Key result
Elevated IL-6 was associated with an increased risk of incident CVD independently of conventional risk factors and carotid IMT (HR 1.87; 95% CI 1.20-2.93).
Why the study?
Do elevated inflammatory markers (hsCRP, IL-6, IL-18) predict incident cardiovascular disease independently of carotid intima-media thickness in high-risk atherosclerotic patients?
Cohort (n=770)
Do elevated inflammatory markers (hsCRP, IL-6, IL-18) predict incident cardiovascular disease independently of carotid intima-media thickness in high-risk atherosclerotic patients?
Hazard Ratio: 1.87 (95% CI 1.2–2.93)
Elevated IL-6 predicts incident cardiovascular disease independently of carotid intima-media thickness in patients with atherosclerotic risk factors, and their combined measurement improves risk prediction.
May aid CVD risk stratification beyond IMT in high-risk patients; hypothesis-generating, requires prospective validation before practice change.
OBJECTIVE: Both inflammatory markers and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) are associated with future cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated whether inflammatory markers can be predictors for incident CVD independent of carotid IMT in atherosclerotic high-risk patients and evaluated the joint effect of inflammatory markers and IMT in CVD prediction. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of 770 patients who had one or more atherosclerotic risk factors. Serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-18, and carotid IMT were assessed at baseline and the incidence of CVD was determined. RESULTS: During 4.3 years of mean follow-up, CVD occurred in 104 patients (14%). In univariate analyses, higher levels of hsCRP, IL-6, and IL-18 were significantly related to an increased risk of CVD. However, only IL-6, but not hsCRP or IL-18, was associated with incident CVD after adjustment for conventional risk factors and carotid IMT (hazard ratio of upper half to lower half, 1.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-2.93). Measuring IL-6 level in combination with carotid IMT improves the prediction of incident CVD. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated IL-6 is associated with the risk of CVD independently of carotid IMT in atherosclerotic high-risk patients.
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Okazaki et al. (2010) conducted a cohort in Atherosclerotic risk factors (n=770). Elevated IL-6 vs. Lower half of IL-6 levels was evaluated on Incident CVD (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.20-2.93). Elevated IL-6 was associated with an increased risk of incident CVD independently of conventional risk factors and carotid IMT (HR 1.87; 95% CI 1.20-2.93).
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