Correlation and association of plasma interleukin-6 and plasma platelet-derived microparticles, markers of activated platelets, in healthy individuals

Intorduction: The aim of this study was to clarify the correlation and association of plasma IL-6 and PDMPs, both of which are associated with metabolic syndrome, in healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 464 healthy Japanese volunteers (210 men and 254 women, median age 39 and 35 years, respectively) who had no signs, symptoms or history of cardiovascular-or cerebrovascular disease and took no medications. We assayed their IL-6 levels with a conventional ELISA kit and their PDMP levels by ELISA and monoclonal antibodies against CD42b and CD42a (glycoprotein Ib and IX). Results: By multivariate analysis, the plasma level of PDMP was correlated with diastolic blood pressure (p=0.015), platelet count (p<0.001), high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and the plasma level of IL-6 (p<0.001) in men (R-2=0.454, p<0.001) and was correlated with platelet count (p<0.001) and the plasma level of IL-6 (p<0.001) in women (R-2=0.159, p<0.001). Quartile range of plasma level of IL-6 was associated with plasma level of PDMP after adjustment for diastolic blood pressure, platelet count, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein in men (p<0.001) and associated with plasma level of PDMP after adjustment for platelet count in women (p<0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest the plasma IL-6 is correlated and associated with the plasma PDMPs, markers of activated platelets in healthy individuals. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.