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Serum Catestatin Levels and Arterial Stiffness Parameters Are Increased in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Piero Marin Zivkovic1,2, Andrija Matetic2,3, Ivana Tadin Hadjina1
1Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia.
Insights
Catestatin (CST) levels are elevated in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, correlating with arterial stiffness. This peptide may play a role in IBD
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
Background:
- Catestatin (CST) is implicated in chronic inflammatory disorders.
- Limited clinical data exists on CST in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- Arterial stiffness is a cardiovascular complication associated with IBD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare serum CST concentrations in IBD patients versus healthy controls.
- To investigate the relationship between CST levels and arterial stiffness parameters in IBD.
- To identify predictors of IBD status.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 80 IBD patients (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) and 75 controls.
- Measurement of serum CST levels.
- Assessment of arterial stiffness parameters: central augmentation index (cAIx-75) and pulse wave velocity (PWV).
Main Results:
- IBD patients exhibited significantly higher serum CST levels than controls (p = 0.001).
- Ulcerative colitis patients had higher CST levels than Crohn's disease patients (p = 0.021).
- IBD patients showed increased PWV and cAIx-75 compared to controls (p < 0.001 for both).
- PWV was the sole independent correlate of CST (p < 0.001).
- CST, PWV, cAIx-75, hs-CRP, and BMI predicted IBD status.
Conclusions:
- Serum CST levels are elevated in IBD patients.
- A positive correlation exists between CST and arterial stiffness (PWV).
- CST may contribute to the pathophysiology of IBD and its cardiovascular complications.
Abstract:
Catestatin (CST) is an important peptide in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory disorders. However, clinical studies on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are lacking. Our goal was to investigate CST concentrations in IBD patients compared to healthy subjects. Additionally, we aimed to determine arterial stiffness parameters in relation to CST. This cross-sectional study compared 80 IBD patients (45 Crohn's disease (CD) and 35 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients) with 75 control subjects. Serum CST levels were significantly higher in the IBD group compared to control subjects (11.29 ± 9.14 vs. 7.13 ± 6.08 ng/mL, p = 0.001) and in the UC group compared to CD patients (13.50 ± 9.58 vs. 9.03 ± 6.92 ng/mL, p = 0.021), irrespective of age and BMI. IBD patients exhibited significantly higher values of heart rate adjusted central augmentation index (cAIx-75) (14.88 ± 10.59 vs. 6.87 ± 9.50 %, p < 0.001) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) (8.06 ± 3.23 vs. 6.42 ± 1.47 m/s, p < 0.001) compared to control group. Furthermore, PWV was the only significant independent correlate of CST (B = 1.20, t = 4.15, p < 0.001), while CST, PWV, cAIx-75, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and BMI were significant predictors of positive IBD status (1.089 (1.022-1.161), 1.515 (1.166-1.968), 1.060 (1.024-1.097), 1.458 (1.116-1.906), 0.793 (0.683-0.920), respectively). Serum CST levels were significantly higher in IBD patients compared to controls and an independent positive correlation of CST with PWV existed. Therefore, it is possible that CST could have a role in the complex pathophysiology of IBD and its cardiovascular complications.
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