Higher levels of interleukin-6 are associated with lower echogenicity of carotid artery plaques

• Published in: Stroke (1970) Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 677 - 681
• Main Authors: YAMAGAMI, Hiroshi, KITAGAWA, Kazuo, NAGAI, Yoji, HOUGAKU, Hidetaka, SAKAGUCHI, Manabu, KUWABARA, Keisuke, KONDO, Kimito, MASUYAMA, Tohru, MATSUMOTO, Masayasu, HORI, Masatsugu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01.03.2004
• Subjects: Aged; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Blood and lymphatic vessels; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Cardiology. Vascular system; Carotid Stenosis - blood; Carotid Stenosis - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Stenosis - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Inflammation Mediators - blood; Interleukin-6 - blood; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and Specificity; Skull, brain, vascular surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Ultrasonography; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Stroke; Nervous system diseases; ultrasonography; Cardiovascular disease; Inflammation; carotid arteries; Cerebral disorder; interleukins; Vascular disease; Interleukin 6; Carotid; Central nervous system disease; Atherosclerosis; Echography; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0039-2499; 1524-4628
• DOI: 10.1161/01.STR.0000116876.96334.82

Echo-lucent carotid plaques can be fragile and vulnerable to rupture, representing a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Given the studies showing that elevated levels of circulating inflammatory markers are predictive of cardiovascular events, we sought to determine whether higher levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are associated with lower echogenicity of carotid plaques. The study comprised 246 patients who had carotid atherosclerotic plaques as evidenced by ultrasound. Using acoustic densitometry, we quantified the echogenicity of the largest plaque in each patient by integrated backscatter analysis. Serum IL-6 and hsCRP levels were determined in all patients. Both log-transformed IL-6 and hsCRP concentrations were negatively correlated with carotid plaque echogenicity (r=-0.28, P<0.001, and r=-0.14, P<0.05, respectively). When traditional atherosclerotic risk factors, plaque thickness, and medication use were controlled for, IL-6 levels were inversely associated with plaque echogenicity (beta=-0.21, P<0.01), whereas such an association was of borderline significance for hsCRP (beta=-0.12, P=0.06). Higher IL-6 levels, in addition to hsCRP levels, appear to be associated with lower echogenicity of carotid plaques, suggesting a link between inflammation and potential risk of plaques.