title: High Plasma Levels of Galectin-3 Are Associated with Increased Risk for Stroke after Carotid Endarterectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Galectin-3 (Gal-3) has been suggested to have both pro- and anti-atherogenic properties. High plasma Gal-3 levels are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) death. However, it has so far not been investigated if plasma Gal-3 levels can predict the risk for future stroke in patients suffering from carotid atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Gal-3 could be used as a marker to predict postoperative cerebrovascular ischemic events among patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples were obtained from 558 CEA patients and Gal-3 levels were analyzed by the proximity extension assay technique. The Swedish national in-patient health register was used to identify postoperative cerebrovascular events during the follow-up period (42.6 ± 26.2 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma Gal-3 was increased in patients treated for a symptomatic carotid stenosis (p = 0.013). Patients with Gal-3 levels above the median value had an increased incidence of stroke as shown by Kaplan-Meier curves of event-free survival (p = 0.007). Gal-3 was a predictor of postoperative stroke among women (hazard ratio 15.1, 95% CI 1.3-172.2; p = 0.028) even after correction for traditional CV risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first to show that increased plasma levels of Gal-3 can help in predicting the occurrence of postoperative strokes among female subjects who undergo CEA, independently of traditional risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. This finding suggests that Gal-3 could be used as a marker to identify patients in need of intensified postoperative medical care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences Malmx00F6;, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edsfeldt
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Asciutto
authors.forename: Pontus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dunér
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Björkbacka
authors.forename: Gunilla Nordin
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Fredrikson
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goncalves
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000378:metabolism*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3