What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Arterial stiffness (n=772). Intervention: beta2-microglobulin vs. Low beta2-microglobulin (Quartile 1: 0.9-1.3 mg/dl). Primary outcome: High value of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (tertile 3 category) (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.31-4.89, p=<0.01).

January 1, 2005Open Access

Relationship of .BETA.2-Microglobulin to Arterial Stiffness in Japanese Subjects

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

High serum levels of beta2-microglobulin (quartile 4) were significantly associated with increased arterial stiffness, indicated by a high brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (OR 2.53).

Key Result

High serum levels of beta2-microglobulin (quartile 4) were significantly associated with increased arterial stiffness, indicated by a high brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (OR 2.53).

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=772)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Does elevated beta2-microglobulin associate with increased arterial stiffness in Japanese subjects?

Population

772 Japanese local government employees aged 35 years or older, free of prior cardiovascular disease, assessed for the association between beta2-microglobulin levels and arterial stiffness.

Exposure

High serum beta2-microglobulin levels (Quartile 4: 1.8-3.4 mg/dl)

Comparator

Low serum beta2-microglobulin levels (Quartile 1: 0.9-1.3 mg/dl)

Outcome

High value of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) (tertile 3 category)surrogate

Elevated beta2-microglobulin levels are independently associated with increased arterial stiffness, suggesting a potential role in early-stage atherosclerosis.

Main Result

Odds Ratio: 2.53 (95% CI 1.31–4.89)

p-value: p=<0.01

Limitations

Cross-sectional design cannot identify a causal role for beta2-microglobulin in the pathogenesis of arterial stiffness.
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was only estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula rather than directly assessed.
Potential selection bias as subjects requested optional examinations and might have been more health-conscious than the general population.
The significance of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) for the prediction of cardiovascular events had not been fully established.
Relatively small sample size.
Lack of data on subjects' income to fully adjust for socioeconomic status.

Abstract

Beta2-Microglobulin (beta2m) is related to inflammatory diseases, but there have been few reports of a relationship between beta2m and atherosclerosis. We have examined the influence of beta2m on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) to clarify whether it is related to arterial stiffness. baPWV, beta2m, C-reactive protein (CRP), and conventional risk factors were measured in 614 males and 158 females. The adjusted means of baPWV were compared with the quartiles of beta2m, and significant differences in baPWV were observed across the quartiles of beta2m (p = 0.037). After being adjusted for potential confounders, quartile 4 of beta2m, quartile 4 of CRP, and the combination of high beta2m plus high CRP were significantly associated with a high value of PWV (quartile 4 of beta2m: odds ratio OR 2.53, 95% confidence interval CI, 1.31-4.89; quartile 4 of CRP: OR 2.27, 95% CI, 1.18-4.34; high beta2m plus high CRP: OR 5.60, 95% CI, 2.38-13.2). These results suggest that beta2m is associated with an increase of arterial stiffness. Further studies are needed to clarify whether beta2m is related to atherosclerotic diseases, and whether the combination of beta2m and CRP measurement is a useful predictor for the development of atherosclerosis.

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