[Investigation of von Willebrand-factor as a marker of endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerotic patients].
OBJECTIVE
To determine von Willebrand-factor activity as the marker of endothelium dysfunction in vascular diseases and to compare it to healthy controls.


METHODS
von Willebrand-factor activity was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (29 patients, 67 +/- 13 years), acute stroke (15 pts, 67 +/- 12 years) on admission, 2nd and 6th day; and chronic vascular diseases (56 pts, 67 +/- 10 years) and was compared to the values of healthy controls (23 persons, 36 +/- 12 years).


RESULTS
von Willebrand-factor activity was significantly (p < 0.001) higher in all the measured vascular patients than in the control group. The values of acute patients were significantly (p < 0.05-0.001) higher than those of patients with chronic vascular diseases. In the hospital phase von Willebrand-factor activity in acute patients increased continuously and on day 6 was significantly (p < 0.05-0.01) higher than on admission. von Willebrand-factor activity was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in troponin positive patients with acute coronary syndromes compared to the troponin negative subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
von Willebrand-factor was found to be a suitable marker of endothelial dysfunction. The higher von Willebrand-factor activity in patients with vascular diseases compared to the control group can be caused by the endothelial dysfunction and extensive atherosclerosis. The significantly higher von Willebrand-factor activity in acute disorders suggests the more severe endothelium dysfunction and could be related to the development of acute event through increased platelet adhesion and aggregation.
Horváth
Beáta
B
Pécsi Tudományegyetem, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, I. Belgyógyászati Klinika.
Hegedüs
Dalma
D
Szapáry
László
L
Márton
Zsolt
Z
Alexy
Tamás
T
Koltai
Katalin
K
Gyevnár
Zsuzsanna
Z
Juricskay
István
I
Tóth
Kálmán
K
Késmárky
Gábor
G
D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D014841:von Willebrand Factor