Numbers of endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood are similar in younger and older patients with coronary artery disease.

To verify whether subpopulations of endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood are different in older and younger patients with coronary artery disease, we studied 30 patients aged 65 to 82 years and 30 matched patients aged 41 to 64 years. Older and younger patients were similar with regard to risk factors, clinical and angiographic characteristics, and medical therapy. Flow cytometric analysis showed that absolute numbers of CD34+, CD133+, CD105+, and CD14+ cells in older patients were not different from those recorded in younger patients and in the control group. In conclusion, aging per se is not associated with reductions in subpopulations of endothelial progenitor cells in patients with coronary artery disease.