Reference intervals for serum sphingosine-1-phosphate in the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania.
BACKGROUND
The bioactive signaling lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a potential biomarker for cardiovascular disease (CVD). To date, no reference intervals for S1P have been defined. This study aims to establish a reference range for serum S1P in healthy individuals.


METHODS
We determined reference intervals for S1P levels according to gender and age in a sample of 1339 healthy participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)-TREND cohort after exclusion of subjects with CVD, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, elevated liver enzymes, chronic kidney disease stadium III or IV, or body mass index (BMI)>30kg/m2. Serum S1P was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.


RESULTS
The median age of the participants was 41 (25th; 75th percentile 32; 51) years, 65% were women. The median serum concentration of S1P was 0.804 (0.694; 0.920) μmol/L. No association with gender and age was observed. The overall reference interval was 0.534-1.242μmol/L (2.5th; 97.5th percentile). Further exclusion of smokers, individuals with BMI>25kg/m2or elevated lipid levels did not significantly affect median S1P concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides reference intervals for serum S1P in healthy individuals. Total serum S1P concentrations vary irrespectively of age, gender, BMI or smoking status.
Institute of Pharmacology, Department of General Pharmacology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany.
Eileen
E
Moritz
Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
Danilo
D
Wegner
Department of Internal Medicine B, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany.
Stefan
S
Groß
Department of Internal Medicine B, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany.
Martin
M
Bahls
Department of Internal Medicine B, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany.
Marcus
M
Dörr
Department of Internal Medicine B, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany.
Stephan B
SB
Felix
German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany; Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
Till
T
Ittermann
Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
Stefan
S
Oswald
German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
Matthias
M
Nauck
German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
Nele
N
Friedrich
Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany.
Rainer H
RH
Böger
German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany; Clinic and Polyclinic for Vascular Medicine, University Heart Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
Günter
G
Daum
Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany.
Edzard
E
Schwedhelm
Institute of Pharmacology, Department of General Pharmacology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Germany. Electronic address: Bernhard.Rauch@uni-greifswald.de.
Bernhard H
BH
Rauch
D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
D008246:Lysophospholipids; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate; D013110:Sphingosine
Reference intervals; Sphingosine-1-phosphate; Study of Health in Pomerania