著者
Masahito Michikura Masatsune Ogura Mika Hori Kota Matsuki Hisashi Makino Kiminori Hosoda Mariko Harada-Shiba
出版者
Japan Atherosclerosis Society
雑誌
Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis (ISSN:13403478)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.29, no.11, pp.1603-1612, 2022-11-01 (Released:2022-11-01)
参考文献数
25
被引用文献数
4 10

Aims: Achilles tendon (AT) xanthomas are a specific physical finding of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and AT thickness has been used for its diagnosis and evaluation of its severity. Recently, we reported that the AT of FH patients was softer than that of non-FH patients and the combined use of a cut-off value for AT softness with that for AT thickness improved diagnostic accuracy. However, an association between AT softness and severity of atherosclerosis has not been reported. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate whether AT softness was associated with carotid atherosclerosis and presence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in FH.Methods: The AT of 176 genetically diagnosed FH patients and 98 non-FH patients was examined to measure AT thickness and the elasticity index (EI) as an indicator for assessing AT softness using ultrasonography.Results: Increased age was associated with AT softness, and overweight was negatively related to AT softness. There were significant inverse correlations between EI and maximum and mean intima-media thickness (IMT) within the common carotid artery only among FH patients. In multiple linear regression analysis, although the relationship between EI and mean IMT was attenuated, the association between EI and maximum IMT remained robust. In logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex and traditional cardiovascular risk factors (smoking history, presence of hypertension, presence of diabetes mellitus, overweight, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and Log triglycerides), EI was associated with presence of ASCVD (Odds ratio per 1-SD increase, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15 – 0.86; P=0.0252).Conclusion: The degree of lipid deposition in the AT of FH patients could be assessed by its thickness as well as its softness. AT softness is not only useful in diagnosing FH but is also associated with the severity of carotid atherosclerosis and presence of ASCVD. In addition, these findings suggest that AT softness would be helpful in risk assessment for FH patients.
著者
Takako Sugisawa Ichiro Kishimoto Yoshihiro Kokubo Hisashi Makino Yoshihiro Miyamoto Yasunao Yoshimasa
出版者
The Japan Endocrine Society
雑誌
Endocrine Journal (ISSN:09188959)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.57, no.8, pp.727-733, 2010 (Released:2010-09-02)
参考文献数
23
被引用文献数
23 33

The inverse association between plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and body mass index (BMI) has been reported in Western populations. Here we analyzed the relationship between plasma BNP and obesity in a general urban Japanese population. We recruited 1,759 subjects without atrial fibrillation or history of ischemic heart disease aged 38-95 years (mean age ± standard deviation 64.5 ± 10.9 years, 56.1% women, mean BMI 22.8 ± 3.1 kg/m2) from the participants in the Suita Study between August 2002 and December 2003. In multivariable regression analyses adjusted for age, systolic blood pressure, pulse rate, serum creatinine, left ventricular hypertrophy in ECG, the inverse relationships between BNP levels and BMI (kg/m2) was found in both sexes (both p<0.001). Multivariable-adjusted mean plasma BNP levels in the group of BMI<18.5, 18.5≤BMI< 22, 22≤BMI<25, and 25≤BMI were 23.4, 17.9, 14.0 and 13.0 pg/mL, respectively (trend p<0.001). The negative association of body fat (percentage and mass), skin fold thickness, or waist circumference with BNP levels was observed the negative associations in both sexes (p<0.01). Among the obesity indices, body fat mass is most tightly associated with BNP. In conclusion, plasma BNP was inversely associated with obesityrelated markers such as body fat mass, skinfold thickness and waist circumferences after adjusted for relevant covariates in a Japanese population.