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Sobenin et al. Vessel Plus 2019;3:15 Vessel Plus
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1209.2019.09

Original Article Open Access

Profiling of risk of subclinical atherosclerosis:
possible interplay of genetic and environmental
factors as the update of conventional approach

Igor A. Sobenin , Veronika A. Myasoedova , Tatiana V. Kirichenko , Varvara A. Orekhova , Zukhra B.
1,2
1,3
1,2
2
Khasanova , Vasily V. Sinyov , Alexandra A. Melnichenko , Andrey V. Grechko , Alexander N. Orekhov 2,4
1
1,3
3
1,2
1 National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Moscow 121552, Russian Federation.
2 Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow 125315, Russian Federation.
3 Federal Scientific Clinical Center for Resuscitation and Rehabilitation, Moscow 109240, Russian Federation.
4 Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Skolkovo, Moscow 143025, Russian Federation.
Correspondence to: Dr. Igor A. Sobenin, Laboratory of Medical Genetics, National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, 15-a
3rd Cherepkovskaya Str, Moscow 121552, Russian Federation. E-mail: igor.sobenin@gmail.com
How to cite this article: Sobenin IA, Myasoedova VA, Kirichenko TV, Orekhova VA, Khasanova ZB, Sinyov VV, Melnichenko AA,
Grechko AV, Orekhov AN. Profiling of risk of subclinical atherosclerosis: possible interplay of genetic and environmental factors
as the update of conventional approach. Vessel Plus 2019;3:15. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1209.2019.09
Received: 3 Dec 2018 First Decision: 29 Jan 2019 Revised: 14 Feb 2019 Accepted: 15 Feb 2019 Published: 6 May 2019

Science Editor: Alexander N. Orekhov Copy Editor: Cai-Hong Wang Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract
Aim: To explore whether geographical location, genetic and environmental factors are associated with carotid
atherosclerosis in high-risk individuals.

Methods: In Moscow 470 apparently healthy, asymptomatic volunteer subjects with a high cardiovascular disease risk
were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional study. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), a validated biomarker for
present and future cardiovascular disease risk, was assessed by means of high resolution ultrasound scans in subjects.

Results: The total burden of conventional cardiovascular risk factors explained 21% of the cIMT variability; the
mutational burden of mitochondrial genome defined by heteroplasmic mutations m.652delG, m.3256C>T, m.13513G>A,
m.14459G>A, and m.15059G>A independently explained 23% variability; the combination of conventional and genetic
risk factors increased explanatory level to 36%. Further exploratory statistical analyses showed air pollution as an
independent risk factor for cIMT.

Conclusion: In our study we confirmed and expanded the existence of a European geographic gradient of atherosclerosis
risk and its association with cardiovascular disease risk. Geographical, environmental (particularly, air pollution) -

© The Author(s) 2019. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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