An approach for early diagnosis of atherosclerosis: correlation between blood levels of endothelin and D-dimers with atherogenic index in African black subjects

Global mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVDs) is continuously increasing. In this regard, several authors have investigated the origins of CVD, with atherosclerosis being the most involved pathological process in CVD. In our study, we aimed to measure some parameters (endothelin, D-dimers) that could be involved in the early diagnosis of atherosclerosis and compare them to a classical marker Atherogenic index (AI) to see if there would be a correlation between these parameters and a possible use of them in diagnosis.

To do this, patients at risk of atherosclerosis, hypertensive and diabetic, were recruited over a period of 5 months at the Bonne Santé clinic in Yaounde. Out of a population of 84 patients, 10 hypertensive diabetics were selected, 77 hypertensive and 17 diabetics. The data analysis was conducted using the Spearman’s Rho test, after which we did not observe any significant correlation between endothelin and AI, with a correlation coefficient of 0.065 and a P value of 0.556. However, a significant correlation between D-dimers and AI was observed, with a correlation coefficient of 0.231 and a P value of 0.034; and a significant negative correlation between endothelin and D-dimers was observed, with a correlation coefficient of -0.232 and a P value of 0.033.

By comparing these data with those from other articles, we concluded that endothelin alone is not a good diagnostic marker for atherosclerosis. However, D-dimers can be used as associated markers for atherosclerosis diagnosis. These results directed us towards the process and different initiatic factors of atherosclerosis.