RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Circulating endothelial progenitor cells and clinical outcome in patients with congestive heart failure
JF Heart
JO Heart
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society
SP 1046
OP 1050
DO 10.1136/hrt.2006.102657
VO 93
IS 9
A1 Yoav Michowitz
A1 Emil Goldstein
A1 Dov Wexler
A1 David Sheps
A1 Gad Keren
A1 Jacob George
YR 2007
UL http://heart.bmj.com/content/93/9/1046.abstract
AB Background: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are increased in conditions associated with ischaemia and can potentially support angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. EPC levels were also shown to predict outcome in patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease. We tested the hypothesis that circulating EPC can predict outcome in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Methods: EPC–colony-forming units were measured in the peripheral blood of 107 consecutive patients with CHF with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II–IV. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were also measured. End points were defined as CHF-related hospital admissions and all-cause mortality. Results: Age (p = 0.01), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.002) and EPC levels (p = 0.02) were found to be independent predictors of all-cause mortality. EPC levels did not predict CHF-related hospitalisations. EPC levels correlated positively with NYHA (p = 0.05, r = 0.19), but did not correlate with VEGF, NT-pro-BNP or hsCRP. EPC levels did not differ by the aetiology of CHF. Conclusions: EPC levels are independent predictors of all-cause mortality among patients with CHF.