diagnostic value of Von Willibrand factor and circulating adhesion molecules in arteriopathic vascular patients: Relationship to lipid profile and risk factors

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted on a group of seldom arteriopathic hyperlipidemic patients to investigate the availability of adhesion molecules measurement [ICAM-1, E-selectin] as well as vWF as markers of endothelial dysfunction, assisting in diagnosis or as indicators of disease progression. This study included 73 hyperlipidemic patients [43 males and 30 females] suffering from arterial occlusive disease. They were subdivided into group I [25 patients with mild hypercholesterolemia, group II [28 patients with severe hypercholesterolemia and group III [20 patients with hypercholesterolemia]. Control group consisted of 20 apparently healthy normolipidemic subjects, age and gender matching. Both patients and controls were subjected to the laboratory investigations [total cholesterol [TC], LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 [sICAM-1], soluble endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule [sELAMs-sE-selectin] and von Willebrand factor [vWF]]. The level of sICAM-1, E-selectin and vWF were significantly higher in group with mild or severe hypercholesterolemia while the increase was nonsignificant in hypertriglyceridemia as regards ICAM-1 and E-selectin compared with the control group. The correlation between vWF and TC, LDL-C, sICAM or sE-selectin were significant, while sICAM showed significant correlation with only LDL-C. sE-selectin had no correlation with the lipid profile parameter. These results support the suggestion that vWF could serve as a marker of diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of disease severity, while E-selectin is an indicator of early endothelial cell disturbance. sICAM could be also taken as an evidence of the atherosclerotic process. Hypertriglyceridemia seemed to be noninjurious to the endothelial wall