Reduced endothelial progenitor cells in extracranial arterial stenosis but not intracranial arterial stenosis.

OBJECTIVE

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are novel markers of endothelial dysfunction and are related to cardiovascular disease. However, their relationship with cerebral atherosclerosis (CA) has not been investigated extensively. We aim to study the relationship between CA severity and EPC subpopulations levels.

METHODS

We enrolled 197 patients in this study. EPCs were measured by flow cytometry. Digital subtraction angiography was used to assess CA. Arterial lesion severity was evaluated among cerebral arteries which showed steno-occlusion change and the extent of that condition.

RESULTS

There was a significant inverse correlation between EPCs level and CA prevalence after adjusting for confounders (CD45(-/dim)CD34(+)CD309(+) cells: odds ratio [OR], 0.110; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.026-0.475; P = .00; CD45(-/dim)CD133(+)CD309(+) cells: OR, 0.134; 95% CI, 0.030-0.599; P = .01; CD45(-/dim) CD34(+)CD133(+)CD309(+) cells: OR, 0.010; 95% CI, 0.001-0 .541, P = .02). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only the EPCs level was significantly inversely associated with extracranial atherosclerosis rather than intracranial atherosclerosis (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicated that EPCs subpopulations were independent predictors for CA severity, even after controlling for traditional risk factors.