Open Access

Jan Schielke, Till Ittermann, Stefan Groß, Eileen Moritz, Matthias Nauck, Nele Friedrich, Edzard Schwedhelm, Bernhard H. Rauch, Henry Völzke, Robin Bülow, Bishwas Chamling, Stephan Burkhard Felix, Martin Bahls, Marcus Dörr, Marcello Ricardo Paulista Markus

• Aims Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a signaling lipid, which is involved in several cellular processes including cell growth, proliferation, migration and apoptosis. The associations of serum S1P levels with cardiac geometry and function are still not clear. We investigated the associations of S1P with cardiac structure and systolic function in a population-based sample. Methods and results We performed cross-sectional analyses of 858 subjects (467 men; 54.4%), aged 22 to 81 years, from a sub-sample of the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND-0). We analyzed the associations of serum S1P with structural and systolic function left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) parameters as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using sex-stratified multivariable-adjusted linear regression models. In men, MRI data showed that a 1 µmol/L lower S1P concentration was associated with an 18.1 mL (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.66–32.6; p = 0.014) larger LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), a 0.46 mm (95% CI 0.04–0.89; p = 0.034) greater LV wall thickness (LVWT) and a 16.3 g (95% CI 6.55–26.1; p = 0.001) higher LV mass (LVM). S1P was also associated with a 13.3 mL/beat (95% CI 4.49–22.1; p = 0.003) greater LV stroke volume (LVSV), an 18.7 cJ (95% CI 6.43–30.9; p = 0.003) greater LV stroke work (LVSW) and a 12.6 mL (95% CI 1.03–24.3; p = 0.033) larger LA end-diastolic volume (LAEDV). We did not find any significant associations in women. Conclusions In this population-based sample, lower levels of S1P were associated with higher LV wall thickness and mass, larger LV and LA chamber sizes and greater stroke volume and work of the LV in men, but not in women. Our results indicate that lower levels of S1P were associated with parameters related with cardiac geometry and systolic function in men, but not in women.