Objective To evaluate the relationship between COPD and atherosclerosis, and analyze the risk factors of atherosclerosis among COPD patients. Methods A total of 40 COPD patients and 43 normal subjects were enrolled in the study. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques were detected in both groups. Blood samples were collected to measure the concentration of high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) , fibrinogen (Fbg) , total cholesterol (TC) , triglyceride (TG) , high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) , low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) , while smoking index was recorded. Multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlative factors of IMT among COPD patients. According to whether luminal stenosis appeared, the COPD patients were allocated into group A ( without luminal stenosis) and group B ( with luminal stenosis) . Age, gender, hs-CRP, Fbg, TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, and smoking index of the two groups were compared respectively. Results Hs-CRP, Fbg, thickness of IMT, plaques detection rate, and smoking index in the COPD group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( Plt;0.05) . TC, HDL-C, LDL-C in the COPD group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( Plt;0. 05) .Multiple regression analysis of IMT correlative factors among COPD patients showed that age, hs-CRP, Fbg, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, and smoking index were in linear relationship with IMT thickening. Age, hs-CRP, TC, and smoking index were positively correlated with IMT ( Plt;0.05) . Hs-CRP and smoking index in the group A were lower than those in the group B ( Plt;0. 05) .While TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C in the group A were higher than those in the group B ( Plt;0.05) . Conclusions Age, smoking index, hs-CRP, and TC are risk factors for thickening of carotid artery IMT in COPD patients. Furthermore, smoking index, hs-CRP, TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C are related to the severity of IMT thickening. The ultrasound detection of carotid artery IMT can be a valuble tool to screen atherosclerosis in patients with COPD.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene (ALDH2) polymorphism and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). MethodsFrom April 2013 to February 2014, 310 cases of carotid IMT thickening (IMT thickening group) from the physical examination center were included in the study and 280 cases of normal carotid IMT were regarded as controls. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. ALDH2 gene polymorphism was detected by DNA microarray method. ResultsGenotype distributions had no deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both groups. Compared with controls, the frequency of AA/AG genotypes (67.4%, 41.1%; P<0.01) and the frequency of A allele (37.9%, 22.3%; P<0.001) of ALDH2 gene were apparently increased in the subjects of IMT thickening group. There was a significant difference in the frequency distribution of genotype and allele in ALDH2 between the two groups. The logistic analysis showed that the ALDH2 gene polymorphism was associated with the increased carotid IMT [OR=2.381, 95%CI (1.356, 4.213), P=0.004]. ConclusionThe ALDH2 gene polymorphism is correlated with the increased carotid IMT in the Han population of China Sichuan. The ALDH2 gene polymorphism may play an important role in genetic susceptibility of increased carotid IMT.
Objective To systematically review the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis. Methods PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, WanFang Data, CBM, and VIP databases were electronically searched to collect studies on the correlation between OSAS and carotid atherosclerosis and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) from inception to August 2021. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using Stata 16.0 software and RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 32 studies, including 2 915 patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed a higher incidence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque in OSAS patients than in the control group (OR=5.56, 95%CI 0.27 to 8.38, P<0.000 01); subgroup analysis revealed that, compared with the control group, patients who were male (OR=5.38, 95%CI 2.79 to 10.38, P<0.000 01) or had mild-to-moderate OSAS (OR=3.9, 95%CI 1.66 to 9.15, P=0.002) or severe OSAS (OR=19.86, 95%CI 6.49 to 60.82, P<0.000 01) had a higher risk of carotid atherosclerosis. The CIMT of the OSAS group was significantly higher than that of the control group (SMD=1.24, 95%CI 0.97 to 1.51, P<0.000 01). There was a positive correlation between the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and CIMT in OSAS patients (r=0.52, 95%CI 0.44 to 0.60, <0.000 1), and the CIMT increased with OSAS severity. Conclusion OSAS is associated with a high incidence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque that is highly correlated with CIMT, which increases with an increase in the AHI. These findings are required to be verified in prospective high-quality studies to overcome the limitations of quantity and quality of studies included in this systematic review.