Association between serum alpha-Klotho and severe abdominal aortic calcification among civilians in the United States.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) has been recognized as an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the relationship between serum α-Klotho, an anti-aging hormone, and severe AAC in United States (US) civilians, which was not documented before.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The data were obtained from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which included 2267 individuals aged 40-79 years. Serum α-Klotho concentration, categorized into four quartiles, was examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). AAC was quantified by the Kauppila score system based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The association between serum α-Klotho and severe AAC was determined by multivariable logistic regression models. After adjusting for multiple covariates, the odds ratios (OR) (95% CI) of severe AAC for participants in serum α-Klotho quartiles 2-4 were 0.83 (0.52, 1.32), 0.56 (0.34, 0.94), and 0.54 (0.32, 0.92), respectively, compared with those in quartile 1 (P for trend = 0.007). The association between serum α-Klotho and severe AAC was stable in the different subgroups (all P for interaction＞0.05).

CONCLUSION

In a sample of US adults, serum α-Klotho levels were negatively related to the risk of severe AAC. Our findings indicated that serum α-Klotho may become a promising tool to predict the incidence and prognosis of CVD.