Plasma levels of E-selectin in normolipemic and hyperlipemic arteriopathic patients after vasoactive and lipid-lowering treatment.
BACKGROUND
The authors studied the plasma levels of E-selectin in a group of arteriopathic patients, before and after vasoactive and lipid-lowering treatment.


METHODS
The series consisted of 73 subjects (53 males, 20 females, aged 54 +/- 9 suffering from occlusive peripheral arteriopathy; 21 subjects with total cholesterol (TC) below 200 mg/dl were considered as normolipemics (group A); 24 subjects with TC between 200 and 240 mg/dl, mild hypercholesterolemics (group B); 18 with TC above 240 mg/dl, severe hypercholesterolemic (group C); 10 subjects who had high triglyceride values (above 200 mg/dl), (group D); 12 normal controls were also considered. All patients underwent a vasoactive treatment for 15 days; group B also underwent a standard hypolipidic diet (phase I NCEP, lipid 30% die) groups C and D underwent the same diet associated respectively with simvastatin (200 mg/die) and bezafibrate (400 mg/die). For each sample of plasma before and after treatment the determination of levels of E-selectin was carried out by an immunoenzymatic method (kit ELISA Amersham).


RESULTS
In groups A-B-C-D a reduction of the plasma levels of E-selectin was found, which was significant (p < 0.05), for group C and D, compared to controls. In groups A-B-D significant changes of E-selectin were not found after treatment; in group C the difference between the values after treatment and at baseline was significant (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The reduction of the E-selectin plasma levels was proportional to the values of total cholesterol and triglycerides; the chronicity and the dyslipidemia may be responsible for the basal diminished biosynthetic endothelial function; in the severe hypercholesterolemics the lipid-lowering treatment caused a significant decrease of E-selectin, due to a probable reduced endothelial irritation dependent on the hyperlipemic stress.
Ferlito
S
S
Chair of Internal Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi Hospital.
Gallina
M
M
Mugno
F
F
Bisicchia
A
A
Di Salvo
M M
MM
D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D001629:Bezafibrate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D019040:E-Selectin; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D019821:Simvastatin; D001629:Bezafibrate