Monocyte/macrophage and T cell activation markers are not independently associated with MI risk in healthy individuals - results from the HUNT Study

Accepted manuscript version. Published version available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2017.05.106. Accepted manuscript version, licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Background: We hypothesized that circulating markers reflecting monocyte/macrophage and T cell activation are associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in apparently healthy individuals. Methods: Serum monocyte/macrophage and T cell activation markers soluble (s) CD163, sCD14, Gal3BP, sCD25 and sCD166 were analyzed by enzyme-immunoassay in a case-control study nested within the population-based HUNT2 cohort in Norway. Among 58,761 apparently healthy men and women followed a median 11.3 years, 1587 incident MI cases were registered, and compared to 3959 age- and sex-matched controls. Results: Higher serum sCD163 (Q4 vs. Q1 OR: 1.27, P-trend 0.002), sCD14 (Q4 vs. Q1 OR: 1.38, P-trend < 0.001), and especially sCD25 (Q4 vs. Q1 OR: 1.45, P-trend < 0.001), were associated with increased MI risk in the age-and sex adjusted models. However, after additional adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors these associations were strongly attenuated (Q4 vs Q1 ORs between 1.02 and 1.12, P-trends between 0.30 and 0.58). Conclusions: sCD163, sCD14 and sCD25 may reflect leukocyte activation and inflammatory mechanisms related to atherogenesis, but do not predict MI risk above and beyond conventional cardiovascular risk factors.