by carotid ultrasound, and with the clinical characteristics in patients with established Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)Methods:Descriptive, cross sectional, prospective study, in a Paraguayan cohort of patients with RA meeting ACR/EULAR2010 criteria. This study had two phases: the first one, included a standardized questionnaire according to the variables included in the Cardiovascular Risk project (PINV15-0346), from the National Sciences and Technology Council (CONACYT), and physical examination; the second one included laboratory sample collection performed by a specialized laboratory for serum biomarkers measurement for cardiovascular risk prediction (i.e endothelin, alpha-TNF, E-selectin, homocysteine, apolipoprotein, fibrinogen, and high sensitivity-CRP levels) and carotid ultrasound evaluation by a trained specialist, to evaluate subclinical atherosclerosis. Subclinical atherosclerosis was defined as carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) >0,9mm and/or presence of carotid plaques. All patients signed informed consent. SPSS 23rd version was used for data analysis. Quantitative variables were presented as means and qualitative as frequencies. Chi square test was performed for comparisons between dichotomous variables and t Student for continuous, and p ≤ 0.05 for statistical significance.Results:100 patients were included, 87% were women, mean disease duration 130.9±102.64 months, 77% were RF positive, and 84.4% were ACPA positive, 43.4% had bone erosions, mean ESR-DAS28 was 3,42±1,1; 30% had remission criteria. 39% had extra-articular manifestations.Elevated serum biomarkers were found: fibrinogen >400 mg/dL 88.2%, high sensitivity-CRP (hs-CRP) >5mg/dL 42.9%, endothelin >2 ng/mL 20%, alpha-TNF >15,6 pg/mL 13.1%, E-selectin >79,2 ng/mL 6%. 25.3% had CIMT >0,9 mm and mean CIMT was 0.68±0.25mm. 27.14% had carotid plaques. Patients with CIMT>1mm had higher frequency of family history of arterial hypertension (p=0.006), greater mean disease duration (p=0.0007), hip circumference (p=0.014), blood pressure (SBP p=0.038, DBP p=0.027), HAQ levels (p=0,019) and hs-CRP levels (p=0.013), also lower mean height (p=0,04); while carotid plaques were related to higher homocysteine (p=0.026) and hs-CRP levels (p=0.024).Conclusion:A considerable percentage of patients had subclinical atherosclerosis. Patients with CIMT>0,9mm had a longer disease duration, higher HAQ levels, hip circumference, as well as higher BP. High levels of hs-CRP were more frequently related to the presence of subclinical atherosclerosisReferences:[1]Aday, A. targeting residual inflammatory risk: a shifting paradigm for atherosclerotic disease. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine. 2019. 6:16.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6403155/pdf/fcvm-06-00016.pdfDisclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-216261
Author(s):  
Poppy Alice Carson Mallinson ◽  
Bharati Kulkarni ◽  
Santhi Bhogadi ◽  
Sanjay Kinra

BackgroundSome researchers have suggested that parents’ exposure to poor socioeconomic conditions during childhood can increase their offspring’s risk of cardiovascular disease, primarily through poor maternal nutrition and growth. However, epidemiological data on this association are limited. In an intergenerational cohort from rural India, we examined the association of parental childhood socioeconomic conditions and stature with offspring’s cardiovascular risk, hypothesising an inverse association between the two.MethodsWe analysed data on 3175 adult offspring (aged 18–35 years, 58% men) and their parents from the third wave of the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents’ Study (2010–12). We used multilevel linear regression to estimate the association of parents’ Standard of Living Index (SLI, an asset-based measure of socioeconomic conditions) in childhood, height and leg length with subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk factors in their offspring.ResultsIn multivariable models adjusted for offspring’s socioeconomic conditions in childhood and adulthood, associations (beta coefficients and 95% CIs) of mother’s and father’s childhood SLI (per SD) were −0.00 mm (−0.01, 0.01) and 0.01 mm (−0.00, 0.02) for carotid intima media thickness, −0.17 mm Hg (−0.61, 0.27) and −0.30 mm Hg (−0.78, 0.20) for systolic blood pressure, −0.43 mg/dL (−2.00, 1.15) and −1.07 mg/dL (−2.79, 0.65) for total cholesterol and −0.00mU/L (−0.04, 0.03) and 0.01mU/L (−0.03, 0.04) for log fasting insulin. Results were of similar magnitude for parental height and leg length.ConclusionsOur findings do not support an inverse association between parental childhood socioeconomic conditions or stature and offspring’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Intergenerational socioeconomic influences on cardiovascular risk may be of limited public health significance for this setting.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valter L. Pereira ◽  
Mirela Dobre ◽  
Sandra G. dos Santos ◽  
Juliana S. Fuzatti ◽  
Carlos R. Oliveira ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document