Background: P-selectin, a cell-surface adhesion molecule involved in leukocyte rolling and attachment, has been hypothesized to play a role in the initiation of atherosclerosis. However, little clinical data are available evaluating the role of soluble P-selectin in determining vascular risk.
Methods and results: In a large-scale prospective study of apparently healthy women, we measured baseline plasma concentration of soluble P-selectin among 115 participants who subsequently developed cardiovascular events and among 230 age- and smoking-matched participants who remained free of disease during 3.5 years of follow-up. Overall, mean levels of soluble P-selectin were significantly higher at baseline among women who subsequently experienced cardiovascular events compared with those who did not (83.2 versus 69.3 ng/mL; P:=0.003). The risk of future cardiovascular events increased with increasing quartiles of soluble P-selectin (P:=0.02), such that women in the highest quartile at study entry had an age- and smoking-matched relative risk 2.2 times higher than those in the lowest quartile (95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 4.2; P:=0.01). This effect was independent of traditional risk factors. For each quartile increase in soluble P-selectin, the risk of future cardiovascular events increased 28% (P:=0.03) after additional adjustment for obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and exercise frequency. The highest risks were observed among women with the very highest levels of P-selectin (>137.3 ng/mL, the 95th percentile cut point of the control distribution).
Conclusions: Soluble P-selectin levels are elevated among apparently healthy women at risk for future vascular events.