ABSTRACT
Objectives: To investigate the relationships between the stability of carotid plaque and serum Lp-PLA2, A-FABP levels in hypertensive postmenopausal women. Methods: 195 postmenopausal women with hypertension were selected and divided into non-plaque group, stable plaque group and unstable plaque group according to the results of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque types derived from color doppler ultrasonography. In addition, 40 healthy postmenopausal women were recruited as normal control group. The serum Lp-PLA2 and A-FABP levels of all subjects were measured. Lp-PLA2 and A-FABP levels were compared among four groups by One-Way ANOVA. Spearman correlation analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were also performed. Results: Plaque group included 123 subjects (unstable plaque group: 29 cases; stable plaque group: 94 cases), and non-plaque group included 72 subjects. The average serum A-FABP level was significantly higher in unstable plaque group [(172.60±33.70) ng/L] than in non-plaque group[(133.04±29.49) ng/L], P<0.05. Serum Lp-PLA2 level was similar between the four groups, P>0.05. Serum A-FABP level was positively correlated with the carotid plaque (r=0.3446, P=0.0049);serum Lp-PLA2 level was not correlated with the carotid plaque (r=0.2058, P=0.0996). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that high A-FABP level was associated with stable plaque in hypertensive postmenopausal women (P=0.040, OR=1.017, 95%CI: 1.001~1.033), which was also associated with unstable plaque in this population (P=0.003, OR=1.031, 95%CI: 1.010~1.052). Conclusions: The level of A-FABP is a determinant responsible for the occurrence and stability of carotid plaque among hypertensive postmenopausal women. There was no correlation between Lp-PLA2 level and the stability of carotid plaque in this patient cohort.