Fetuin-A is associated with calcified coronary artery disease.

Objective: Fetuin-A is a circulating glycoprotein that is involved in various stages of atherosclerosis. Despite the fact that emerging evidence suggests fetuin-A acts as a calcification inhibitor that protects against advanced calcified atherosclerosis in dialyzed patients, the role of fetuin-A in cardiovascular disease is still controversial. As diabetes and uremia make the role of fetuin-A in cardiovascular disease uncertain, we investigated the association between fetuin-A and calcified coronary artery disease in participants without diabetes and renal dysfunction.

Methods: Serum fetuin-A levels were measured in 92 participants who underwent coronary angiography. The number of diseased vessels and the presence of calcification were evaluated.

Results: Fetuin-A levels significantly decreased in patients with advanced three-vessel disease compared with those without stenosis (245.5+/-50.9, 289.0+/-71.8 microg/ml, respectively; P<0.05). Likewise, fetuin-A levels were significantly lower in patients with coronary artery calcification compared with those without coronary artery calcification (257.1+/-49.7, 288.0+/-63.1 microg/ml, respectively; P = 0.010). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that fetuin-A levels inversely correlated with the presence of coronary artery calcification (odds ratio: 0.54; 95% confidence interval: 0.31-0.92; P = 0.025).

Conclusion: Serum fetuin-A levels inversely correlated with advanced calcified coronary artery disease.