title: Soluble galectin-3 is associated with premature myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory responses are pivotal in the initiation and development of premature atherosclerotic lesions. Galectin-3 represents a valuable biomarker for both progression and destabilization of atherosclerotic lesions. This study aims to assess the involvement of galectin-3 in premature myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this multicentre case-control study, we assessed circulating galectin-3 levels in 144 patients comprising 72 consecutive survivors of acute myocardial infarction (≤ 40 years) and 72 hospital controls frequency matched for age, gender and centre.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with acute myocardial infarction showed significantly higher galectin-3 levels as compared to controls in the acute phase of acute myocardial infarction (2552 ± 1992 vs. 1666 ± 829 pg/mL; P < 0·001) as well as in the stable phase 1 year after the index event (3692 ± 1774 vs. 1666 ± 829 pg/mL; P < 0·001). Circulating galectin-3 was significantly and independently associated with premature myocardial infarction in the logistic regression analysis (acute phase: adj. OR per 1-SD change 2·03, 95% CI 1·30-3·19; P = 0·002; stable phase: adj. OR of 6·54 (95% CI 2·56-16·68; P < 0·001). Moreover, we observed a significant correlation between circulating galectin-3 and leucocyte count (r = 0·35, P < 0·001), non-HDL cholesterol (r = 0·23, P = 0·014) and HDL cholesterol (r = -0·29, P = 0·002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated that elevated levels of circulating galectin-3 are strongly associated with premature myocardial infarction. Galectin-3 might serve as link between dyslipidaemia as driving force of plaque formation with inflammation as initiator of plaque rupture in patients with premature acute myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Max-Paul
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wiesbauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Arman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alimohammadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Med Campus III, Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blessberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Noemi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schillinger
authors.affiliation: Third Medical Department, Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Wilhelminen Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.|Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster for Cardiovascular Research, Vienna, Austria.|Core Facilities, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wojta
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Irene M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goliasch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D037161:Galectins; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D037502:Galectin 3; D037161:Galectins; C428445:LGALS3 protein, human; D002784:Cholesterol; D008049:Lipase
keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; acute myocardial infarction; galectin-3; inflammation; premature coronary artery disease