Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of JACC: Advances, 101298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.101298 Dr. Johan Frostegård et al.
Points
- The study investigated the association between IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in 932 women aged around 66.
- Serum levels of IgM anti-PC were measured, and the relationship with first CVD events (including ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke) was analyzed over a 16-year follow-up.
- Higher IgM anti-PC levels were significantly associated with a lower risk of CVD, particularly myocardial infarction and ischemic heart disease.
- Women in the highest tertile of IgM anti-PC had a 73% reduced risk of myocardial infarction compared to those in the lowest tertile (HR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.11-0.68; P trend <0.01).
- The study suggests that IgM anti-PC may be a potential biomarker for identifying women at higher risk of cardiovascular events and warrants further research into its protective mechanisms.
Summary
This study investigated the association between IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a cohort of 932 women, with an average age of 66 years, from the Swedish Mammography Cohort. IgM anti-PC has been linked to protective effects against chronic inflammatory diseases, including CVD, by promoting anti-inflammatory responses and clearing dead cells. Serum levels of IgM anti-PC were measured using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and the association with first CVD events—such as ischemic heart disease (IHD), myocardial infarction (MI), and ischemic stroke—was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for potential confounding factors.
Over a follow-up period of 16 years (13,033 person-years), 113 cases of composite CVD, 69 cases of IHD, 44 cases of MI, and 50 cases of ischemic stroke were identified. Higher levels of IgM anti-PC were significantly associated with a lower risk of CVD, particularly for MI and IHD. Specifically, women in the highest tertile of IgM anti-PC levels had a 73% reduced risk of myocardial infarction compared to those in the lowest tertile (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11-0.68; P trend <0.01). However, no significant association was found between IgM anti-PC levels and the risk of ischemic stroke.
The findings suggest that IgM anti-PC may play an essential role in reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in women, particularly myocardial infarction. The study indicates that measuring IgM anti-PC levels could be a biomarker for identifying women at higher risk of cardiovascular events. Further research is warranted to understand better the protective mechanisms of IgM anti-PC and its clinical implications for preventing cardiovascular disease.
Link to the article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X24005696
References Frostegård, J., Åkesson, A., Helte, E., Söderlund, F., Su, J., Hua, X., Rautiainen, S., & Wolk, A. (2024). Antibodies against phosphorylcholine in prediction of cardiovascular disease among women: A population-based prospective cohort study. JACC: Advances, 101298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.101298
