Low levels of IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine-A potential risk marker for ischemic stroke in men.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Natural antibodies specific for phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) have been implicated as protective factors in atherosclerosis. We herein determined the relationship between IgM anti-PC and incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

METHODS:

We studied 349 incident cases (200 men) of first events of CVD (coronary heart disease (CHD; n=203 or ischemic stroke; n=146) and 693 age- and sex-matched controls identified through 12 years of follow-up (1991-2003) of subjects from the cardiovascular cohort within the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study. Relative risks (RR) of CVD with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of incident CVD with adjustments for age, smoking, total cholesterol and blood pressure were determined. Anti-PC-levels were measured using ELISA (Athera CVDefine).

RESULTS:

As determined using Athera CVDefine, significant associations were attained with values of anti-PC below 17U/ml (corresponding to the lowest 9th percentile), which remained after taking confounders into account (RR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.09-2.94, p=0.021). If men were studied separately, significance was evident at values below 17U/ml (RR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.11-3.67, p=0.022), which was not the case among women. Furthermore, values below 17U/ml were also associated with ischemic stroke (RR=3.67, 95% CI: 1.34-10.1, p=0.01), but not with CHD.

CONCLUSION:

Low IgM anti-PC could be a novel risk marker for development of ischemic stroke in men. Further studies are needed to establish gender and subgroup differences.

• Authors: Beatrice G Sjöberg, Jun Su, Ingrid Dahlbom, Hans Grönlund, Max Wikström, Bo Hedblad, Göran Berglund, Ulf de Faire, Johan Frostegård
• Journal: Atherosclerosis (Atherosclerosis) Vol. 203 Issue 2 Pg. 528-32 (Apr 2009) ISSN: 1879-1484 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 18809177 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Immunoglobulin M
• Phosphorylcholine
• Cholesterol

Topics

• Aged
• Atherosclerosis (blood, diagnosis)
• Brain Ischemia (blood, diagnosis)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (blood, diagnosis)
• Cholesterol (metabolism)
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin M (blood, immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Phosphorylcholine (chemistry)
• Risk
• Risk Factors
• Sex Factors
• Stroke (blood, diagnosis)