Ethnic/racial differences in circulating markers of angiogenesis and their association with cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE

To determine (a) whether ethnic/racial differences exist in circulating markers of angiogenesis (Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), soluble Tie-2 receptor (sTie-2) and Angiogenin) between South Asian (SA; from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh); Black African-Caribbean and White (W) ethnic groups, and (b) associations between these markers in stable cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We recruited 243 subjects (82 SA, 84 Black and 77 W) with symptomatic and clinically confirmed CVD (n=108), risk factor controls (with ≥ 1 cardiovascular risk factor, e.g. smoking, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, hypertension) and with ankle brachial pressure index >1) (n=64) and healthy controls free of CVD and risk factors (n=56). Angiogenic markers were measured by enzyme linked immunoassay.

RESULTS

In healthy controls, angiogenin was higher in SA and Black subjects, compared to Whites (p<0.05). sTie-2 correlated inversely with angiogenin (p=0.001), was higher in women (p=0.029) and was lower in smokers (p=0.007). Overall, age (p=0.001) was the only independent factor associated with angiopoietin-1. Angiogenin (p=0.01) and SBP (p=0.014) were both independently higher in the Black group compared to the White group.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnic, racial, and demographic differences are evident in certain circulating markers of angiogenesis. With the exception of an effect of smoking on sTie-2, these differences are not influenced by the presence of other risk factors, nor the presence of stable cardiovascular disease.