Platelets as Potential Non-Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factor—Analysis Performed in Healthy Donors

Abstract

Abnormal lipid profile, increased glucose level, and elevated body weight are traditional cardiometabolic risk factors; however, the role of platelets in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly being highlighted. The aim of this study was to select platelet-related parameters (non-genetic molecular and routine laboratory measurements) that may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk among healthy populations. We evaluated the level of platelet indices, platelet-based inflammatory markers, platelet reactivity parameters, and platelet reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in relation to selected cardiometabolic risk factors. We noted the association between total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol with platelet aggregation and platelet ROS generation. We found the relationship between triglycerides, glucose, and body mass index with the relatively new multi-inflammatory indices (MII-1 and MII-3). Moreover, we noticed that the mean platelet volume-to-lymphocyte ratio in healthy subjects is not a good source of information about platelets and inflammation. We also highlighted that platelet-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio may be a promising prognostic cardiometabolic indicator. The association between platelet-related (especially molecular) and cardiometabolic parameters requires further research. However, the goal of this study was to shed light on the consideration of platelets as a non-traditional cardiovascular risk factor and a crucial element in identifying individuals at high-risk of developing CVD in the future.

Impact of Platelet-to-HDL-Cholesterol Ratio on Long-Term Mortality in Coronary Artery Disease Patients with or Without Type 2 Diabetes: Insights from a Chinese Multicenter Cohort

“…18,34 To date, some studies have underscored the prognostic value of PHR in various clinical contexts. 17,34,35 For instance, noteworthy findings from Jialal et al found that elevated PHR values in patients progressing towards metabolic syndrome significantly correlated with all cardio-metabolic features, suggesting its potential as both a marker for metabolic syndrome and a promising predictor of cardiovascular risk and thrombotic incidents. 18 Furthermore, Szymańska et al observed significantly higher PHR levels in subgroups with elevated blood glucose (P =0.041) and increased body mass index (P =0.001), highlighting its potential in stratifying patients based on glucose and body mass index.…”

“…18 Furthermore, Szymańska et al observed significantly higher PHR levels in subgroups with elevated blood glucose (P =0.041) and increased body mass index (P =0.001), highlighting its potential in stratifying patients based on glucose and body mass index. 35 In addition to its correlation with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk, prior investigations have shown that elevated PHR levels are associated with stenosis in multiple coronary arteries, correlating with CAD severity measured by Gensini score. 34 Moreover, substantial evidence has established the well-acknowledged pathological mechanism of chronic inflammation underlying both T2DM and cardiovascular disease (CVD).…”