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Published on: October 15, 2010
Markers of endothelial dysfunction and evaluation of vascular reactivity tests in Behçet disease
Pinar Ozuguz1, Ayse Anil Karabulut2, Murat Tulmac3
1Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kocatepe University, Afyon Turkey pozoguz@gmail.com.
Insights
Behcet disease (BD) patients exhibit endothelial dysfunction (ED), indicated by lower flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and elevated inflammatory markers. BD duration significantly impacts FMD, suggesting its role in assessing ED in BD.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Rheumatology
- Clinical Biochemistry
Background:
- Behcet disease (BD) is a multisystem inflammatory disorder.
- Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is increasingly recognized as a key factor in BD pathogenesis.
- Objective assessment of ED in BD patients is crucial for understanding disease progression and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate endothelial function in patients with Behcet disease compared to healthy controls.
- To investigate the relationship between inflammatory markers, disease activity, and endothelial dysfunction in BD.
- To identify predictors of endothelial dysfunction in Behcet disease.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study comparing 40 BD patients and 20 healthy controls.
- Measurements included serum lipids, homocysteine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) via ultrasound.
- Statistical analyses included t-tests, correlation, and multivariate regression.
Main Results:
- BD patients showed significantly higher hsCRP, ESR, homocysteine, and ADMA levels compared to controls (P<.001).
- Active BD patients had elevated hsCRP, homocysteine, and ESR versus those in remission (P<.001, P=.005).
- Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was significantly lower in BD patients (P=.001) and correlated negatively with BD duration (r=-.745) and ADMA levels (r=-.682). BD duration positively correlated with ADMA (r=.552).
Conclusions:
- Endothelial dysfunction is prevalent in Behcet disease patients, associated with elevated inflammatory markers.
- Disease duration and ADMA levels are significant predictors of endothelial dysfunction in BD.
- FMD, combined with inflammatory markers, may serve as a valuable tool for evaluating ED in BD.
Abstract:
We assessed endothelial dysfunction (ED) in patients with Behcet disease (BD; n=40) and healthy controls (n=20). Serum lipid, homocysteine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESRs), and ultrasonographic flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) were measured. Mean hsCRP, ESR, homocysteine, and ADMA were significantly higher in the BD group (P<.001 for all). Patients with active BD had higher serum levels of hsCRP, homocysteine, and ESR compared with those in remission (P<.001, P<.001, and P=.005, respectively). Flow-mediated dilatation was significantly lower in patients with BD than in controls (P=.001). Flow-mediated dilatation correlated negatively with BD duration and serum ADMA levels (P<.001, r=-.745 and P<.001, r=-.682); a positive correlation was seen between serum ADMA levels and BD duration (P<.001, r=.552). Only stepwise multivariate regression analysis revealed BD duration to have a significant effect on FMD. Flow-mediated dilatation, in conjunction with markers of inflammation, may evaluate ED in patients with BD.
