Relationship between plasma markers of endothelial cell integrity and the Framingham cardiovascular disease risk-factor scores in apparently healthy individuals

Abstract
Separate reports have identified differences in plasma levels of the endothelial markers soluble E-selectin, von Willebrand factor (vWf) and soluble thrombomodulin in each of the major modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis (smoking, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia), and abnormal levels of some plasma markers predict various adverse cardiovascular events. However, it is unclear whether there is an increasing effect on the endothelium with a worsening risk-factor profile. We measured the three endothelial cell markers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the plasma of 200 subjects (mean age, 54 years; 58% men) free of the symptoms and clinical signs of atherosclerosis. Levels of the markers were then correlated with the Framingham coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) scores to help determine which (if any) may be useful as good laboratory predictors of future cardiovascular events in prospective epidemiological studies. vWf correlated with CHD (rs = 0.269, P r