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von Willebrand factor, a possible indicator of endothelial cell damage, decreases during long-term compliance with a
A D Blann1, P Jackson, P M Bath
1Department of Surgery, University Hospital of South Manchester, Didsbury, UK.
Insights
A 3-year lipid-lowering diet significantly reduced serum von Willebrand factor (vWf) levels in men with atherosclerosis. This suggests dietary changes can improve endothelial health markers in at-risk populations.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Atherosclerosis is a significant cardiovascular disease risk factor.
- Endothelial dysfunction, indicated by elevated von Willebrand factor (vWf), is implicated in atherosclerosis.
- Dietary interventions are crucial for managing cardiovascular risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of a long-term lipid-lowering diet on serum vWf levels in men with atherosclerosis.
- To compare vWf levels between men with atherosclerosis on a lipid-lowering diet versus a normal diet.
Main Methods:
- Randomized, population-based case-control study involving men with coronary atherosclerosis and high cholesterol.
- Participants were randomized to either a lipid-lowering diet or their normal diet for approximately 3 years.
- Dietary intake, serum lipids (total, LDL, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides), and vWf levels were assessed.
Main Results:
- The lipid-lowering diet group consumed less saturated fat, cholesterol, and retinol, while increasing polyunsaturated fats, fiber, and vitamin E.
- Serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and vWf were significantly lower in the lipid-lowering diet group.
- vWf levels correlated positively with total cholesterol and inversely with dietary polyunsaturated fats.
Conclusions:
- Long-term adherence to a lipid-lowering diet leads to a decrease in serum von Willebrand factor (vWf).
- vWf may serve as a biomarker for endothelial cell damage, showing improvement with dietary modification.
- Dietary interventions represent a viable strategy for mitigating atherosclerosis progression by improving endothelial health.
Objectives:
To test whether serum von Willebrand factor (vWf) would be lower in men with atherosclerosis who had been consuming a lipid-lowering diet for 3 years than in a control group of men with atherosclerosis who had been following their normal diet.
Design:
A randomized, population-based case-control study.
Setting:
A tertiary health care referral centre at a University Hospital.
Subjects:
Men age less than 66 years with angiographically proven coronary atherosclerosis and a cholesterol level > 6 mmol L-1. Sixty started the study and 50 completed it.
Interventions:
Subjects were randomized to a lipid-lowering diet or to taking their normal diet for approximately 3 years.
Main Outcome Measures:
The components of the subjects' diets were assessed and blood was obtained for total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and for vWf.
Results:
Men on the lipid-lowering diet consumed less total, saturated and monounsaturated fats (all P < 0.001), cholesterol and retinol (both P < 0.002) but increased polyunsaturated fats (P < 0.001), fibre, vitamin E (both P < 0.005) and carbohydrate (P < 0.05). Those on the lipid-lowering diet also had lower serum levels of total and LDL cholesterol (P < 0.002 and P < 0.05, respectively), triglycerides (P < 0.02) and vWf (P < 0.05) than the men on their normal diet. There was no difference in HDL cholesterol. Levels of vWf correlated with both total cholesterol (P < 0.005) and inversely with dietary polyunsaturated fats (P < 0.02).
Conclusion:
von Willebrand factor, a possible indicator of endothelial cell damage, decreases during long-term compliance with a lipid-lowering diet.