Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) plasma levels and carotid intima media thickness progression in the general population

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an essential component of the humoral arm of innate immunity and, like C-reactive protein, is independently associated with the risk of developing vascular events. Aim of this study was to investigate, in two large population-based surveys, the Bruneck Study and the PLIC Study, whether PTX3 plasma levels predict the progression of common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT), a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis, in the general population during 5 or 6 years of follow-up. RESULTS: In the Bruneck Study, PTX3 plasma levels did not predict a faster progression of CCA-IMT either in the carotid artery or in the femoral artery. This finding was confirmed in the PLIC Study where subjects within the highest tertile of PTX3 did not show an increased progression of CCA-IMT. PTX3 plasma levels were also not associated with the fastest maximum IMT progression. In summary, in more than 2400 subjects from the general population, PTX3 plasma level is neither an independent predictor of progression of subclinical atherosclerosis in different arterial territories, including carotid and femoral arteries nor of incident cardiovascular events. CONCLUSION: These findings support the relevance of investigating the predictive value of PTX3 plasma levels only in specific settings, like overt CVD, heart failure or acute myocardial infarction.