Laboratory of Interventional Cardiology, Clinica Mediterranea, Naples, Italy.
FASEB J. 2010 Jun;24(6):1981-8. doi: 10.1096/fj.09-138198. Epub 2010 Jan 7.
The pathophysiology of coronary artery disease (CAD) progression is not well understood. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) may have an important role. In the present observational cohort study we assessed the number of circulating EPCs in 136 patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention and who had at least one major epicardial vessel with a nonsignificant stenosis [<50% diameter stenosis (DS)], and the relationship between plasma EPC levels and the 24-mo progression of the nonsignificant coronary artery lesion. The following cell populations were analyzed: CD34(+), CD133(+), CD34(+)/KDR(+), CD34(+)/VE cadherin(+), and endothelial cell colony-forming units (CFU-ECs). Progression was defined as a >15% DS increase of the objective vessel at follow-up. At 24 mo, 57 patients (42%) experienced significant progression. Independent predictors of disease progression were LDL cholesterol > 100 mg/dl (OR=1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.04; P=0.001), low plasma levels of CFU-ECs (OR=3.99; 95% CI 1.54-10.37; P=0.005), and male sex (OR=3.42; 95% CI 1.15-10.22; P=0.027). Circulating levels of EPCs are significantly lower in patients with angiographic CAD progression.
冠状动脉疾病（CAD）进展的病理生理学尚不清楚。内皮祖细胞（EPC）可能具有重要作用。在本观察性队列研究中，我们评估了 136 例接受选择性经皮冠状动脉介入治疗的患者的循环 EPC 数量，这些患者至少有一条主要心外膜血管存在非狭窄病变[<50%直径狭窄（DS）]，并评估了血浆 EPC 水平与非狭窄冠状动脉病变 24 个月进展之间的关系。分析了以下细胞群体：CD34(+)、CD133(+)、CD34(+)/KDR(+)、CD34(+)/VE 钙粘蛋白(+)和内皮细胞集落形成单位（CFU-EC）。进展定义为随访时客观血管的 DS 增加>15%。24 个月时，57 例患者（42%）出现明显进展。疾病进展的独立预测因子为 LDL 胆固醇>100mg/dl（OR=1.03；95%CI 1.01-1.04；P=0.001）、血浆 CFU-EC 水平低（OR=3.99；95%CI 1.54-10.37；P=0.005）和男性（OR=3.42；95%CI 1.15-10.22；P=0.027）。血管造影 CAD 进展患者的循环 EPC 水平明显降低。
