Letter
Does Bilirubin Level Have an Effect on Serum Lipid Parameters and Atherogenic Plaque Formation?
Angiology 2014, Vol. 65(4) 313 ª The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0003319713517737 ang.sagepub.com
Cengiz Ozturk, MD1 and Ahmet Ozturk, MD2
We read the article entitled ‘‘Serum Bilirubin Level and Aortic Intima-Media Thickness in Patients Without Clinical Manifestation of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease’’ by Kalkan et al with interest.1 The cardioprotective effect of bilirubin has been reported in some studies.2-4 Kalkan et al1 showed that lower serum bilirubin level might be an independent predictor of subclinical thoracic atherosclerosis, and serum bilirubin level was negatively associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and aortic intima–media thickness. There are some reports regarding the relationship between total bilirubin levels and atherosclerosis.5-7 However, the measurement of conjugated, unconjugated, or total bilirubin levels were not reported by Kalkan et al.1 In addition, patients with known atherosclerotic heart disease were excluded. If such patients were included, a comparison could have been made. There are different studies about the effects of bilirubin on cardiovascular parameters. For example, Cu¨re et al concluded that increased bilirubin levels are associated with decrease in noninvasive electrocardiographic parameters in Gilbert syndrome.8 The contribution of serum bilirubin level to the atherosclerotic process has not been fully clarified.
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References 1. Kalkan GY, Gu¨r M, Baykan AO, et al. Serum Bilirubin Level and Aortic Intima-Media Thickness in Patients Without Clinical
Manifestation of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Angiology. 2014;65(4):308-312. Katsiki N, Karagiannis A, Mikhailidis DP. Diabetes, bilirubin and amputations: is there a link? Diabetologia. 2013;56(4): 683-685. Breimer LH, Mikhailidis DP. Is bilirubin a marker of vascular disease and/or cancer and is it a potential therapeutic target? Curr Pharm Des. 2011;17(33):3644-3655. Ajja R, Lee DC, Sui X, Church TS, Steven NB. Usefulness of serum bilirubin and cardiorespiratory fitness as predictors of mortality in men. Am J Cardiol. 2011;108(10):1438-1442. Celik T, Kaya MG, Akpek M, et al. Does Serum Bilirubin Level on Admission Predict TIMI Flow Grade and In-Hospital MACE in Patients With STEMI Undergoing Primary PCI. Angiology. 2014; 65(3):198-204. Demirkol S, Balta S, Celik T, et al. Carotid Intima Media Thickness and its Association With Total Bilirubin Levels in Patients With Coronary Artery Ectasia [published online January 28, 2013]. Angiology. 2013. doi: 10.1177/0003319712473796 Tu¨rkmen YH, Serdar MA, Has¸ imi A, et al. The effects of hemolysis and lipemia on biochemical analyses and comparison of the methods used in the elimination of lipemic effect [in Turkish]. Gulhane Med J. 2007;49(1):005-010. Cu¨re E, Yu¨ce S, Cic¸ek Y, Cu¨re MC. The effect of Gilbert’s syndrome on the dispersions of QT interval and P-wave: an observational study. Anadolu Kardiyol Derg. 2013;13(6): 559-565.
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Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey Department of Geriatric Medicine, Gulhane Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey
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Corresponding Author: Cengiz Ozturk, Department of Cardiology, Eskis¸ ehir Military Hospital, Eskis¸ ehir, Turkey. Email: [email protected]
Copyright of Angiology is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Does Bilirubin Level Have an Effect on Serum Lipid Parameters and Atherogenic Plaque Formation?
Angiology 2014, Vol. 65(4) 313 ª The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0003319713517737 ang.sagepub.com
Cengiz Ozturk, MD1 and Ahmet Ozturk, MD2
We read the article entitled ‘‘Serum Bilirubin Level and Aortic Intima-Media Thickness in Patients Without Clinical Manifestation of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease’’ by Kalkan et al with interest.1 The cardioprotective effect of bilirubin has been reported in some studies.2-4 Kalkan et al1 showed that lower serum bilirubin level might be an independent predictor of subclinical thoracic atherosclerosis, and serum bilirubin level was negatively associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and aortic intima–media thickness. There are some reports regarding the relationship between total bilirubin levels and atherosclerosis.5-7 However, the measurement of conjugated, unconjugated, or total bilirubin levels were not reported by Kalkan et al.1 In addition, patients with known atherosclerotic heart disease were excluded. If such patients were included, a comparison could have been made. There are different studies about the effects of bilirubin on cardiovascular parameters. For example, Cu¨re et al concluded that increased bilirubin levels are associated with decrease in noninvasive electrocardiographic parameters in Gilbert syndrome.8 The contribution of serum bilirubin level to the atherosclerotic process has not been fully clarified.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
References 1. Kalkan GY, Gu¨r M, Baykan AO, et al. Serum Bilirubin Level and Aortic Intima-Media Thickness in Patients Without Clinical
Manifestation of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Angiology. 2014;65(4):308-312. Katsiki N, Karagiannis A, Mikhailidis DP. Diabetes, bilirubin and amputations: is there a link? Diabetologia. 2013;56(4): 683-685. Breimer LH, Mikhailidis DP. Is bilirubin a marker of vascular disease and/or cancer and is it a potential therapeutic target? Curr Pharm Des. 2011;17(33):3644-3655. Ajja R, Lee DC, Sui X, Church TS, Steven NB. Usefulness of serum bilirubin and cardiorespiratory fitness as predictors of mortality in men. Am J Cardiol. 2011;108(10):1438-1442. Celik T, Kaya MG, Akpek M, et al. Does Serum Bilirubin Level on Admission Predict TIMI Flow Grade and In-Hospital MACE in Patients With STEMI Undergoing Primary PCI. Angiology. 2014; 65(3):198-204. Demirkol S, Balta S, Celik T, et al. Carotid Intima Media Thickness and its Association With Total Bilirubin Levels in Patients With Coronary Artery Ectasia [published online January 28, 2013]. Angiology. 2013. doi: 10.1177/0003319712473796 Tu¨rkmen YH, Serdar MA, Has¸ imi A, et al. The effects of hemolysis and lipemia on biochemical analyses and comparison of the methods used in the elimination of lipemic effect [in Turkish]. Gulhane Med J. 2007;49(1):005-010. Cu¨re E, Yu¨ce S, Cic¸ek Y, Cu¨re MC. The effect of Gilbert’s syndrome on the dispersions of QT interval and P-wave: an observational study. Anadolu Kardiyol Derg. 2013;13(6): 559-565.
1
Department of Cardiology, Gulhane Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey Department of Geriatric Medicine, Gulhane Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey
2
Corresponding Author: Cengiz Ozturk, Department of Cardiology, Eskis¸ ehir Military Hospital, Eskis¸ ehir, Turkey. Email: [email protected]
Copyright of Angiology is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
