Inflammatory status and endothelial function in asymptomatic and symptomatic peripheral arterial disease

Abstract

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a predictor of cardiovascular risk. However, it is unknown whether PAD severity in uences in ammatory status and endothelial function, which play a major role in atherosclerosis. Accordingly, we measured brachial artery ow-mediated dilation (FMD), and plasma levels of several in ammatory markers in 15 control subjects, and 19 asymptomatic and 19 symptomatic PAD patients. Each symptomatic patient was matched to an asymptomatic patient for age, sex, risk factors, presence of cardiovascular disease, and pharmacological treatments. Asymptomatic patients had similar in ammatory pro les as controls, but lower median FMD (11.7% vs 8.5% , p < 0.01). Compared with asymptomatic patients, symptomatic patients had higher median C-reactive protein (1.5 mg=l vs 6.0 mg=l, p < 0.05) and interleukine-6 (1.5 pg=ml vs 3.5 pg=ml, p < 0.05), and lower FMD (8.5% vs 5.1% , p < 0.01). In the 38 PAD patients, the ankle=brachial pressure index correlated positively with FMD (p < 0.01), and negatively with C-reactive protein (p < 0.05), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (p < 0.05) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (p < 0.05). Thus, in PAD, endothelial function and in ammatory status are related to the severity of the circulatory impairment. This nding may contribute to the explanation of the increasingly poor prognosis with increased PAD severity.

Longitudinal Telomere Erosion in Lymphocyte Subsets of Patients with Atherosclerotic Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

“…Indeed, a characteristic senescent phenotype is observed in the endothelium of atherosclerotic lesions [7]. Moreover, it has been shown, that the endothelial function and the inflammatory status are related to the severity of PAD [8].…”

The association of acute exercise-induced ischaemia with systemic vasodilator function in patients with peripheral arterial disease

“…However, in patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease and/or risk factors, endothelial function is particularly impaired, while vascular smooth muscle function is principally unaffected. 11,14 To date, there are no published data on the duration of changes and vasodilator function in PAD patients after intermittent claudication. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the time course of changes in vasodilator function of the clinically unaffected brachial artery after acute exerciseinduced leg ischaemia in PAD patients.…”

“…10 It is present in all stages of PAD, is already in asymptomatic patients, and is related to the severity of the disease. 11 One of the most widely used and until now well-recognized methods of vascular (dys)function assessment, is measurement of the capability of endotheliumdependent dilation of arteries during the provocation of nitric oxide (NO) release. It is diminished when reduced amounts of vasodilatory substances are released from the functionally damaged endothelial cells, above all NO.…”

Systemic inflammation in peripheral arterial disease with or without coexistent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: analysis of selected markers

“…Many studies show that PAD is associated with systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction [10][11][12]. It is also known that COPD is not only a pulmonary disease but is characterized by development of low-grade inflammation in the whole organism [4].…”