Peripheral blood cell characteristics are independently related to major adverse cardiovascular events after carotid endarterectomy

Abstract Background Patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) still have a residual risk of 13% of developing a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) within 3 years. Inflammatory processes leading up to MACE are not fully understood. Therefore, we examined blood cell characteristics (BCCs), possibly reflecting inflammatory processes, in relation to MACE to identify BCCs that may contribute to an increased risk. Methods We analyzed 75 pretreatment BCCs from the Sapphire analyzer, and clinical data from the AtheroExpress biobank in relation to MACE after CEA using Random Survival Forests, and a Generalized Additive Survival Model. To understand biological mechanisms, we related the identified variables to intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH). Results Of 783 patients, 97 (12%) developed MACE within 3 years after CEA. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) (HR 1.23 [1.02, 1.68], p = 0.022), CV of lymphocyte size (LACV) (HR 0.78 [0.63, 0.99], p = 0.043), neutrophil complexity of the intracellular structure (NIMN) (HR 0.80 [0.64, 0.98], p = 0.033), mean neutrophil size (NAMN) (HR 0.67 [0.55, 0.83], p < 0.001), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (HR 1.35 [1.09, 1.66], p = 0.005), eGFR (HR 0.65 [0.52, 0.80], p < 0.001); and HDL (HR 0.62 [0.45, 0.85], p = 0.003) were related to MACE. NAMN was related to IPH (OR 0.83 [0.71 - 0.98], p = 0.02). Conclusions This is the first study to present a higher RDW and MCV and lower LACV, NIMN and NAMN as biomarkers reflecting inflammatory processes that may contribute to an increased risk of MACE after CEA.Variables associated with secondary MACE