title: Elevated plasma levels of vascular endothelial cell markers in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
abstract: Hypercholesterolemia is associated with an increased incidence of vascular complications. To assess the actual degree of activation of coagulation systems and vascular disorders in hypercholesterolemia, plasma levels of vascular endothelial cell markers, such as thrombomodulin (TM), tissue-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-I (PAI-I), and von Willebrand factor, were measured in 51 patients with hypercholesterolemia. We also investigated the effects of Pravastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, on plasma lipid, lipoprotein a, and hemostatic markers. The mean plasma levels of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), fibrinopeptide A (FPA), TM, and PAI-I were significantly elevated in hypercholesterolemia. Of the hemostatic markers, only TM was significantly increased in patients with ischemic heart diseases (IHD). The mean concentration of total cholesterol and levels of TAT, FPA, PAI-I, and TM were significantly reduced after the Pravastatin treatment. The PIC/TAT ratio was significantly increased in non-IHD patients after treatment, this was not the case in IHD patients. These findings suggested the presence of a thrombogenic state and vascular endothelial cell disorders in hypercholesterolemia; such a state might well be related to hypofibrinolysis.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wakita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakase
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minamikawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohiwa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kageyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000032:analysis*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D018180:Thrombomodulin; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A; D000990:Antithrombin III; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D017035:Pravastatin