title: Platelets as an indicator of vascular repair in elderly Japanese men.
abstract: Platelets and circulating CD34-positive cells have been reported to contribute to vascular repair (endothelial repair and developing atherosclerosis). And because hypertension is known to be a strong vascular impairment factors, it should also influence the respective numbers of these factors. To clarify the clinical importance of platelets on vascular repair, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 567 Japanese men aged 60-69 who underwent an annual health check-up between 2013 and 2015. Multiple linear regression analysis of non-hypertensive subjects adjusting for classical cardiovascular risk factors showed that although platelet count did not significantly correlate with carotid intima media thickness (β = -0.05, p = 0.356), it did positively correlate significantly with the natural log of the number of circulating CD34-positive cells (β = 0.26, p < 0.001). In hypertensive subjects, a significant positive correlation was seen between platelets and intima media thickness (β = 0.19, p = 0.008), whereas no significant correlation was seen between platelet count and the natural log of the number of circulating CD34-positive cells (β = 0.11, p = 0.119). Our results indicate that platelet count is an indicator of vascular repair activity (endothelial repair and developing atherosclerosis). Additionally, hypertension might mask the beneficial effects of circulating CD34-positive cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.|Osaka Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Shimpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koyamatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Island and Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotomo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamanashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Mako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagayoshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kadota
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.|Department of Island and Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000097:blood; D044466:Asian People; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D001792:Blood Platelets; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34
keywords: CD34-positive cell; Gerotarget; atherosclerosis; elderly men; hypertension; platelets; vascular repair