title: Erythropoietin stimulates the coronary collateral development in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Erythropoietin (EPO) improves cardiac function and induces neovascularisation in post-myocardial infarction heart failure. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between the serum erythropoietin level and coronary collateral development in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic total occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 168 patients consisting of 117 with coronary artery disease (CAD, (62 with chronic total occlusion (CTO), 55 without CTO)) and 51 with healthy coronary arteries were included in the study. The patients were assigned as coronary artery disease without CTO (group 0), CAD with CTO (group 1: poor collateral development, group 2: good collateral development) and normal coronary arteries (group 3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant positive correlation between serum EPO levels and the Rentrop scores in angiography (r = 0.243, p = 0.001). Similarly, a positive correlation was found between serum EPO levels and the Syntax scores (r = 0.253, p = 0.001). Echocardiography revealed a negative correlation between serum EPO levels and the cardiac ejection fraction (r = -0.210, p = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum EPO is a useful biomarker for coronary collateral development in patients with CTO.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: I O
authors: IO
authors: Yuksel
authors: Department of Cardiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Cagirci
authors: Department of Cardiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Koklu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Yilmaz
authors: Department of Cardiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey. skucukseymen@gmail.com.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Kucukseymen
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: H Y
authors: HY
authors: Ellidag
authors: Department of Cardiology, Yuksek Ihtisas Heart-Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Cay
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Yilmaz
authors: Department of Cardiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Arslan
keywords: Chronic total occlusions; Coronary collateral development; Serum erythropoietin level