Positive correlation between malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and vascular inflammation evaluated by 18F-FDG PET/CT

- Vascular inflammation could play a role in atherosclerosis.
- Serum levels of MDA-LDL are independently associated with vascular inflammation.
- MDA-LDL may be a useful biomarker to identify vascular inflammation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum levels of malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MDA-LDL) and vascular inflammation evaluated by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Methods/results: The study involved 106 consecutive patients (75 males and 31 female, mean age 62.5 ± 7.7 years) who visited our hospital for cardiovascular risk screening and underwent carotid ultrasonography, 18F-FDG PET/CT, complete history, physical examinations, and determination of blood chemistry including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and MDA-LDL. Vascular inflammation, was measured as blood-normalized standardized 18F-FDG uptake value, known as the target-to-background ratio (TBR) of carotid arteries. Univariate and multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed for determining independent correlates of carotid TBR values. Median MDA-LDL, mean carotid TBR values and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were 127.5 (IQR 92.0-147.8) U/l, 1.55 ± 0.22, and 0.72 ± 0.15 mm, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that carotid TBR values positively correlated with MDA-LDL (p = 0.043) and carotid IMT (p = 0.049). Multiple stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that MDA-LDL (p = 0.043) and carotid IMT (p = 0.038) were independently associated with carotid TBR values. Conclusion: The present study reveals that serum levels of MDA-LDL are independently associated with vascular inflammation evaluated by 18F-FDG PET/CT. Circulating MDA-LDL may be a more useful clinical biomarker for vascular inflammation within the atherosclerotic plaques than hsCRP or ADMA.