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Updated: Apr 6, 2026
Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research
Published on: October 22, 2014
[THE NEW APPROACH TO EVALUATION OF ENDOTHELIUM DYSFUNCTION: DETECTION OF NUMBER OF CIRCULATING ENDOTHELIUM CELLS
Insights
Elevated circulating endothelial cells in peripheral blood signal increased cardiovascular disease risk. Quantifying these cells via flow cytometry can help predict ischemic heart disease in women.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Hematology
- Diagnostic Pathology
Background:
- Endothelial dysfunction is central to cardiovascular disease pathogenesis.
- Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) serve as direct markers of endothelial damage and remodeling.
- Early diagnosis and risk assessment for cardiovascular diseases are crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a flow cytometry method for quantifying CECs to diagnose endothelial dysfunction.
- To evaluate CEC levels for predicting ischemic heart disease (IHD) risk in young and middle-aged women.
- To establish a link between CEC counts and IHD development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized flow cytometry to determine the number of CECs in peripheral blood.
- Studied 62 female patients with confirmed IHD and 49 healthy women.
- Analyzed the correlation between CEC levels and IHD risk.
Main Results:
- A threshold of >3 CECs per 3x10^5 leukocytes significantly elevates IHD risk (4x) in women.
- Higher CEC levels correlate with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (8x) in IHD patients.
- Flow cytometry provides a quantitative method for CEC assessment.
Conclusions:
- Flow cytometry is a viable technique for quantifying CECs.
- CEC levels can predict the risk of developing IHD in women.
- This method offers a new approach for diagnosing endothelial dysfunction and assessing cardiovascular risk.
Abstract:
The endothelium dysfunction takes leading place in pathogenesis of development of cardiovascular diseases. The circulating endothelium cells of peripheral blood can act as a direct cell marker of damage and remodeling of endothelium. The study was carried out to develop a new approach to diagnose of endothelium dysfunction by force of determination of number of circulating endothelium cells using flow cytometry technique and to apply determination of circulating endothelium cells for evaluation of risk of development of ischemic heart disease in women of young and middle age. The study embraced 62 female patients with angiography confirmed ischemic heart disease, exertional angina pectoris at the level of functional class I-II (mean age 51 ± 6 years) and 49 women without anamnesis of ischemic heart disease (mean age 52 ± 9 years). The occurrence of more than three circulating endothelium cells by 3 x 105 leukocytes in peripheral blood increases relative risk of development of ischemic heart disease up to 4 times in women of young and middle age and risk of development of acute myocardial infarction up to 8 times in women with ischemic heart disease. The study demonstrated possibility to apply flow cytometry technique to quantitatively specify circulating endothelium cells in peripheral blood and forecast risk of development of ischemic heart disease in women of young and middle age depending on level of circulating endothelium cells.
