[Circulating endothelial cells and microparticles in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies].
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether circulating endothelial cells (CECs), circulating microparticles (MPs) and von Willebrand factor (vWF), established markers of endothelial dysfunction/damage, are elevated in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and its possible correlation with inflammation and coagulation.


METHODS
Twelve patients with aPL and 12 healthy subjects were studied. Levels of CECs, MPs, vWF, C reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (Fg), sialic acid (SA), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tissue factor (TF), thrombin generation (TG) and prothrombin (F1+2) and fibrin (DD) fragments were determined.


RESULTS
In patients, markers of dysfunction/damage endothelial, CECs, MPs and vWF; inflammation, Fg and CRP and coagulation, TF and DD were significantly elevated. The bivariate analysis showed significant correlation among CECs and Fg, AS, CRP and DD, as well as between CECs and vWF and MPs.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with aPL had endothelial dysfunction associated with an inflammatory process, which, together with high levels of Fg, TF and DD, may be responsible for the hypercoagulable state.
Unidad de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, España.
Vicenta
V
Martínez-Sales
Virtudes
V
Vila
Luisa
L
Micó
M Teresa
MT
Contreras
Agusti
A
Escandell
Edelmiro
E
Reganon
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood*; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles; D042783:Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D007258:Informed Consent; D008875:Middle Aged; D011996:Records; D055815:Young Adult; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis*
D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D014841:von Willebrand Factor