Plasma Concentrations of Soluble Urokinase‐Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor Are Increased in Patients with Malaria and Are Associated with a Poor Clinical or a Fatal Outcome

Abstract

If the plasma concentration of suPAR reflects the extent of parasite-induced immune activation, this may explain why a high concentration of suPAR is associated with a poor clinical outcome in patients with malaria.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in the assessment of inflammatory activity of rheumatoid arthritis patients in remission

“…The number of affected joints was strongly correlated to elevated plasma suPAR levels, indicating that suPAR levels represent well the presence of ongoing inflammatory activity in RA patients in remission ( Figure 1D). Interestingly, higher levels of suPAR were associated with worse prognosis in several other diseases, including infections [5,6] and tumors [8,10] . While CRP and ESR values were similar in all subgroups of RA patients in remission to the levels seen in healthy individuals, suPAR values were elevated indicating the inflammatory activity in patients with 2 -3 or four affected joints.…”

“…However, activation of the immune system and the development of an inflammatory response lead to elevated plasma suPAR concentrations. The plasma level of suPAR is increased in infectious [5,6] , autoimmune [7] , neoplastic [8] and pregnancy-related [9] diseases. Interestingly, in all of these conditions suPAR concentrations are directly proportional to a worse prognosis of the disease [5,6,8,10] .…”

suPAR - a future risk marker

“…It should be emphasized, however, that suPAR is not a specific marker for bacteraemia or sepsis. The same association between high suPAR levels and high mortality is observed in patients with HIV [2], tuberculosis [3], malaria [4], Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever [5] and even in ill patients with no obvious infectious disease diagnosis [6]. Thus, suPAR is a non-specific biomarker with no diagnostic value.…”

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in plasma is associated with incidence of CVD. Results from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study

“…This biomarker shows high stability during storage and after repeated freeze and thaw circles, and is therefore suitable for analysis in frozen plasma samples 5,6 . Elevated levels of suPAR have shown to be associated with worse outcome in patients with various infectious diseases and cancer [7][8][9][10] . Less is known about the relationship between suPAR and risk of CVD.…”