title: [Investigation of von Willebrand-factor as a marker of endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerotic patients].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Pécsi Tudományegyetem, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, I. Belgyógyászati Klinika.
authors.forename: Beáta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.forename: Dalma
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hegedüs
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szapáry
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Márton
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alexy
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koltai
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gyevnár
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Juricskay
authors.forename: Kálmán
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Késmárky
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014841:von Willebrand Factor