[Endothelial dysfunction in patients with scleroderma systemic]

The purpose of the study was to investigate endothelial lesions and disturbances in the antithrombogenic and vasoregulative vascular wall functions in patients with scleroderma systematica (SS). The subjects of the study were 39 patients with SS aged 46 +/- 1.4 years. Vasomotor endothelial function was studied using reactive hyperemia and nitroglycerin tests. Cuff test was applied to evaluate antithrombogenic (anticoagulative and fibrinolytic activity) properties of the vascular walls. The number of desquamated endotheliocytes in blood was measured by J. Hladovec method (1978). The study found a tendency towards brachial artery narrowing, as well as hypertrophy of its wall in patients with SS. In 28.6% of SS patients flow-dependent dilatation did not exceed 10% (P < 0.01 vs. controls), which suggests the presence of disturbances in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. SS patients displayed a significant increase in the number of circulating endotheliocytes (P < 0.05), which is evidence of endothelial lesion. The study found a significant decrease in fibrinolytic and anticoagulative activity of the endothelium in SS patients vs. controls. Thus, the study revealed endothelial lesion, as well as disturbances in the vasoregulative and antithrombogenic vascular wall activity in patients with SS.