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Thromb Haemost 2015; 113(03): 577-584
DOI: 10.1160/TH14-07-0589
Coagulation and Fibrinolysis
Schattauer GmbH

Von Willebrand factor in relation to coronary plaque characteristics and cardiovascular outcome

Results of the ATHEROREMO-IVUS study
Michelle A. H. Sonneveld   *
1   Department of Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Jin M. Cheng   *
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Rohit M. Oemrawsingh
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Moniek P. M. de Maat
1   Department of Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Isabella Kardys
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Hector M. Garcia-Garcia
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Robert-Jan van Geuns
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Evelyn Regar
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Patrick W. Serruys
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Eric Boersma
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
K. Martijn Akkerhuis
2   Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
,
Frank W. G. Leebeek
1   Department of Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
› Author Affiliations Financial support: The ATHEROREMO-IVUS study was funded by the European Commission, Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-HEALTH-2007–2.4.2–1) and the Netherlands Heart Foundation (grant number NHS2009B091 to J. M. C. and NHS2007B012 to R. M. O.).
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 08 July 2014

Accepted after major revision: 10 October 2014

Publication Date:
17 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

High von Willebrand factor (VWF) plasma levels are associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease. It has been suggested that the increase of VWF levels is partly due to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Our aim was to investigate the association between coronary plaque burden, the presence of high-risk coronary lesions as measured by intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH) and VWF levels. In addition, we studied the association between VWF levels and one-year cardiovascular outcome. Between 2008 and 2011, IVUS-VH imaging of a non-culprit coronary artery was performed in 581 patients undergoing coronary angiography for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (n= 318) or stable angina pectoris (SAP) (n= 263). Arterial blood was sampled prior to the coronary angiography. VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) levels were measured using ELISA (n= 577). Patients with ACS had significantly higher VWF:Ag levels than SAP patients (median 1.73 IU/ml [IQR 1.27–2.31] vs 1.26 IU/ml [0.93–1.63], p < 0.001). High coronary plaque burden was associated with higher VWF:Ag levels (β= 0.12, p=0.027) in SAP patients, but not in ACS patients. In ACS patients, VWF:Ag levels were associated with 1-year MACE (HR 4.14 per SD increase of lnVWF:Ag, 95 % CI 1.47–11.6), whereas in SAP patients VWF:Ag levels predicted 1-year all-cause death and hospitalisation for ACS (HR 7.07 95 % CI 1.40–35.6). In conclusion, coronary plaque burden was associated with VWF:Ag levels in SAP patients undergoing coronary angiography. In ACS and SAP patients, high VWF levels are predictive of adverse cardiovascular outcome and death during one-year follow-up.

Keywords

von Willebrand factor - acute myocardial infarction - atherosclerosis - cardiology

* These authors contributed equally to this work.


 

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