title: [Reduced circulating endothelial progenitor cells is a risk factor of coronary slow flow].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore if reduced number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) is a risk factor for patients with coronary slow flow (CSF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with CSF and 30 age and gender matched control subjects with normal coronary angiography were included in the study. Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation and plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double positive for DiI-AcLDL-uptake and lectin-binding by converted fluorescence microscope (×200).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and the levels of plasma lipoprotein profile were similar between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The number of EPCs was significantly lower in patients with CSF compared with control subjects (35.7 ± 5.9 vs.53.2 ± 5.9, P < 0.01). TIMI frame counts was correlated with circulating EPCs number (OR = 0.424, 95%CI 0.358 - 0.621, P < 0.01) and not associated with gender, age, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and the levels of plasma lipoprotein profile.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased circulating EPCs is an independent risk factor for CSF.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College, Guilin, China.
authors: Quan-zhong
authors: QZ
authors: Li
authors: Jin-jie
authors: JJ
authors: Han
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Xin-ling
authors: XL
authors: Mo
authors: Zhong-hua
authors: ZH
authors: Xia
authors: Zong-jie
authors: ZJ
authors: Qian
mesh_terms: D001775:Blood Circulation; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*