Serum carcinoembryonic antigen is associated with arterial stiffness in Korean adults

Abstract

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), widely used tumor markers, has been reported to be related with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about relationship between arterial stiffness and CEA. We assessed whether serum CEA level is related with arterial stiffness by measuring brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV).Method: A total of 2909 subjects (1767 men and 1142 women) were divided into quartiles according to CEA level: Q1 (CEA < 1.3 mg/dl), Q2 (1.3 mg/dl ≤ CEA < 1.9 mg/dl), Q3 (1.9 mg/dl ≤ CEA < 2.7 mg/dl), and Q4 (2.7 mg/dl ≤ CEA) in men; Q1 (CEA < 1.0 mg/dl), Q2 (1.0 mg/dl ≤ CEA < 1.4 mg/dl), Q3 (1.4 mg/dl ≤ CEA < 2.0 mg/dl), and Q4 (2.0 mg/dl ≤ CEA) in women. Results: The mean values of ba-PWV increased gradually by CEA quartile. After adjusting for significantly correlated variables the ba-PWV was independently associated with CEA (P< 0.001). The odds ratios (95% CI) for high ba-PWVs (> 75th percentile; men: 1518 cm/s, women: 1487 cm/s) according to CEA quartile in men were 1.00 (Q1), 1.044(0.659-1.652, Q2), 1.075(0.688-1.681, Q3), and 1.595(1.009-2.520, Q4) after adjusting for age, BMI, blood pressure, resting heart rate, fasting glucose, log(Hs-CRP), LDL-cholesterol, white blood cell count, alcohol intake, smoking and exercise (P< 0.001). The odds ratios (95% CIs) in women were 1.00 (Q1), 1.719(0.971-3.032, Q2), 1.793(1.019-3.156, Q3), and 2.330(1.312-4.139, Q4) (P< 0.001) after adjusting for age, BMI, blood pressure, resting heart rate, fasting glucose, log(Hs-CRP), total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, uric acid, white blood cell count, alcohol intake, smoking and exercise. Conclusion: The CEA level might be associated with arterial stiffness which measured by ba-PWV in Korean adults.