New insights into antiphospholipid-related endothelial dysfunction by assessment of vascular glycocalyx layer: results from a preliminary cross-sectional study

Introduction Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is associated with greater atherothrombotic risk and endothelial dysfunction, suggesting that endothelial glycocalyx is impaired in this disease. Objectives The aim was to investigate the endothelial glycocalyx and the relationship between glycocalyx markers, endothelial dysfunction parameters and atherosclerotic markers in APS. Methods A total of 15 primary arterial APS patients and healthy controls were included in the study. Glycocalyx was assessed in both groups by sublingual sidestream dark field imaging and syndecan-1 plasma level. Endothelial function was evaluated by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and early atherosclerosis by carotid intima media thickness (IMT). Thrombotic profile was also performed by measuring the plasma level of the tissue factor (TF). Results APS patients had significantly increased syndecan-1 plasma level 38.6 ± 5.0 pg/ml vs. 19.1 ± 3.5 pg/ml; p < 0.01 and a reduced glycocalyx thickness 0.26 ± 0.03 µm vs. 0.75 ± 0.07 µm; p < 0.01 compared with control. FMD was impaired in APS patients compared with control, 5.68% ± 0.42 vs. 8.29 ± 0.30, p < 0.01, respectively. IMT was significantly increased in APS patients compared with control, 0.52 ± 0.13 mm vs. 0.40 ± 0.06 mm, p < 0.01, respectively. Soluble TF, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances levels were increased in the sera from APS patients compared with control. Conclusions This preliminary study supports, for the first time, that in APS patients endothelial glycocalyx is impaired, which could lead to thrombosis, endothelial dysfunction and early atherosclerosis.

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The relationship between early atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in type 1 diabetic patients as evidenced by measurement of carotid intima-media thickness and soluble CD146 levels: a cross sectional study

Cardiovascular Diabetology ◽

10.1186/1475-2840-12-153 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 153 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Sema Dogansen ◽

Aysen Helvaci ◽

Mine Adas ◽

Suzan Onal

Keyword(s):

Intima Media Thickness ◽

Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Type 1 Diabetic Patients ◽

The Relationship ◽

Early Atherosclerosis

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Microvascular dysfunction in COVID-19: the MYSTIC study

Angiogenesis ◽

10.1007/s10456-020-09753-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alexandros Rovas ◽

Irina Osiaevi ◽

Konrad Buscher ◽

Jan Sackarnd ◽

Phil-Robin Tepasse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microvascular Dysfunction ◽

Boundary Region ◽

Dark Field ◽

Endothelial Glycocalyx ◽

Vascular Involvement ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Vascular Density ◽

Sidestream Dark Field ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Rationale Pre-clinical and autopsy studies have fueled the hypothesis that a dysregulated vascular endothelium might play a central role in the pathogenesis of ARDS and multi-organ failure in COVID-19. Objectives To comprehensively characterize and quantify microvascular alterations in patients with COVID-19. Methods Hospitalized adult patients with moderate-to-severe or critical COVID-19 (n = 23) were enrolled non-consecutively in this prospective, observational, cross-sectional, multi-center study. Fifteen healthy volunteers served as controls. All participants underwent intravital microscopy by sidestream dark field imaging to quantify vascular density, red blood cell velocity (VRBC), and glycocalyx dimensions (perfused boundary region, PBR) in sublingual microvessels. Circulating levels of endothelial and glycocalyx-associated markers were measured by multiplex proximity extension assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Measurements and main results COVID-19 patients showed an up to 90% reduction in vascular density, almost exclusively limited to small capillaries (diameter 4–6 µm), and also significant reductions of VRBC. Especially, patients on mechanical ventilation showed severe glycocalyx damage as indicated by higher PBR values (i.e., thinner glycocalyx) and increased blood levels of shed glycocalyx constituents. Several markers of endothelial dysfunction were increased and correlated with disease severity in COVID-19. PBR (AUC 0.75, p = 0.01), ADAMTS13 (von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease; AUC 0.74, p = 0.02), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A; AUC 0.73, p = 0.04) showed the best discriminatory ability to predict 60-day in-hospital mortality. Conclusions Our data clearly show severe alterations of the microcirculation and the endothelial glycocalyx in patients with COVID-19. Future therapeutic approaches should consider the importance of systemic vascular involvement in COVID-19.

