Longitudinal association of urinary DHPPA and DHBA with cardiometabolic risk markers in Chinese community-dwelling adults.

PURPOSE: Epidemiological studies using dietary biomarkers to investigate the association between whole grain intake and cardiometabolic health are lacking. We evaluate the 1-year longitudinal associations between urinary alkylresorcinol (AR) metabolites including 3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-propanoic acid (DHPPA) and 3,5-dihydroxybenozoic acid (DHBA), biomarkers of whole grain wheat and rye intakes, and cardiometabolic risk markers.

METHODS

Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were repeatedly measured at baseline and after 1-year in 482 Chinese community-dwelling adults. Blood lipids and fasting glucose were assayed by electrochemical luminescence method. We assessed makers of inflammation and insulin response at baseline. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured after 1-year. We used linear models and linear mixed-effects models to analyze single measurement and repeated measurements, respectively.

RESULTS

Each 1 µg/g creatinine increase in urinary DHPPA concentrations was associated with a -0.72% (P = 0.027) and - 1.26% (P = 0.005) decrease in TC and LDL-C, respectively. Urinary DHPPA was also correlated inversely with interleukin 6 (β = -0.371, P = 0.018) and C-reactive protein (β = -0.487, P = 0.036) at baseline. Higher urinary DHBA levels were associated with lower levels of SBP and DBP, with the percentage differences per 1 µg/g creatinine increment of -0.65% and - 0.74%, respectively (all P < 0.05). No association was found between the urinary AR metabolites and arterial stiffness.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that high intakes of whole grain wheat and rye, reflected by urinary DHPPA and DHBA, are favorably associated with cardiometabolic risk markers.