Age-related disorders are closely linked to the accumulation of senescent cells. The senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) sustains and progresses chronic inflammation, which is involved in cellular and tissue dysfunction. SASP-related growth and differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is an immunoregulatory cytokine that is coupled to aging and thus may have a regulatory role in the development and maintenance of atherosclerosis, a major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although the effects of GDF-15 are tissue-specific and dependent on microenvironmental changes such as inflammation, available data suggest that GDF-15 has a significant role in CVD. Thus, GDF-15 is a promising biomarker and potential therapeutic target for atherosclerotic CVD.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and atherosclerosis is the key factor promoting its development. Carotid intima-media thickening and the presence of carotid plaques are important indices of cardiovascular risk. In addition, inflammation is a major and complex factor in the development of atherosclerosis. The relationships between carotid atherosclerosis and certain inflammatory markers have rarely been studied in healthy individuals. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the associations between subclinical carotid atherosclerosis and various inflammatory biomarkers in a large Caucasian population free of evident CVD. In addition to recording study participants’ demographic characteristics, anthropometric characteristics, and atherosclerotic risk factors, laboratory tests were performed to measure levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-18, IL-23, IL-33, interferon (IFN)-α2, IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1. This study included 264 asymptomatic individuals with a median age of 61.7 years (interquartile range, 54.5–67.5 years); 45.7% of participants were male. Participants were divided into two groups according to their carotid status: the normal carotid group, comprising 120 participants; and the pathological carotid group, comprising 144 participants. Compared with the normal carotid group, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were significantly more common and serum levels of HbA1c, IL-8, and MCP-1 were significantly higher in the pathological carotid group. Multivariate regression analysis revealed significant positive associations between pathological carotid findings and serum levels of IL-8 (highest tertile, OR: 2.4, p = 0.030) and MCP-1 (highest tertile, OR: 2.4, p = 0.040). Our results suggest that IL-8 and MCP-1 may serve as early indicators of subclinical atherosclerosis, thereby helping to identify individuals at increased risk of CVD before the onset of clinical symptoms.

Aims: FINDRISC is widely used to assess 10‐year incidence of drug‐treated type 2 diabetes; however, it may require recalibration before implementation in new populations. Thus, we investigated the performance of FINDRISC and recalibrated it in the Hungarian population. Methods: 8‐year follow‐up data for incident type 2 diabetes was ascertained from the reimbursement database of Hungary for 2059 diabetes‐free participants of a voluntary survey (2011–2013). Incident diabetes was based on repeated prescription of antidiabetic medications. Discrimination of the original and the recalibrated (multiple logistic regression) FINDRISC was compared using ROC analysis. Results: 279 (13.6%) incident diabetes cases were found. Age, waist circumference, antihypertensive treatment, and history of elevated blood glucose were independent predictors of incident diabetes. Re‐estimating the weights improved discrimination ([AUC]: 0.68 [95% CI 0.65–0.71] vs. original: 0.66 [95% CI 0.63–0.69], p = 0.02). Even after the omission of variables non‐independent predictors of diabetes, the AUC remained better than the original score and similar to the reweighted score (AUC: 0.68 [95% CI 0.65–0.71] vs. original p = 0.04 vs. reweighted model p = 0.83). Discrimination was worse for those ≥ 65 years versus younger people. Conclusions: Validation and recalibration are important steps before using the FINDRISC in a population different from the derivation cohort. Omission of some variables (physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and family history of diabetes) that are not readily available did not significantly worsen the performance of the model. FINDRISC may not be a good predictor of incident diabetes in older populations.