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Markers of inflammation in men with small abdominal aortic aneurysm

Duncan J Parry1, Hamad S Al-Barjas, Louise Chappell

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Research, Section on Mechanisms of Thrombosis, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

Journal of Vascular Surgery
|July 13, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

D-dimer and C-reactive protein levels are elevated in early abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development. D-dimer is most strongly linked to AAA and may drive inflammation.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Biology
  • Inflammation Research
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Elevated inflammation and fibrin turnover markers are observed in individuals with large abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).
  • D-dimer, a fibrin degradation product, has proinflammatory effects and is elevated during early AAA development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the plasma inflammatory response during early AAA pathogenesis.
  • To determine the effect of D-dimer levels on early AAA development.

Main Methods:

  • Comparison of 75 men with small AAAs (30-54 mm) against 90 matched controls.
  • Measurement of plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), complement C3, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fibrinogen, and D-dimer.

Main Results:

  • Men with small AAAs showed significantly higher mean levels of fibrinogen, hsCRP, and D-dimer compared to controls.
  • D-dimer levels were elevated in AAA individuals independently of smoking, cardiovascular disease, and other inflammatory parameters.
  • Fibrinogen and hsCRP levels lost statistical significance when D-dimer was included in the multivariate model, suggesting a mediating role for D-dimer.

Conclusions:

  • Both C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels are elevated in the early stages of AAA development.
  • D-dimer levels exhibit the strongest association with AAA status.
  • D-dimer may play a crucial role in mediating the elevation of acute-phase reactants observed in early AAA.

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