Relationship of serum osteoprotegerin with arterial stiffness, preclinical atherosclerosis, and disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) reportedly have a higher mortality and morbidity risk. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) was recently defined as an important cardiovascular (CV) marker in the general population. We aimed to assess the relationship of serum OPG levels with arterial stiffness, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), and clinical and laboratory data in AS patients. We examined 60 AS patients without CV disease or risk factors and 50 healthy controls. Disease activity was evaluated using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), whereas functional capacity was evaluated using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). Serum OPG levels were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was used as an indicator of arterial stiffness, whereas CIMT (examined via carotid ultrasonography) was used to evaluate preclinical atherosclerosis. The mean serum OPG level, PWV, and CIMT were significantly higher in AS patients than in controls (106.7 ± 50.9 vs. 58.1 ± 12.7 pg/mL; 7.4 ± 1.8 vs. 6.2 ± 1.2 m/s; 0.72 ± 0.13 vs. 0.57 ± 0.07 mm, respectively; P < 0.001 for all). In AS patients, the serum OPG levels were not significantly correlated with PWV and CIMT but were significantly correlated with erthrocyte sedimentation rate, BASFI, and ASDAS. AS patients without CV disease or risk exhibited high OPG levels and increased PWV and CIMT values. Although OPG levels were not significantly correlated with PWV or CIMT, future long-term follow-up studies will help define the predictive value of OPG in these patients.

The Relationship of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Subclinical Atherosclerosis: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…All of the 35 studies included in the meta-analysis were analyzed using the Stata 12.0 (Stata Corp, College Station, Texas) software. 5 -39 The values of continuous parameters (cIMT, PWV, FMD) were expressed as mean and standard deviation (SD). Median or interquartile range values were transformed into mean and SD forms.…”

Osteoprotegerin rich tumor microenvironment: implications in breast cancer

“…OPG was recently defined as an important cardiovascular (CV) marker in the general population with arterial stiffness, vascular calcification, and carotid intima media thickness [84]. OPG constitutes a novel biomarker with prognostic significance in patients with severe malaria.…”

Evaluation of subclinical atherosclerosis using ultrasound radiofrequency data technology in patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis

“…13 In a study by Serdaro glu and colleagues, 14 carotid IMT and PWV values were found to be higher than the controls, and PWV values were substantially different between patients with AS with low and high disease activity. 14 Mathieu and colleagues 7 also reported higher carotid IMT and greater arterial stiffness in patients with AS than the controls, although the difference was not statistically significant. In another study, including age-and gender-matched AS patients and controls, normal IMT values were reported in AS patients, 1 and in a further study, PWV values were not found to be substantially different between patients with AS and healthy controls.…”

“…In a study by Serdaroğlu and colleagues, carotid IMT and PWV values were found to be higher than the controls, and PWV values were substantially different between patients with AS with low and high disease activity . Mathieu and colleagues also reported higher carotid IMT and greater arterial stiffness in patients with AS than the controls, although the difference was not statistically significant.…”