Age-adjusted level of circulating elastin as a cardiovascular risk factor in medical check-up individuals.

Aims: The level of circulating soluble elastin (CSE) is reported to increase proportionally with the degree of clinical atherosclerosis; however, its diagnostic use is limited because CSE also increases with age. We aimed to investigate whether alterations in CSE concentrations are implicated in potential cardiovascular dysfunctions (indicated by standard physiological parameters) in medical check-up individuals, taking age into consideration.

Methods: In a total of 531 individuals (age 20-89 years), CSE levels were correlated most significantly with age. The groups of male and female individuals were each further divided into two subgroups: those with higher and those with lower CSE levels than the reference values determined by polynomial regression.

Results: Male participants with lower CSE levels (n = 128) than the age-adjusted reference baseline levels showed higher serum glucose (P < 0.008), uric acid (P < 0.008) and triglyceride (P < 0.02) levels than those with higher CSE levels (n = 126). However, most of the parameters tested in female participants with lower CSE levels (n = 140) were statistically comparable to those with higher CSE levels (n = 137). The ratio of CSE level to the age-adjusted reference level was calculated in each of the male participants, and declines in the ratio were significantly correlated with increases of serum glucose, uric acid and triglyceride levels (P < 0.005, P < 0.02 and P < 0.006, respectively).

Conclusion: The decrease in age-adjusted CSE levels is a potential indicator of eventual cardiovascular dysfunction in medical check-up individuals, as predicted by the risk factors dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia or diabetes.