P1.54 The Relationship of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF) System to Cardiovascular Structure and Function in Women

Abstract

Introduction

IGF-I and its binding proteins (BP) may modulate cardiovascular risk, from young ages. We examined relationships of IGF system indices (IGF-I, -BP-1, BP-3, IGF-I/BP-3 ratio) to cardiac and vascular structure & function across the whole vascular bed.

Methods

193 women in our Manchester Mothers’ Cardiovascular (CVS) study followed from an index pregnancy aged 32±5y had fasting blood samples, anthropometry, echocardiography, aortic pulse wave velocity and heat augmented laser doppler flowmetry (LDF). In a smaller subgroup (n = 29), subcutaneous small artery structure and function was assessed ex-vivo by wire myography. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were assayed by Elisa, and IGFBP-1 by radio-immunoassay.

Results

On multiple regression analysis, adjusting for age, ethnicity, smoking history, BMI, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides, IGF-I, IGFBP1 and the IGF-I/BP-3 ratio were independently related to CVS parameters as follows:

Table 1

Conclusion

In relatively young women, higher concentrations of IGF-I, ‘free’ IGF-I (= IGF-I/BP-3 ratio) and of IGFBP-1 had marked influences on cardiac, large and small vessel structure and function.