title: Altered elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin balance in the blood of patients with chronic venous disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although leukocyte elastase is suspected to be involved in the damage of vein wall during chronic venous disease, the equilibrium between this protease and its inhibitor, alpha1-antitrypsin, has not yet been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between leukocyte elastase and alpha1-antitrypsin, in the blood of patients with chronic venous disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concentration and the activity of leukocyte elastase along with the activity of alpha1-antitrypsin were evaluated in the blood of 55 chronic venous disease patients. The results were compared with those obtained in 33 healthy age and sex-matched volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant decrease in the leukocyte elastase activity that correlated with an increased alpha1-antitrypsin activity was observed in the serum of patients with mild clinical symptoms of chronic venous disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study did not confirm a hypothesis about an important role of proteolytic activity of leukocyte elastase in the vein wall injury mechanism. They show that the leukocyte elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin balance is rather shifted toward antiprotease activity, especially in an early stage of chronic venous disease.
authors: Department of General Chemistry, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland magdalena.budzyn@wp.pl.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Budzyn-Napierala
authors: Department of General Chemistry, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Iskra
authors: Department of General and Vascular Surgery, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Krasinski
authors: Department of General Surgery, Medical Center HCP Poznań, Poland.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Turkiewicz
authors: Department of General Chemistry, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Gryszczynska
authors: Department of General Chemistry, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kasprzak
authors: Department of General and Vascular Surgery, Medical University in Silesia, School of Medicine in Katowice, Poland.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Urbanek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; C037741:alpha 1-antitrypsin-leukocyte elastase complex; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase
keywords: Chronic venous disease; alpha1-antitrypsin; elastase; varicose veins