title: Plasma nociceptin/orphanin FQ levels are lower in patients with chronic ischemic cardiovascular diseases--A pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical studies are limited regarding the role of human nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) in ischemic cardiovascular diseases, which are still the number one cause of death in the developed world. The aim of our study was to measure the plasma levels of N/OFQ in patients with chronic ischemic cardiovascular diseases in a pilot study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study population consisted of 22 patients presenting symptoms of stable angina pectoris (SAP): 12 severe Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) III-IV functional class, and 10 with milder SAP (CCS II-III). 12 patients were also enrolled with chronic peripheral artery disease (9 with intermittent claudication; 3 with rest pain and gangrene). Patients were asked to avoid any exertion or given analgetics for their rest pain. Patients had no episodes of chest or limb pain in 1week before their fasting blood samples were taken and N/OFQ plasma levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. 14 healthy subjects without any cardiac risk factors served as a control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  N/OFQ levels were significantly lower in patient groups with severe vs. milder chronic angina (p<0.05) and vs. control subjects (p<0.01). Patients suffering from peripheral artery disease had also a lower plasma N/OFQ levels than in healthy controls (p<0.01). Our findings show that chronic ischemic conditions of atherosclerotic origin are associated with significantly lower plasma N/OFQ levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krepuska
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sótonyi
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Csobay-Novák
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szeberin
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hartyánszky
authors.forename: Endre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zima
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Szilágyi
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Horkay
authors.forename: Béla
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Merkely
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Acsády
authors.forename: Kornélia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tekes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000097:blood*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000097629:Nociceptin
chemical_list: D018847:Opioid Peptides; D000097629:Nociceptin