OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to examine the relationship of arterial stiffness to measures of @entity731 , @entity729 , and @entity79 ( @entity79 ); the heritability of these measures; and the degree to which they are explained by common genetic influences. BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffening relates to @entity729 , but this association could result from coexistent @entity731 . A reciprocal relationship between arterial stiffening/ @entity730 and @entity79 could explain the association between @entity65 and @entity170 . METHODS: We examined, in 900 @entity1 from the Twins UK cohort, the relationship of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) to measures of @entity731 (carotid intima-media thickening; carotid/femoral plaque), @entity730 ( @entity6538 [ @entity6538 ]; aortic @entity730 by computed tomography, performed in subsample of 40 age-matched @entity1 with low and high cfPWV), and @entity79 . RESULTS: The cfPWV independently correlated with @entity6538 but not with intima-media thickness or noncalcified plaque. Total aortic @entity460 , determined by computed tomography, was significantly greater in subjects with high cfPWV (median Agatston score 450.4 compared with 63.2 arbitrary units in subjects with low cfPWV, p = 0.001). There was no independent association between cfPWV and @entity79 . Adjusted heritability estimates of cfPWV and @entity6538 were 0.38 (95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.59) and 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.04 to 0.83), respectively. Shared genetic factors accounted for 92% of the observed correlation (0.38) between cfPWV and @entity6538 . CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the association between increased arterial stiffness and the propensity of the arterial wall to calcify is explained by a common genetic etiology and is independent of noncalcified @entity1856 and independent of @entity79 .

Arterial stiffening relates to @entity729 but not to noncalcified XXXX in @entity1 . A twin study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women'] @entity1856 :: ('MESH:D058226', 'Disease') :: ['atheromatous plaque'] @entity170 :: ('MESH:D010024', 'Disease') :: ['osteoporosis'] @entity730 :: ('MESH:D002114', 'Disease') :: ['calcification'] @entity79 :: ('MESH:D001847', 'Disease') :: ['bone mineral density', 'BMD'] @entity460 :: ('MESH:D002118', 'Chemical') :: ['calcium'] @entity6538 :: ('MESH:D018333', 'Disease') :: ['calcified plaque', 'CP'] @entity729 :: ('MESH:D061205', 'Disease') :: ['arterial calcification'] @entity731 :: ('MESH:D050197', 'Disease') :: ['atherosclerosis'] @entity65 :: ('MESH:D002318', 'Disease') :: ['cardiovascular morbidity']
@entity1856 :: (MESH:D058226,Disease) :: ['atheroma']
