@article{Rino Migliacci_Cecilia Becattini_Raffaele Pesavento_Giovanni Davi_Maria Cristina Vedovati_Giuseppe Guglielmini_Emanuela Falcinelli_Giovanni Ciabattoni_Fabio Dalla Valle_Paolo Prandoni_Giancarlo Agnelli_Paolo Gresele_2007, place={Pavia, Italy}, title={Endothelial dysfunction in patients with spontaneous venous thromboembolism}, volume={92}, url={https://haematologica.org/article/view/4475}, DOI={10.3324/haematol.10872}, abstractNote={<strong>Background and Objectives</strong> A high incidence of atherosclerotic lesions and cardiovascular events has been reported in patients with spontaneous venous thromboembolism. Endothelial dysfunction is an early marker of atherosclerosis and has predictive value for ischemic events. We have evaluated endothelial function in patients with a history of spontaneous venous thromboembolism.<strong>Design and Methods</strong> Patients with a history of symptomatic, objectively confirmed, spontaneous venous thromboembolism were included in a case-control study. Exclusion criteria were any known risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, other conditions associated with endothelial dysfunction, estro-progestinic therapy or pregnancy. Controls were age-(±5 years) and sex-matched subjects with the same exclusion criteria but without previous venous thromboembolism. Endothelial function was evaluated by the non-invasive measurement of flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery and of plasma markers of endothelium activation; platelet activation parameters were also measured.<strong>Results</strong> Twenty-eight cases (8 females; mean age 59±15 years) and 28 controls (8 females; mean age 58±15) were studied. Flow-mediated vasodilation was 3.5±0.6% in cases (95% CIs: 2.2 to 4.8) and 5.7±0.6% (4.2 to 6.8) in controls (<em>p</em>=0.015). Brachial artery blood flow and hyperemic blood flow did not differ between the two groups. Plasma von Willebrand factor and soluble P-selectin levels were significantly higher in patients with venous thromboembolism, while plasma soluble CD40 ligand and urinary 11-dehydro-TxB<sub>2</sub> levels were similar in cases and controls.<strong>Interpretation and Conclusions</strong&gt; Patients with spontaneous venous thromboembolism have endothelial dysfunction, unlike age- and sex- matched controls. This finding suggests that spontaneous venous thromboembolism may be a condition associated with an enhanced risk of atherosclerosis.}, number={6}, journal={Haematologica}, author={Rino Migliacci and Cecilia Becattini and Raffaele Pesavento and Giovanni Davi and Maria Cristina Vedovati and Giuseppe Guglielmini and Emanuela Falcinelli and Giovanni Ciabattoni and Fabio Dalla Valle and Paolo Prandoni and Giancarlo Agnelli and Paolo Gresele}, year={2007}, month={Jun.}, pages={812-818} }