title: Inverse correlations between serum ADAMTS13 levels and systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and serum C-reactive protein levels observed at a general health examination in a Japanese population: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although a defect in ADAMTS13 activity is known to cause platelet thrombosis resulting in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), recent evidence has revealed that low plasma ADAMTS13 concentrations may increase the risk of ischemic vascular diseases. Furthermore, reduced plasma ADAMTS13 activity has been reported in acute systemic inflammation or sepsis. These findings prompted us to examine whether ADAMTS13 may play a role in more diverse diseases, not limited to TTP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine ADAMTS13 concentrations in blood samples from 432 subjects who had undergone a general health examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum ADAMTS 13 concentrations were lower in men than in women and in older age, as previously reported. Of note, the serum ADAMTS13 concentration was significantly and inversely correlated with the systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and serum C reactive protein concentration in both men and women and with the serum γ-glutamyltransferase concentration in men only. In 88 subjects, who underwent a carotid artery evaluation, serum ADAMTS13 concentrations were significantly lower in the subjects with a thicker carotid intima-media.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ADAMTS13 may play a role in not only TTP, but also inflammation, oxidative stress, and atherosclerosis. The potentially diverse clinical significance of ADAMTS13 should be prospectively elucidated in a larger cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Enooku
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurano
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kume
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aizawa
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yatomi
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D000071120:ADAMTS13 Protein; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011674:Pulse; D012737:Sex Factors; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071120:ADAMTS13 Protein; C099604:ADAMTS13 protein, human