Endothelial function, variables of fibrinolysis and coagulation in smokers and healthy controls.
OBJECTIVE
To asses endothelial function and variables of fibrinolysis and coagulation in smokers compared to healthy controls.


METHODS
Flow-associated dilation as a marker for peripheral endothelial function and intima media thickness as a marker for early morphologic vascular changes were measured in otherwise healthy smokers (n = 30, 16 males and 14 females, age: 40.6 +/- 11.3 years, body mass index 24.9 +/- 3.7 kg/m(2)) and non-smoking controls matched for age and sex using high-resolution ultrasound. Variables of the coagulation system (thrombin-antithrombin III complex, fibrinogen) and fibrinolysis (tissue-plasminogen activator, plasmin-alpha(2)-antiplasmin complex) were determined by ELISA and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity by means of a chromogenic substrate test.


RESULTS
Compared to the non-smoking controls, flow-associated vasodilatation was significantly reduced (6.9 +/- 4. 4 vs. 10.5 +/- 6.2%, p = 0.01) and intima media thickness tended to be increased (0.58 +/- 0.12 vs. 0.52 +/- 0.14 mm, p = 0.08) in smokers. The thrombin-antithrombin III complex, fibrinogen, plasmin-alpha(2)-antiplasmin complex, tissue-plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity did not differ between smokers and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that peripheral endothelial dysfunction is common in smokers even without major alterations in molecular markers of the coagulation and fibrinolysis system.
Enderle
M D
MD
Department of Internal Medicine, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.
Pfohl
M
M
Kellermann
N
N
Haering
H U
HU
Hoffmeister
H M
HM
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000097:blood; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology; D014664:Vasodilation
D015415:Biomarkers; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents