Association between soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) and coronary and cerebral atherosclerosis

Objective To investigate the Association between soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) and coronary and cerebral atherosclerosis. Methods A total of 232 consecutive patients who synchronously undertook coronary angiography and craniocerebral CT angiography (or total cerebral angiography) were included between May 2018 and December 2018 in Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University in this study. Patients were divided into the control group (without coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular stenosis (CVS), n=55), CAD group (n=118), CVS group (n=11), concomitant CAD and CVS group (CAD+CVS, n=48). Plasma sRAGE level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared among the four groups. The relationship between sRAGE and Gensini Score (GS) and cerebrovascular stenosis severity was assayed. sRAGE levels were compared among low, middle and high GS group as well as between extracranial and intracranial arteries stenosis. Results The levels of sRAGE in CAD group (1.96 μg/L) were higher than those in the control group (1.66 μg/L, P=0.025) or the CVS group (1.53 μg/L, P=0.013). However, no significant difference in sRAGE level was found between the groups of CAD and CAD+CVS (1.89 μg/L, P>0.05). Meanwhile, sRAGE was positively associated with GS in the entire study population (r=0.153, P=0.023) or in the diabetic patients (r=0.242, P=0.017). The sRAGE leves in both middle GS and high GS groups were higher than those in low GS group (P<0.05). No association between sRAGE and CVS severity and vascular count. Additionally, no significant difference in levels of sRAGE was found between extracranial (1.84 μg/L) and intracranial arteries stenosis (1.66 μg/L, P=0.523). Conclusion Plasma sRAGE level is positively associated withseverity of CAD, but its association with cerebral atherosclerosis needs further studies. Key words: Soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products; Coronary artery disease; Cerebrovascular stenosis; Atherosclerosis