title: Association of serum sialic acid and MMP-9 with lipids and inflammatory markers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammation of the arterial wall has emerged to be an important contributor to the process of atherosclerosis, the major cause of coronary heart disease. Several factors are currently under investigation as inflammatory markers of atherosclerosis. Serum sialic acid and matrix metalloproteinase-9 may provide such markers. We studied their association with the lipid profile and with the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and leukocyte count in a clinically healthy population of men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiovascular risk-related laboratory tests were carried out in 65 consecutive male employees in connection with an occupational health survey in 1996. The subjects were divided into tertiles on the basis of serum sialic acid or matrix metalloproteinase-9 concentration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a stepwise polychotomous logistic regression model adjusting for coronary heart disease risk factors, serum sialic acid concentration was not associated with markers of inflammation but rather with the lipid risk factors of atherosclerosis: inversely with HDL cholesterol (OR = 0.081, 95% CI 0.0068-0.97) and positively with total cholesterol (OR = 2.4, 95% CI 1-5.6). Matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels had a significant positive correlation with the leukocyte count (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.4-4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum sialic acid does not appear to be an indicator of inflammation but is somehow connected with the level of total and HDL cholesterol. Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 may provide a useful marker of inflammation because it correlates with the leukocyte count and is not associated with the lipid profile.
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere Medical School, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalela
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pönniö
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Koivu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Höyhtyä
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huhtala
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sillanaukee
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Nikkari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001167:Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid