Association of advanced glycation end-products levels with vascular events in postmenopausal women

Aim: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are a known factor that accelerates vascular complications. AGEs (e.g. pentosidine or N-epsilon-carboxy-methyl-lysine [CML]) have been particularly investigated in patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease and have been associated not only with arteriosclerosis, but also with novel vascular events. On the contrary, the correlation of vascular events with AGEs has not been sufficiently investigated in groups excluding those with diabetes or chronic kidney disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of AGEs on the history of vascular events in postmenopausal women excluding those with diabetes or renal insufficiency. Methods: Japanese postmenopausal women were registered to the study after obtaining informed consent. Patients with critical illness, including diabetes mellitus and renal insufficiency, were excluded from the study. Participants were asked about their medical histories during the registration for the Nagano Cohort Study. Non-fasting serum and urine samples were collected to measure biochemical markers, including urinary pentosidine and serum CML levels. Results: Among 357 postmenopausal women, 32 had a history of vascular events. After adjusting age and other variables known to be associated with the presence of vascular event history, positive correlations between AGEs and vascular event history were observed (standardized odds ratio of log[pentosidine] 1.38, 95% CI 0.96-2.00, P = 0.086; standardized odds ratio of log[CML] 1.73, 95% CI 1.10-2.74, P = 0.019). Discussion: The present results showed a significant association between serum CML and the presence of vascular event history, suggesting that serum CML might play a role in vascular events.

Automated summary

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of AGEs on the history of vascular events in postmenopausal women excluding those with diabetes or renal insufficiency. Serum CML levels were found to be significantly associated with the presence of vascular event history, suggesting a potential role of serum CML in vascular events.