Ziegler Sophie, Kudlacek Stefan, Luger Anton, Minar Erich
Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Atherosclerosis. 2005 Sep;182(1):175-80. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2005.01.042. Epub 2005 Apr 26.
Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, is involved in the process of bone turnover and also in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and premature calcification of the vascular system. In the present study on patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), we correlated plasma OPG concentrations with severity of disease and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.
Sixty-seven consecutive inpatients (26 females; mean age 70 years (S.D.: 12), undergoing percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) because of advanced symptomatic PAD of the lower extremities were studied. Severity grade of disease (clinical stage after "Fontaine", functional measurements in terms of the ankle brachial index (ABI) and "Bollinger score" of angiographies), biochemical parameters and a detailed cardiovascular risk profile were documented. Fasting plasma concentrations of OPG were measured by a commercial sandwich enzyme immunoassay.
The mean plasma concentrations of OPG were 5.3 pmol/l (S.D.: 3.3). Plasma OPG concentrations in subjects with PAD, clinical stages III-IV (n=15) were 7.9 pmol/l (S.D.: 5.3) and were significantly higher than in patients without ischemic ulcerations (n=52; 4.6 pmol/l; S.D.: 2.0; p<0.01). The mean value of Bollinger score was 29.1 (S.D.: 19.8). OPG was positively correlated with Bollinger score of disease (r=0.31; p<0.02), age (r=0.58; p<0.01) and creatinine-values (r=0.32; p<0.01) and negatively correlated with ABI (r=-0.39; p<0.03).
In patients with PAD, plasma OPG concentrations were significantly higher in subjects with ischemic ulcerations than in those without and were positively correlated with higher severity grade of disease, age and creatinine-values. Further studies are required to analyze the role of OPG as a diagnostic marker for severity of atherosclerotic disease and to assess a possible therapeutic potential as "vasculoprotegerin".
骨保护素（OPG）是肿瘤坏死因子受体家族的一员，参与骨转换过程，也与骨质疏松症及血管系统过早钙化的发病机制有关。在本项针对外周动脉疾病（PAD）患者的研究中，我们将血浆OPG浓度与疾病严重程度及心血管危险因素的存在情况进行了关联分析。
对67例因下肢重度症状性PAD而接受经皮腔内血管成形术（PTA）的连续住院患者（26例女性；平均年龄70岁（标准差：12岁））进行了研究。记录了疾病严重程度分级（“Fontaine”临床分期、踝臂指数（ABI）功能性测量以及血管造影的“Bollinger评分”）、生化参数和详细的心血管危险因素概况。采用商用夹心酶免疫测定法测量空腹血浆OPG浓度。
OPG的平均血浆浓度为5.3 pmol/L（标准差：3.3）。PAD临床分期为III-IV期（n = 15）的受试者血浆OPG浓度为7.9 pmol/L（标准差：5.3），显著高于无缺血性溃疡的患者（n = 52；4.6 pmol/L；标准差：2.0；p < 0.01）。Bollinger评分的平均值为29.1（标准差：19.8）。OPG与疾病的Bollinger评分（r = 0.31；p < 0.02）、年龄（r = 0.58；p < 0.01）和肌酐值（r = 0.32；p < 0.01）呈正相关，与ABI呈负相关（r = -0.39；p < 0.03）。
在PAD患者中，有缺血性溃疡的受试者血浆OPG浓度显著高于无缺血性溃疡的受试者，且与更高的疾病严重程度分级、年龄和肌酐值呈正相关。需要进一步研究来分析OPG作为动脉粥样硬化疾病严重程度诊断标志物的作用，并评估其作为“血管保护素”的潜在治疗潜力。
