Circulating Biomarkers and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Incidence: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

Pubmed ID: 26085454

Pubmed Central ID: PMC4543558

Journal: Circulation

Publication Date: Aug. 18, 2015

MeSH Terms: Humans, Male, Female, United States, Middle Aged, Proportional Hazards Models, Prospective Studies, Follow-Up Studies, Patient Discharge, Incidence, Risk, Atherosclerosis, Peptide Fragments, Natriuretic Peptide, Brain, Inflammation, Blood Proteins, Biomarkers, Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal, Ultrasonography

Grants: HHSN268201100005C, HHSN268201100006C, HHSN268201100007C, HHSN268201100008C, HHSN268201100009C, HHSN268201100010C, HHSN268201100011C, HHSN268201100012C, U01 HL096902, R01 HL103695, HHSN268201100009I, HHSN268201100005G, HHSN268201100008I, HHSN268201100011I, HHSN268201100005I, HHSN268201100007I

Authors: Ballantyne CM, Folsom AR, Alonso A, Lutsey PL, Tang W, Yao L, Missov E, Lederle FA

Cite As: Folsom AR, Yao L, Alonso A, Lutsey PL, Missov E, Lederle FA, Ballantyne CM, Tang W. Circulating Biomarkers and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Incidence: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Circulation 2015 Aug 18;132(7):578-85. Epub 2015 Jun 17.

Studies:

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is complex. Cross-sectional studies have connected circulating biomarkers with AAA, but prospective evidence is limited. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study cohort, we measured multiple blood biomarkers of inflammation, hemostasis, thrombin generation, cardiac dysfunction, and vascular stiffness and identified incident AAAs during follow-up using hospital discharge codes. Six biomarkers (white blood cell count, fibrinogen, D-dimer, troponin T, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) were strongly associated positively with AAA incidence. Compared with having none of these 6 biomarkers in the highest quartile, the hazard ratios of AAA for those with 1, 2, 3, or 4 to 6 biomarkers in the highest quartile were 2.2, 3.3, 4.0, and 9.9, respectively (P for trend < 0.0001) after adjustment for other risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study found that higher concentrations of 6 biomarkers were associated with increased risk of AAA. The more markers that fell into the highest quartile, the higher the AAA risk was. Multiple positive biomarkers identify a subgroup of patients at high risk of AAA.