Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and incidence of venous thromboembolism

Raised plasma levels of the soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) have been associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Whether suPAR is associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) is largely unknown. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between suPAR and incidence of VTE in a cohort study. suPAR was measured in 5,203 subjects (aged 46-68 years, 58 % women) from the general population, who participated in the Malmo Diet and Cancer (MDC) study between 1991 and 1994. Incident cases of VTE were identified from the Swedish patient register during a mean follow-up of 15.7 years. Of 5,203 subjects with measurements of suPAR, 239 had VTE during follow-up (127 venous thrombosis, 86 lung embolism, 26 both). Incidence of VTE was significantly higher in subjects with suPAR levels in the top quartile. Adjusted for age and sex, the HR (4th vs 1st quartile) was 1.74 (95 % CI: 1.2-2.6, p for trend = 0.003). After adjustments for risk factors, the HR was 1.66 (95 % CI: 1.1-2.5, p for trend = 0.016). High level of suPAR was a risk indicator for incidence of VTE in this population-based cohort study. The causal relationships between suPAR and VTE remain to be explored.