title: Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in patients with primary varicose vein.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Plasmin is involved in extracellular matrix remodeling by activating some matrix metallo-proteinases and degrading extracellular matrix; therefore component of fibrinolytic system such as tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activators inhibitors (PAI-1) might have a role in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling. In our study we aimed to investigate the levels of PAI-1 levels in patients with primary varicose veins (VV) and in their age and gender matched control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one consecutive patients with peripheral varicose veins and 37 healthy age and gender-matched control subjects were included in the study from the outpatient cardiology and cardiovascular surgery clinic. Study population consisted of 41 consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria and diagnosed as having class II primary VV according to CEAP classification. Routine biochemical and hematological analysis were performed in all patients and control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma levels of PAI-1 were found to be lower in patients than those in control subjects (5.19±2.2 ng/mL vs. 6.47±2.6 ng/mL, P=0.025). Logistic regression analysis revealed that only the plasma levels of PAI-1 were found to be independently but inversely associated with the presence of primary VVs (Odds ratio: 0.80 CI: 0.64-0.99, P=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that PAI-1 levels are significantly decreased in patients with pVVs and it has an independent association with the presence of pVVs. However, its exact relation and role via matrix metlalloproteinases on the pathogenesis of the disease remains to be elucidated in further studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey. ertanyetkin@hotmail.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erguzel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yetkin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erdil
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yetkin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heper
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Senen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey; D014648:Varicose Veins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C051321:SERPINE1 protein, human