title: Circulating endothelial cell markers in peripheral vascular disease: relationship to the location and extent of atherosclerotic disease.
abstract: We examined the relationship between specific endothelial cell markers soluble E-selectin, von Willebrand factor and soluble thrombomodulin and the location or extent of atherosclerosis by analysing plasma samples from 200 patients with symptomatic peripheral vascular disease and 213 age- and sex-matched asymptomatic control subjects. Using ELISAS, we found increased von Willebrand factor and thrombomodulin (both P < 0.0001) in the patients relative to the control subjects, but no significant change in soluble E-selectin. Soluble thrombomodulin was increased in patients with disease at one locus (i.e. of the carotid or iliac/femoral arteries), with an additional significant increase in patients with disease at multiple loci (i.e. any combination of carotid, coronary or iliac/femoral artery disease). No marker differentiated carotid artery disease from iliac/femoral artery disease. We conclude that von Willebrand factor is a marker of generalized atherosclerosis, but that soluble thrombomodulin is related to the extent of disease. Further research into these endothelial cell products are warranted to explore their diagnostic and/or prognostic potential.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Blann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seigneur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Boisseau
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: McCollum
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000097:blood*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D015415:Biomarkers; D019040:E-Selectin; D018180:Thrombomodulin; D014841:von Willebrand Factor