Serum concentration of procoagulant, endothelial and oxidative stress markers in early primary varicose veins.
OBJECTIVE
Endothelial disorders of the veins are considered to play a role in the pathogenesis of primary varicose veins and oxidative stress is implicated in these disorders. With this aim, we investigated vascular endothelial marker levels and the effect of endothelial damage on coagulation parameters and vasodilator substances to determine metabolic markers of oxidative stress in patients with varicose veins and vascular endothelial damage caused by oxidative stress.


METHODS
We investigated the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), protein C, protein S, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor (vWf), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-12 (IL-12) and nitric oxide (NO) in the blood taken from the brachial vein of 25 patients with primary varicose veins (study group) and compared the results with 25 healthy volunteers (control group). We also investigated the urinary levels of prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) in the study group and compared the results with the control group.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference between the study group and the control group with respect to the plasma levels of MDA, protein C, fibrinogen, tPA, IL-6, NO and urinary levels of PGI2. But plasma levels of protein S, vWf, VEGF and IL-12 were found to be statistically significantly higher in the study group than in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the systemically measured levels of protein S, vWf, VEGF and IL-12 were found to be higher in patients of primary varicose veins, levels of protein C, fibrinogen, homocysteine and PGI2 were not found to be statistically significant. No systemic increased oxidative stress seems to be related to the early stages of chronic venous insufficiency. Further studies are warranted for understanding the role of molecules such as NO, oxidative stress parameters and cytokines.
Yasim
A
A
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Turkey. alpyasim@ksu.edu.tr
Kilinc
M
M
Aral
M
M
Oksuz
H
H
Kabalci
M
M
Eroglu
E
E
Imrek
S
S
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017293:Protein S / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000097:blood*; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000097:blood*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D017293:Protein S; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D018664:Interleukin-12