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Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammatory Markers of Vascular Disease

Current Vascular Pharmacology ◽

10.2174/1570161118666200421142542 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 243-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sevket Balta

Keyword(s):

Endothelial Dysfunction ◽

Vascular Disease ◽

Inflammatory Markers ◽

Vascular Diseases ◽

Intima Media Thickness ◽

Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Von Willebrand ◽

The Relationship ◽

Willebrand Factor

: Vascular diseases are the main reason for morbidity and mortality worldwide. As we know, the earlier phase of vascular diseases is endothelial dysfunction in humans, the endothelial tissues play an important role in inflammation, coagulation, and angiogenesis, via organizing ligand-receptor associations and the various mediators’ secretion. We can use many inflammatory non-invasive tests (flowmediated dilatation, epicedial fat thickness, carotid-intima media thickness, arterial stiffness and anklebrachial index) for assessing the endothelial function. In addition, many biomarkers (ischemia modified albumin, pentraxin-3, E-selectin, angiopoietin, endothelial cell specific molecule 1, asymmetrical dimethylarginine, von Willebrand factor, endothelial microparticles and endothelial progenitor cells) can be used to evaluate endothelial dysfunction. We have focused on the relationship between endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory markers of vascular disease in this review.

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The Relationship between Cardiovascular Risk Scores and Several Markers of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in an Asymptomatic Population

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10050955 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 955

Author(s):

Ovidiu Mitu ◽

Adrian Crisan ◽

Simon Redwood ◽

Ioan-Elian Cazacu-Davidescu ◽

Ivona Mitu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Score ◽

Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽

Ankle Brachial Index ◽

Intima Media Thickness ◽

Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽

Risk Scores ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Single Center Study ◽

Asymptomatic Individuals

Background: The current cardiovascular disease (CVD) primary prevention guidelines prioritize risk stratification by using clinical risk scores. However, subclinical atherosclerosis may rest long term undetected. This study aimed to evaluate multiple subclinical atherosclerosis parameters in relation to several CV risk scores in asymptomatic individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional, single-center study included 120 asymptomatic CVD subjects. Four CVD risk scores were computed: SCORE, Framingham, QRISK, and PROCAM. Subclinical atherosclerosis has been determined by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic and brachial augmentation indexes (AIXAo, respectively AIXbr), aortic systolic blood pressure (SBPao), and ankle-brachial index (ABI). Results: The mean age was 52.01 ± 10.73 years. For cIMT—SCORE was more sensitive; for PWV—Framingham score was more sensitive; for AIXbr—QRISK and PROCAM were more sensitive while for AIXao—QRISK presented better results. As for SBPao—SCORE presented more sensitive results. However, ABI did not correlate with any CVD risk score. Conclusions: All four CV risk scores are associated with markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic population, except for ABI, with specific particularities for each CVD risk score. Moreover, we propose specific cut-off values of CV risk scores that may indicate the need for subclinical atherosclerosis assessment.

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Evaluating the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and carotid intima-media thickness a cross sectional study

Annals of Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102659 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 102659

Author(s):

Hamid Reza Talari ◽

Rezvan Moniri ◽

Mohammadreza Mollaghanbari ◽

Hamed Haddad Kashani ◽

Mohammad Naser Jalalian

Keyword(s):

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Intima Media Thickness ◽

Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Helicobacter Pylori Infection ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Media Thickness ◽

The Relationship

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Linking cardiorespiratory fitness classification criteria to early subclinical atherosclerosis in children

Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1139/apnm-2014-0378 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 386-392 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xavier Melo ◽

Helena Santa-Clara ◽

Diana A. Santos ◽

Nuno M. Pimenta ◽

Cláudia S. Minderico ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Arterial Wall ◽

Operating Characteristic ◽

Screening Tool ◽

Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽

Intima Media Thickness ◽

Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

High Resolution Ultrasonography

It is unclear if cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can be used as a screening tool for premature changes in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in paediatric populations. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was 3-fold: (i) to determine if CRF can be used to screen increased cIMT; (ii) to determine an optimal CRF cut-off to predict increased cIMT; and (iii) to evaluate its ability to predict increased cIMT among children in comparison with existent CRF cut-offs. cIMT was assessed with high-resolution ultrasonography and CRF was determined using a maximal cycle test. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted in boys (n = 211) and girls (n = 202) aged 11–12 years to define the optimal sex-specific CRF cut-off to classify increased cIMT (≥75th percentile). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between the CRF cut-offs with the risk of having an increased cIMT. The optimal CRF cut-offs to predict increased cIMT were 45.81 and 34.46 mL·kg−1·min−1 for boys and girls, respectively. The odds-ratios for having increased cIMT among children who were unfit was up to 2.8 times the odds among those who were fit (95% confidence interval: 1.40–5.53). Considering current CRF cut-offs, only those suggested by Adegboye et al. 2011. (Br. J. Sports Med. 45(9): 722–728) and Boddy et al. 2012 (PLoS One, 7(9): e45755) were significant in predicting increased cIMT. In conclusion, CRF cut-offs (boys: ≤ 45.8; girls: ≤ 34.5 mL·kg−1·min−1) are associated with thickening of the arterial wall in 11- to 12-year-old children. Low CRF is an important cardiovascular risk factor in children and our data highlight the importance of obtaining an adequate CRF.

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