Microvascular Function and Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Patients with Severe Hypercholesterolemia and the Familial Hypercholesterolemia Phenotype

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Data
2017
Autores
De Lorenzo, Andrea
Moreira, Annie S B
Muccillo, Fabiana B
Assad, Marcelo
Tibiriçá, Eduardo V
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Cardiology
Resumo
Objective: To evaluate endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and systemic microvascular function in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia, comparing patients with the definite familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) phenotype (DFH) or probable/possible FH phenotype (PFH). There is a large spectrum of atherosclerotic disease between these two clinical phenotypes of FH, and to acquire further knowledge of the pathophysiology of vascular disease in both is desirable. Methods: Subjects with severe hypercholesterolemia, defined as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) >190 mg/dL, were classified as DFH or PFH and underwent measurement of the number of EPCs by flow cytometry and evaluation of cutaneous microvascular reactivity using a laser speckle contrast-imaging system with iontophoresis of acethylcholine (ACh) or sodium nitroprusside. EPCs were defined as CD45- or CD45low, CD34+CD133+CD309+ cells. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher test and continuous variables with Student t test or Mann-Whitney test, and a value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Patients with DFH had higher LDL-C than those with PFH. There was no difference in the median number of EPCs between patients with DFH or PFH, but there was a significant reduction of endothelial-dependent, ACh-induced vasodilatation in the former. Conclusion: Patients with DFH have impaired microvascular endothelial-dependent vasodilatation compared to those with PFH, indicating more severe vascular disease in the former.
Description
Palavras-chave
Familial hypercholesterolemia, Endothelial progenitor cells, Endothelial function, Microvascular function
Citação
De Lorenzo A, Moreira ASB, Muccillo FB, Assad M, Tibirica EV. Microvascular Function and Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Patients with Severe Hypercholesterolemia and the Familial Hypercholesterolemia Phenotype. Cardiology. 2017;137(4):231-236.