[The relationship between the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells CD34+; and carotid artery arteriosclerosis in youth and middle aged patients with essential hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) CD34+ with the Framingham cardiovascular risk factors, or with the carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), and to evaluate the value of circulating EPCs CD34+ level as a cytological marker of early vascular lesion in youth and middle aged essential hypertension (EH) patients.


METHODS
A total of 62 patients with EH aged between 25 to 45 were enrolled as study group and 20 healthy people were enrolled as control group. EH patients were stratified with cardiovascular risk factors according to Framingham risk factors score into low-risk group with 18 cases, mid-risk group with 14 cases, high-risk group with 17 cases, and extremely high-risk group with 13 cases. The level of circulating EPCs CD34+, carotid artery IMT were respectively measured. The relationship between the level of circulating EPCs CD34+ and Framingham cardiovascular risk factors score, carotid artery IMT was analyzed.


RESULTS
The level of circulating EPCs CD34+ was gradually decreased with an increase of the Framingham risk factors score in each hypertensive subgroup [low-risk group: (0.12+/-0.02)%, mid-risk group: (0.07+/-0.03)%, high-risk group: (0.04+/-0.03)%, extremely high-risk group: (0.01+/-0.01)%], and they were significantly lower than that in control group [(0.15+/-0.03)%], and there was a significant difference among hypertensive subgroups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Carotid artery IMT was significantly thicker among hypertensive subgroups [low- risk group: (0.80+/-0.07) mm, mid-risk group: (1.11+/-0.08) mm, high-risk group: (1.26+/-0.10) mm, extremely high-risk group: (1.45+/-0.09) mm], and there was a significant difference between each hypertensive group and that of control group [(0.73+/-0.08) mm, all P<0.01]. There was also statistical significance among hypertensive subgroups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between the level of circulating EPCs CD34+ and Framingham risk factors score (r=-0.875, P<0.01), and also a negative correlation with carotid artery IMT (r=-0.852, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a significant correlation between the level of circulating EPCs CD34+ with Framingham risk factors score and also carotid artery IMT in EH patients. Circulating EPCs CD34+ could be a cytological marker of early vascular lesion in hypertension patients.
Huang
Huan-liang
HL
Cardiology Department, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510150, Guangdong, China.
Wu
Wo-dong
WD
Xu
Yun-hong
YH
Cai
Yu-yu
YY
Zhang
Hua
H
Liang
Guo-hua
GH
Li
Ping
P
Liang
Wei-xiang
WX
Chen
Zhi-xiang
ZX
D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000097:blood*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology
D018952:Antigens, CD34