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(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2008;28:1563.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Clinical and Population Studies

Femoral Plaques Confound the Association of Circulating Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein With Carotid Atherosclerosis in a General Population Aged 35 to 55 Years

The Asklepios Study

Michel R. Langlois; Ernst R. Rietzschel; Marc L. De Buyzere; Dirk De Bacquer; Sofie Bekaert; Victor Blaton; Guy G. De Backer; Thierry C. Gillebert on behalf of the Asklepios Investigators

From the Department of Clinical Chemistry (M.L., V.B.), AZ St-Jan Hospital, Bruges; the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases (E.R., M.D.B., T.G.), Ghent University Hospital; the Department of Public Health (D.D.B., G.D.B.), Ghent University; and the Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (S.B.), Ghent University, Belgium. The other Asklepios Investigators are a part of the Association of Primary Care Physicians ASKLEPIOS V.O.F., Nieuwerkerken-Aalst, Belgium.

Correspondence to Michel R. Langlois, MD, PhD, Department of Clinical Chemistry, AZ St-Jan Hospital, Ruddershove 10, B-8000, Bruges, Belgium. E-mail michel.langlois{at}azbrugge.be

Objective— Reported associations of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) with noninvasive measures of atherosclerosis are inconsistent. In the Asklepios Study cohort of asymptomatic subjects aged 35 to 55 years, we evaluated the relationship of circulating oxLDL with subclinical atherosclerosis in the carotid and femoral arteries.

Methods and Results— Participants (n=2524, 51.5% females) completed a study questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination, blood analysis of oxLDL (mAb-4E6) and other risk markers, and ultrasound examination of intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques in the left and right carotid and femoral arteries. oxLDL concentrations were highest in subjects with femoral plaques (n=658). In the group of subjects with carotid plaques (n=476), elevated oxLDL concentrations are related to concomitant femoral plaques detected in 54% of these subjects. Multivariate regression analyses (including anthropometric, hemodynamic, biochemical, and lifestyle variables) showed that femoral plaques are independently related to oxLDL whereas femoral IMT, carotid IMT, or carotid plaques were not independently associated with oxLDL.

Conclusion— Circulating oxLDL is independently associated with femoral plaque and not with carotid artery wall damage.

In the Asklepios cohort of 2524 asymptomatic subjects (35 to 55 years), we evaluated the relationship of circulating oxLDL with carotid and femoral intima-media thickness and plaques. oxLDL was highest in subjects with femoral atherosclerosis and in those with concomitant carotid and femoral lesions. Femoral plaques was the sole echographic variable independently related to oxLDL.

Key Words: atherosclerosis • oxidized lipids • Doppler ultrasound • carotid arteries • peripheral vasculature