Whole blood choline and plasma choline in acute coronary syndromes:: Prognostic and pathophysiological implications

Background: Whole blood choline (WBCHO) and plasma choline (PLCHO) concentrations increase rapidly after stimulation of phospholipase D in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Early risk-stratification was analyzed in 217 patients with suspected ACS and a negative admission troponin T (<0.03 mu g/L). Methods: WBCHO and PLCHO were measured using high-performance-liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry. Major cardiac events (MACE) were defined as cardiac death/arrest, coronary intervention or myocardial infarction (MI). Results: WBCHO (>= 28.2 mu mol/L) was predictive for MACE (hazard ratio [HR] 2.7; p< 0.001), cardiac death/arrest (HR 4.2; p=0.015), heart failure (HR 2.8; p=0.003), coronary intervention (HR 2.1; p=0.01) and MI (HR 8.4; p=0.002) after 30 days. PLCHO ( >= 25.0 mu mol/L) was predictive for MACE (HR 2.6; p=0.005), cardiac death/arrest (HR 15.7; p<0.001), heart failure (HR 6,0; p<0.001) but not for coronary intervention and MI. WBCHO and PLCHO were predictive for MACE in multivariate analysis (Odds ratio [OR] 2.7, p=0.009 and OR 3.3, p=0.03) independently of age, gender, prior MI, coronary risk factors and ECG. Conclusions: WBCHO and PLCHO are significant and independent predictors of major cardiac events in admission troponin T negative acute coronary syndromes. Both are predictive for events related to tissue ischemia and WBCHO is capable of detecting risks associated with coronary plaque instability. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.