The association of elevated white blood cell count and C-reactive protein with endothelial dysfunction in cardiac syndrome X.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study is to evaluate the association of inflammatory markers with endothelial function in syndrome X.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 59 prospectively enrolled patients (28 women and 31 men; mean age, 50.29 +/- 6.48 years) and 51 healty control subjects (18 women and 33 men; mean age, 51.04 +/- 7.25 years). High-sensitive CRP (hs-CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count and its subtypes [neutrophil (N), lymphocyte (L) and monocyte (M)] were measured in each subject. Endothelial function was assessed with the brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) technique.


RESULTS
WBC counts and hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in patients who had syndrome X than in control subjects (7.53 +/- 1.52 x 10(9) cells/L versus 6.21 +/- 1.17 x 10(9) cells/L, P = 0.0001, and 3.11 +/- 0.63 mg/L versus 2.68 +/- 0.76 mg/L, P = 0.002, respectively). Neutrophil count and N/L ratio was significantly increased in syndrome X when compared with the control subjects (5.14 +/- 1.10 x 10(9) cells/L versus 4.11 +/- 0.76 x 10(9) cells/L, P = 0.0001 and 2.75 +/- 1.06 versus 2.37 +/- 0.65, P = 0.02, repectively). Other subtype counts were similar between the groups. FMD was impaired significantly in patients who had syndrome X in comparison with the control subjects (5.71 +/- 4.08% versus 16.02 +/- 4.13%, P = 0.0001). There was a significant correlation between hs-CRP levels and FMD measurements (r = -0.44; P = 0.0001). Furthermore, the correlation between WBC count and FMD measurements were also significant (r = -0.48; P = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that hs-CRP and WBC count were higher in patients with syndrome X than in control subjects. Furthermore, endothelial function was impaired significantly in patients with syndrome X.The increased levels of hs-CRP and WBC count may suggest that these markers may be used in clinical practice for the assessment of the inflammatory status of the endothelium in syndrome X.
Atmaca
Yusuf
Y
Department of Cardiology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. yusufatmaca1@yahoo.com
Ozdol
Cagdas
C
Turhan
Sibel
S
Vurgun
Kutay
K
Duzen
Veysel
V
Erol
Cetin
C
D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology