전혜진, 이상화, 최유경, 이홍수, 심경원

이화여자대학교 의과대학 이대목동병원 가정의학과

Background: Serum total bilirubin has been considered a harmful substance inducing oxidative reaction; but recently,
there have been reports of it possessing antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and protective features against
cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between total bilirubin
and the Framingham risk score.
Methods: This study involved 3,414 healthy Korean men who underwent a medical check-up in a health promotion
center in 2008. We calculated the Framingham risk score using age, smoking status, systolic blood pressure,
total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 44.9±8.8 years. The log transformed serum total bilirubin level
and the Framingham risk score had a negative linear relationship in a simple linear regression analysis (R2:
0.018, P<0.001). In a multivariable analysis model, as well, the log transformed serum total bilirubin level and
the Framingham risk score had a negative linear relationship (R2: 0.384, P<0.001).
Conclusions: Our study showed a statistically significant negative relationship between total bilirubin and the
Framingham risk score. Total bilirubin had a stronger relationship with the Framingham risk score than other
standard cardiovascular risk factors except smoking, and thus may be useful in predicting cardiovascular risk
in the outpatient clinic.

Korean J Health Promot 2013;13(1):1-7
Keywords: Total bilirubin, Framingham risk score, Cardiovascular disease