BACKGROUND: Vascular growth factors are upregulated in stroke patients, but it remains unknown if they correlate with carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A case-control study was conducted to determine: (1) possible association between biomarkers of angiogenesis or inflammation and carotid stenosis; and (2) the impact of revascularization on the same biomarkers. Circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast GF (bFGF), tissue kallikrein (tK), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured in 89 patients with carotid obstruction and 45 age-matched controls. Patients were stratified as <50% carotid stenosis (CAS; n=16); 50% to 69% CAS (n=12); 70% to 99% CAS (n=43); and carotid occlusion (CAO; n=18). No association was found between VEGF, bFGF, or hs-CRP and obstruction grading. TK augmented from 360+/-30 in <50% CAS (P=NS versus controls) to 509+/-72 in moderate CAS (P<0.05), 1159+/-178 in high-grade CAS (P<0.02), and 1616+/-403 pg/mL in CAO (P<0.01). A threshold of 508 pg/mL provided the maximized predictive value of high-grade obstruction. After revascularization, tK decreased from 1410+/-352 to 782+/-86 pg/mL (P<0.01), whereas no change was detected in nonoperated cases. Hs-CRP was unaffected by revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Angiogenic factors are heterogeneously expressed in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. The tK measurement may be useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of atherosclerotic disease.
BACKGROUND: Vascular growth factors are upregulated in stroke patients, but it remains unknown if they correlate with carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A case-control study was conducted to determine: (1) possible association between biomarkers of angiogenesis or inflammation and carotid stenosis; and (2) the impact of revascularization on the same biomarkers. Circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast GF (bFGF), tissue kallikrein (tK), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured in 89 patients with carotid obstruction and 45 age-matched controls. Patients were stratified as <50% carotid stenosis (CAS; n=16); 50% to 69% CAS (n=12); 70% to 99% CAS (n=43); and carotid occlusion (CAO; n=18). No association was found between VEGF, bFGF, or hs-CRP and obstruction grading. TK augmented from 360+/-30 in <50% CAS (P=NS versus controls) to 509+/-72 in moderate CAS (P<0.05), 1159+/-178 in high-grade CAS (P<0.02), and 1616+/-403 pg/mL in CAO (P<0.01). A threshold of 508 pg/mL provided the maximized predictive value of high-grade obstruction. After revascularization, tK decreased from 1410+/-352 to 782+/-86 pg/mL (P<0.01), whereas no change was detected in nonoperated cases. Hs-CRP was unaffected by revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Angiogenic factors are heterogeneously expressed in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. The tK measurement may be useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of atherosclerotic disease.
Authors: P Dominek; P Campagnolo; M H-Zadeh; N Kränkel; M Chilosi; J A Sharman; A Caporali; G Mangialardi; G Spinetti; C Emanueli; M Pignatelli; P Madeddu Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2010-09-21 Impact factor: 7.640
Authors: Nicolle Kränkel; Rajesh G Katare; Mauro Siragusa; Luciola S Barcelos; Paola Campagnolo; Giuseppe Mangialardi; Orazio Fortunato; Gaia Spinetti; Nguyen Tran; Kai Zacharowski; Wojciech Wojakowski; Iwona Mroz; Andrew Herman; Jocelyn E Manning Fox; Patrick E MacDonald; Joost P Schanstra; Jean Loup Bascands; Raimondo Ascione; Gianni Angelini; Costanza Emanueli; Paolo Madeddu Journal: Circ Res Date: 2008-10-16 Impact factor: 17.367
Authors: Marta Martin-Lorenzo; Irene Zubiri; Aroa S Maroto; Laura Gonzalez-Calero; Maria Posada-Ayala; Fernando de la Cuesta; Laura Mourino-Alvarez; Luis F Lopez-Almodovar; Eva Calvo-Bonacho; Luis M Ruilope; Luis R Padial; Maria G Barderas; Fernando Vivanco; Gloria Alvarez-Llamas Journal: Metabolomics Date: 2014-12-14 Impact factor: 4.290