Markers for endothelial dysfunction, but not markers for oxidative stress correlate with classical risk factors and the severity of coronary artery disease

Abstract

Objective. Endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress are involved in atherogenesis. In the search for predictors of vascular disease markers for endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress were analyzed. Methods. Of 208 consecutive patients 22% were controls (CO) without coronary artery disease (CAD), 52% presented with stable angina (SAP) and 26% had acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Nitric oxide (NO), thrombomodulin (TM), von Willebrand factor (vW), sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, sP-selectin, sE-selectin, sL-selectin and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined as markers for endothelial dysfunction, glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), myeloperoxidase (Mpx), lipid peroxides (Lpx), 8-isoprostane (Iso), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and homocysteine (Hc) as markers for oxidative stress. Results. The increases of TM, vW, sVCAM-1, CRP, SOD and Mpx correlated with the CAD status in the order CO < SAP < ACS, whereas NO and sL-selectin were inversely correlated (p < 0.05, resp.). The other markers remained unchanged. For several markers a significant relationship to risk factors was detected. Conclusions. Markers for endothelial dysfunction rather than those for oxidative stress may serve as indicators for the presence and severity of CAD.