http://repub.eur.nl/res/aut/10709/ List of Publications en http://repub.eur.nl/static-eur/img/logo.png http://repub.eur.nl http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/24615/ 2009-12-04T00:00:00Z We studied the associations of three renin-angiotensin system polymorphisms, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) ID, angiotensinogen 235 MT, and angiotensin II receptor type I 573 CT, with arterial stiffness. The study was embedded in the Rotterdam Study, a population-based study older adults. The association of the polymorphisms with pulse wave velocity, the carotid distensibility, and pulse pressure was investigated in 3706 subjects. We found no association of the ACE ID polymorphism with pulse wave velocity, but the D-allele was associated with a lower distensibility coefficient (p 0.05) and higher pulse pressure (p 0.01). For the angiotensinogen 235 MT polymorphism, no significant associations with either pulse wave velocity (p 0.71), the distensibility coefficient (p 0.16) or pulse pressure (p 0.34) were found. Also, we found no significant associations of pulse wave velocity (PWV) (p 0.32), the distensibility coefficient (p 0.08), and pulse pressure (p 0.09) with the angiotensin II receptor type 1 573CT polymorphism. No epistatic effects were observed between the three renin-angiotensin system (RAS) genes with arterial stiffness. Our findings suggest that genetic variation in the renin-angiotensin system may play a role in determining carotid distensibility and pulse pressure. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/30526/ 2008-11-01T00:00:00Z Background and aim: Arterial stiffness increases with age and has been found to predict cardiovascular disease. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammation marker and has been found to be associated with arterial stiffness and risk of cardiovascular disease. Genetic factors account for part of the variance in CRP level. We studied the association of the total common variation in the CRP gene by polymorphisms 1184 C/T, 2042 C/T, 2911 C/G and haplotypes with arterial stiffness within the Rotterdam study. Methods: The study (n = 3615) was embedded in the Rotterdam Study, a prospective, population-based study among subjects aged 55 years and older. Associations of genotypes and haplotypes with CRP level and measures of arterial stiffness were examined using linear regression and analyses of variance. Measures of arterial stiffness included aortic pulse wave velocity, carotid distensibility and pulse pressure. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, known cardiovascular risk factors and measures of atherosclerosis. Results: CRP level was significantly associated with pulse wave velocity (p < 0.001) and pulse pressure (p < 0.05), also after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. CRP level was also associated with the 1184 C/T (T-allele: higher level), the 2042 C/T (T-allele: lower level) and 2911 C/G (G-allele: higher level) polymorphisms (all p < 0.001). Genotype and haplotype analyses showed no consistent associations of genetic variation with pulse wave velocity, carotid distensibility and pulse pressure. Conclusions: No consistent associations of the CRP polymorphisms 1184 C/T, 2042 C/T, 2911 C/G and corresponding haplotypes were found with measures of arterial stiffness. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/36463/ 2007-06-01T00:00:00Z Arterial stiffness is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Transforming growth factor β1 is a pleiotropic cytokine, with many functions, including influence on the vascular wall (e.g., on angiogenesis, endothelial cells and the extracellular matrix). We investigated five functional polymorphisms in the transforming growth factor β1 gene (-800 G/A, -509 C/T, codon 10 Leu/Pro, codon 25 Arg/Pro and codon 263 Thr/Ile) in relation to arterial stiffness in a population-based study. A total of 3863 participants of the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based study, were included in the current study. The relations of the genotypes and haplotypes with arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity (PWV), distensibility coefficient (DC) and pulse pressure (PP)) were studied using analyses of variance and linear regression. The analyses were adjusted for age, sex, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, conventional cardiovascular risk factors and measures of atherosclerosis. There were no associations between PWV and -800 G/A (P = 0.56), -509 C/T (P = 0.29), codon 10 (P = 0.98) and, codon 25 (P = 0.28). These polymorphisms were not associated with the DC or with PP. The haplotype-based analyses yielded similar results. The results of this study show that the TGF-β1 -800 G/A, -509 C/T, codon 10 Leu/Pro and codon 25 Arg/Pro polymorphisms are not associated with arterial stiffness. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/9568/ 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Studies of the association between arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis are contradictory. We studied stiffness of the aorta and the common carotid artery in relation to several indicators of atherosclerosis. METHODS: This study was conducted within the Rotterdam Study in >3000 elderly subjects aged 60 to 101 years. Aortic stiffness was assessed by measuring carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, and common carotid artery stiffness was assessed by measuring common carotid distensibility. Atherosclerosis was assessed by common carotid intima-media thickness, plaques in the carotid artery and in the aorta, and the presence of peripheral arterial disease. Data were analyzed by ANCOVA with adjustment for age, sex, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate. RESULTS: Both aortic and common carotid artery stiffness were found to have a strong positive association with common carotid intima-media thickness, severity of plaques in the carotid artery, and severity of plaques in the aorta (P: for trend <0.01 for all associations). Subjects with peripheral arterial disease had significantly increased aortic stiffness (P:=0.001) and borderline significantly increased common carotid artery stiffness (P:=0.08) compared with subjects without peripheral arterial disease. Results were similar after additional adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and after exclusion of subjects with prevalent cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based study shows that arterial stiffness is strongly associated with atherosclerosis at various sites in the vascular tree.