High Levels of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells Are Associated with Acrotism in Patients with Takayasu Arteritis

Keskek S. O., Bozkirli-Ersozlu E. D., KOZANOĞLU İ., Yucel A. E.

MEDICAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE, vol.26, no.2, pp.132-138, 2017 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 26 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2017
  • Doi Number: 10.1159/000453038
  • Journal Name: MEDICAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.132-138
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the association between endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and Takayasu arteritis (TA). Subjects and Methods: A total of 39 subjects were included in this study: 12 subjects had been diagnosed with active TA, 11 had active Behcet disease (BD), and 16 were healthy controls. The EPCs, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels of all the subjects were measured. MedCalc 15.8 software (MedCalc, Belgium) was used for all statistical analyses. Results: The level of EPCs was higher in TA patients (4.25 +/- 2.56) than in the BD group (2.27 +/- 2.0) and the healthy controls (2.12 +/- 1.2) (p = 0.015). TA patients with acrotism (n = 4) had higher levels of EPCs compared to TA patients without acrotism (n = 8) (6.50 +/- 1.73 vs. 3.12 +/- 2.16, p = 0.02). A positive correlation was found between EPCs and the ESR (r = 0.723, p = 0.0079) and between EPCs and CRP in patients with TA (r = 0.769, p < 0.0034). Conclusion: High levels of circulating EPCs were correlated with the CRP level and the ESR in patients with TA. These cells could be a marker for acrotism and inflammation in patients with TA. (C) 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel