Soluble LR11 associates with aortic root calcification in asymptomatic treated male patients with familial hypercholesterolemia

Abstract Background and aims Despite statin treatment, a high prevalence of severe vascular calcification is found in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We assessed the relation between the circulating soluble form of low-density lipoprotein receptor relative with 11 ligand-binding repeats (sLR11), a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and vascular calcification in asymptomatic statin-treated heterozygous FH patients. Methods In 123 asymptomatic heterozygous FH patients (age 40–69 years), aortic root (ARC), aortic valve (AVC) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) were determined with CT-based calcium scoring expressed in Agatston units. Plasma sLR11 levels were measured by sandwich ELISA. Results Seventy-three patients displayed ARC, 48 had AVC and 96 CAC. Plasma sLR11 levels were positively correlated with the presence of ARC (r = 0.2, p  = 0.03), but not with AVC or CAC. The correlation between sLR11 levels and ARC was restricted to male FH patients (r = 0.31, p  = 0.006). Multivariate logistic analyses showed that the association of plasma sLR11 with the presence of ARC was independent of other determinants (Adjusted Odds Ratio, 2.01 (95% CI = 1.28–3.16) p  = 0.002). Conclusions Plasma sLR11 is associated with ARC in male FH patients and may be mechanistically involved in the differential distribution of atherosclerotic lesions in the vasculature.