Elevated serum neuropeptide Y levels are associated with carotid plaque formation in Chinese adults: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMC cardiovascular disorders 2023-12, Vol.23 (1), p.608-608, Article 608
• Main Authors: Wang, Wan-da, Lin, Hui-Li, Zheng, Yan-Li, Wang, Sheng-Nan, Wang, Yao-Guo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerotic plaque; Biomarkers; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Carotid arteries; Carotid artery; Carotid plaque; Correlation analysis; Cross-sectional studies; Development and progression; Diabetes; Doppler effect; Health aspects; Hospitals; Hypertension; Inflammation; Kinases; Neuropeptide Y; Neuropeptides; Patients; Phenotypes; Regression analysis; TNF-α; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Ultrasonic imaging; Variables; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 1471-2261; 1471-2261
• DOI: 10.1186/s12872-023-03660-7

Carotid plaque (CP) formation is an important consequence of atherosclerosis and leads to significant complications. Levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is a sympathetic neurotransmitter, are elevated in cardiovascular diseases. It also has important roles in inflammatory conditions. This study aimed to explore the relationship between serum NPY and CP and to study further the influence of NPY and inflammatory factors on CP. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 adults who underwent a health examination at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University in Fujian Province, of whom 177 were finally enrolled. The participants were divided into the CP (n = 120) and non-CP (NCP) or control (n = 57) groups according to the results of carotid artery color Doppler ultrasound. The CP group was further classified into stable plaque (SP, n = 80) and vulnerable plaque (VP, n = 40) groups based on plaque characteristics. Serum NPY and pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were examined. Univariate and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between serum NPY levels, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the CP phenotype. The serum NPY and TNF-α levels of patients in the CP group were significantly higher than those in individuals from the NCP group [ (177.30 ± 43.29) pg.mL vs. (121.53 ± 40.16)pg.mL , P