[Circulating endothelial cells and microparticles in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies]

To determine whether circulating endothelial cells (CECs), circulating microparticles (MPs) and von Willebrand factor (vWF), established markers of endothelial dysfunction/damage, are elevated in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and its possible correlation with inflammation and coagulation.

Twelve patients with aPL and 12 healthy subjects were studied. Levels of CECs, MPs, vWF, C reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (Fg), sialic acid (SA), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tissue factor (TF), thrombin generation (TG) and prothrombin (F1+2) and fibrin (DD) fragments were determined.

In patients, markers of dysfunction/damage endothelial, CECs, MPs and vWF; inflammation, Fg and CRP and coagulation, TF and DD were significantly elevated. The bivariate analysis showed significant correlation among CECs and Fg, AS, CRP and DD, as well as between CECs and vWF and MPs.

Patients with aPL had endothelial dysfunction associated with an inflammatory process, which, together with high levels of Fg, TF and DD, may be responsible for the hypercoagulable state.