Associations of suPAR and AGEs with echocardiographic measures in a healthy population
N Latifpour, J Molvin, A Jujic, H Holm IsholthAbstract
Background
Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are emerging biomarkers linked to inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although elevated levels of these biomarkers have been associated with adverse outcomes in heart failure (HF) and diabetes, their relevance in subclinical structural heart disease among healthy individuals remains underexplored.
Objectives
This cross-sectional study examined associations between plasma levels of suPAR and tissue accumulation of AGEs, with echocardiographic measures of cardiac structure and function in a community-based population free from CVD.
Methods
Analyses were conducted within the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS). Among participants with echocardiographic data, 1,675 with available suPAR measurements and 1,247 with AGEs assessed by skin autofluorescence (SAF), formed the primary analytic groups. Echocardiographic parameters included left ventricular mass index (LVMI), interventricular septal diameter (IVSD), diastolic function (E/e′, e′ velocity), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and stroke volume (SV). Associations were evaluated using multivariable linear and logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diabetes, and smoking.
Results
Higher suPAR levels were significantly associated with reduced SV (β = –0.78; 95% CI: –1.5 to –0.04; p = 0.038) and lower EF (β = –0.30; 95% CI: –0.59 to –0.01; p = 0.041) after multivariate adjustment. Elevated suPAR was also linked to increased odds of left ventricular hypertrophy (OR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.02–1.53; p = 0.031). Higher AGEs accumulations were associated with greater LVMI (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.03–0.01; p = 0.049) in the fully adjusted model.
Conclusion
In individuals without overt CVD, elevated suPAR, and to a lesser extent AGEs, was associated with subtle cardiac structural and functional changes, supporting need for further longitudinal studies.Table 3For image description, please refer to the figure legend and surrounding text.