title: Increased levels of CD34+ cells are associated in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms compared with patients with peripheral vascular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating progenitor cells are integral to vascular health and effectively predict vascular reactivity. CD34 is a known marker of circulating progenitor cells. Few studies have examined the role of CD34+ cells in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease and peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The aim of this study was to compare the percentage of CD34+ cells between patients with AAA versus PVD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected peripheral whole blood from AAA or PVD patients. The blood was stained with fluorescently labeled antibodies against CD34 or isotype controls. We collected data using a flow cytometer and analyzed them. We also recorded risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, total cholesterol, serum white blood cells, serum creatinine, body mass index, blood pressure, statin use, current smoking status, coronary artery disease, cerebral vascular accident, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 24 patients in this study (AAA, n = 12; PVD, n = 12). The AAA patients had a greater percentage of CD34+ cells compared with PVD patients. (r = 0.84; P = 0.016). There were no significant risk factors differences between AAA and PVD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on CD34+ cell counts, AAA is a less severe vascular disease than PVD. Whether CD34+ cells can serve as a biomarker for risk stratification or a potential therapy warrants further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sacramento VA Medical Center, Mather, California, USA.
authors.forename: Elyse N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Van Spyk
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Kiana M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Samadzadeh
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Eugene S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Abdominal aortic aneurysm; CD34; Circulating progenitor cells; Endothelial progenitor cells; Flow cytometry; Peripheral vascular disease