Proteinuria is independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis: a multicentric study

Abstract

Background and aims Atherosclerosis is a vital cause of cardiovascular diseases. The correlation between proteinuria and atherosclerosis, however, has not been confirmed. This study aimed to assess whether there is a relationship between proteinuria and atherosclerosis. Methods From January 2016 to September 2020, 13,545 asymptomatic subjects from four centres in southern China underwent dipstick proteinuria testing and carotid atherosclerosis examination. Data on demography and past medical history were collected, and laboratory examinations were performed. The samples consisted of 7405 subjects (4875 males and 2530 females), excluding subjects failing to reach predefined standards and containing enough information. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to adjust the influence of traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis on the results. Results Compared with proteinuria-negative subjects, proteinuria-positive subjects had a higher prevalence rate of carotid atherosclerosis. The differences were statistically significant (22.6% vs. 26.7%, χ2 = 10.03, p = 0.002). After adjusting for common risk factors for atherosclerosis, age, sex, BMI, blood lipids, blood pressure, renal function, hypertensive disease, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia, proteinuria was an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis (OR = 1.191, 95% CI 1.015–1.398, p = 0.033). The Hosmer–Lemeshow test was used to test the risk prediction model of atherosclerosis, and the results showed that the model has high goodness of fit and strong independent variable prediction ability. Conclusions Proteinuria is independently related to carotid atherosclerosis. With the increase in proteinuria level, the risk of carotid atherosclerotic plaque increases. For patients with positive proteinuria, further examination of atherosclerosis should not be ignored.

DNA Methylation Aberrant in Atherosclerosis

“…In this process, monocytes/macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and vascular endothelial cells (VECs) are all involved in the pathological process ( Yuan et al, 2020 ; Botts et al, 2021 ). In clinical practice, AS is associated with certain diseases like hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hyperhomocysteinemia, and hyperuricemia ( Jiang et al, 2021 ). On the other hand, male, smoking history, obesity, aging, and poor lifestyle can also lead to AS ( Rizzacasa et al, 2019 ).…”

“…AS is a common clinical disease often associated with other diseases as their end-stage complication—for example, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hyperhomocysteinemia, and hyperuricemia ( Jiang et al, 2021 ). In this article, we want to highlight some relevant risk factors that are well known in current studies.…”