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Thromb Haemost 2006; 95(01): 134-141
DOI: 10.1160/TH05-08-0552
Cardiovascular Biology and Cell Signalling
Schattauer GmbH

Association of cardiovascular risk factors with markers of endothelial dysfunction in middle-aged men and women

Results from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg Study
Barbara Thorand
1   GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
,
Jens Baumert
1   GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
,
Angela Döring
1   GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
,
Andrea Schneider
1   GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
,
Lloyd Chambless
2   University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
,
Hannelore Löwel
1   GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
,
Hubert Kolb
3   German Diabetes Centre at the University of Düsseldorf, Germany
,
Wolfgang Koenig
4   University of Ulm Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine II-Cardiology, Germany
› Author AffiliationsFinancial support: The MONICA/KORA Augsburg studies were financed by the GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health and supported by grants from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Berlin, Germany. Laboratory analyses for markers of endothelial dysfunction were supported by a research grant from the German Research Foundation (TH-784/2–1) and by additional funds provided by the University of Ulm, Germany.
Further Information

Publication History

Received 10 August 2005

Accepted after revision 08 November 2005

Publication Date:
28 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

Endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus. However, the causes underlying endothelial dysfunction are not fully understood. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate associations of cardiovascular risk factors with soluble adhesion molecules (sE-Selectin, sICAM-1), soluble thrombomodulin (sTM) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) as markers of endothelial dysfunction. The study population consisted of a subcohort of 2,168 men and women aged 35 to 74 years randomly drawn from three cross-sectional population-based MONICA/ KORA Augsburg surveys conducted between 1984 and 1995. In multivariable linear regression analysis, current smoking, high (versus moderate) alcohol consumption, ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (TC/HDL-C) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly associated with elevated levels of sEselectin and sICAM-1. Increased levels of sE-selectin were also found in subjects with actual hypertension, high body mass index and prevalent diabetes mellitus. In addition, low physical activity and no (versus moderate) alcohol consumption were significantly associated with elevated concentrations of sICAM-1. Levels of sTM were higher in subjects with actual hypertension, no or high amounts of alcohol intake and a high ratio of TC/ HDL-C, but were lower in subjects witha history of myocardial infarction. VWF was significantly associated with CRP only. In conclusion, sE-selectin and sICAM-1 are more strongly associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors than sTM and vWF.

Keywords

endothelial dysfunction - sE-selectin - sICAM-1 - thrombomodulin - vWF - cardiovascular risk factors
 

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