Associations between Inflammatory Markers and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Middle-aged White, Japanese-American and Japanese Men: The ERA-JUMP Study

Shin-ya Nagasawa; Takayoshi Ohkubo; Kamal Masaki; Emma Barinas-Mitchell; Katsuyuki Miura; ToddB. Seto; Aiman El-Saed; Takashi Kadowaki; Bradley J. Willcox; Daniel Edmundowicz; Aya Kadota; Rhobert W. Evans; Sayaka Kadowaki; Akira Fujiyoshi; Takashi Hisamatsu; Marianne H. Bertolet; Tomonori Okamura; Yasuyuki Nakamura; Lewis H. Kuller; Hirotsugu Ueshima; Akira Sekikawa; ERA-JUNP Study Group

doi:10.5551/jat.23580

Original Article

Associations between Inflammatory Markers and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Middle-aged White, Japanese-American and Japanese Men: The ERA-JUMP Study

Shin-ya Nagasawa, Takayoshi Ohkubo, Kamal Masaki, Emma Barinas-Mitchell, Katsuyuki Miura, ToddB. Seto, Aiman El-Saed, Takashi Kadowaki, Bradley J. Willcox, Daniel Edmundowicz, Aya Kadota, Rhobert W. Evans, Sayaka Kadowaki, Akira Fujiyoshi, Takashi Hisamatsu, Marianne H. Bertolet, Tomonori Okamura, Yasuyuki Nakamura, Lewis H. Kuller, Hirotsugu Ueshima, Akira Sekikawa, ERA-JUNP Study Group

Author information

Shin-ya Nagasawa
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Takayoshi Ohkubo
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Teikyo University School of Medicine
Kamal Masaki
Department of Geriatric Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, and Kuakini Medical Center
Emma Barinas-Mitchell
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
Katsuyuki Miura
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Center for Epidemiologic Research in Asia, Shiga University of Medical Science
ToddB. Seto
Department of Geriatric Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, and Kuakini Medical Center
Aiman El-Saed
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
Takashi Kadowaki
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Bradley J. Willcox
Department of Geriatric Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, and Kuakini Medical Center
Daniel Edmundowicz
Department of Medicine, Temple University
Aya Kadota
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Center for Epidemiologic Research in Asia, Shiga University of Medical Science
Department of School Nursing and Health Education, Osaka Kyoiku University
Rhobert W. Evans
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
Sayaka Kadowaki
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Akira Fujiyoshi
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Takashi Hisamatsu
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Center for Epidemiologic Research in Asia, Shiga University of Medical Science
Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Marianne H. Bertolet
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
Tomonori Okamura
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Keio University
Yasuyuki Nakamura
Department of Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Kyoto Women’s University
Lewis H. Kuller
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
Hirotsugu Ueshima
Department of Public Health, Shiga University of Medical Science
Center for Epidemiologic Research in Asia, Shiga University of Medical Science
Akira Sekikawa
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
ERA-JUNP Study Group

Keywords: Obesity, C-reactive protein, Fibrinogen, Intima-media thickness, Coronary artery calcification

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2015 Volume 22 Issue 6 Pages 590-598

DOI https://doi.org/10.5551/jat.23580

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Details

Abstract

Aim: To examine whether the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen are associated with biomarkers of atherosclerosis [carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and coronary artery calcification (CAC)] in the general male population, including Asians.
Methods: Population-based samples of 310 Japanese, 293 Japanese-American and 297 white men 40-49 years of age without clinical cardiovascular disease underwent measurement of IMT, CAC and the CRP and fibrinogen levels as well as other conventional risk factors using standardized methods. Statistical associations between the variables were evaluated using multiple linear or logistic regression models.
Results: The Japanese group had significantly lower levels of inflammatory markers and subclinical atherosclerosis than the Japanese-American and white groups (P-values all ＜0.001). The mean level of CRP was 0.66 vs. 1.11 and 1.47 mg/L, while that of fibrinogen was 255.0 vs. 313.0 and 291.5 mg/dl, respectively. In addition, the mean carotid IMT was 0.61 vs. 0.73 and 0.68 mm, while the mean prevalence of CAC was 11.6% vs. 32.1% and 26.3%, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) showed significant positive associations with both the CRP and fibrinogen levels. Although CRP showed a significant positive association with IMT in the Japanese men, this association became non-significant following adjustment for traditional risk factors or BMI. In all three populations, CRP was not found to be significantly associated with the prevalence of CAC. Similarly, fibrinogen did not exhibit a significant association with either IMT or the prevalence of CAC.
Conclusions: The associations between inflammatory markers and subclinical atherosclerosis may merely reflect the strong associations between BMI and the levels of inflammatory markers and incidence of subclinical atherosclerosis in both Eastern and Western populations.

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