Sublingual endothelial glycocalyx and atherosclerosis. A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Science
• Biomarkers
• Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

• Endothelial glycocalyx damage is an early atherosclerosis marker.
• Perfused Boundary Region (PBR) measures glycocalyx size clinically.
• Association of glycocalyx size with cardiovascular risk is uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate if small glycocalyx size associates with cardiovascular risk factors.
• Determine if small glycocalyx size predicts prevalent cardiovascular disease.
• Clarify the clinical utility of PBR in cardiovascular disease assessment.

Main Methods:

• Multi-ethnic community-based cohort (N=6169).
• Cross-sectional analysis using logistic regression.
• Assessed association of highest PBR quartile (smallest glycocalyx) with risk factors and prevalent cardiovascular disease, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

• Smallest glycocalyx size (highest PBR quartile) associated with female sex (OR 0.61) and diabetes (OR 1.28).
• No significant association found between small glycocalyx size and overall cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, or stroke.
• Adjustments included classical atherosclerosis risk factors and ethnicity.

Conclusions:

• Small glycocalyx size correlates with female sex and diabetes.
• Glycocalyx size, by PBR, does not appear to be a reliable indicator of prevalent cardiovascular disease.
• Further research needed to fully understand glycocalyx's role in cardiovascular risk stratification.