Coronary heart disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Endothelial dysfunction in affected patients is linked to long-term atherosclerotic disease progression and cardiovascular event rates. The present paper reports on changes in the levels of endothelial progenitor cells (VEGFR2/CD133/CD34), essential for endothelial repair, and of endothelial microvesicles (CD31/annexin V) as indicators of endothelial lesion, in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery with respect both to baseline levels and to counts in healthy subjects. In an observational descriptive study, 31 patients scheduled for coronary revascularization surgery were compared with those of 25 healthy controls. In a subsequent longitudinal study, patients undergoing surgery were monitored at 5 timepoints up until 48 h after surgery. Endothelial progenitor cell (VEGFR2/CD133/CD34) and endothelial microvesicle (CD31/annexin V) levels were quantified by flow cytometry. Baseline endothelial progenitor cell counts in coronary patients were significantly lower than those of healthy controls (p < 0.001); however, after surgery, levels rose steadily over all 5 timepoints to 48 h with statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) between intra-operative and 48 h after surgery (T5). Endothelial microvesicle levels were significantly higher in coronary patients prior to surgery than in healthy controls (p < 0.001), and despite declining at 48 h remained significantly higher than those of controls (p < 0.001). Coronary surgery has had a positive impact on the endothelium in the patients, prompting a decrease in signs of endothelial dysfunction and a considerable improvement in the endothelial repair mechanisms involved in angiogenesis, playing an important role in the inflammatory response and the remodelling process of ischemic myocardium in postoperative period.
Keywords: Biomarkers; Circulating microparticles; Coronary artery disease; Endothelial progenitor cells.