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The number of circulating CD34-positive cells is an independent predictor of coronary artery calcification progression: Sub-analysis of a prospective multicenter study
, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1
Affiliations- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Density and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Okayama Hospital, Okayama, Japan
- Department of Cardiology, Sakurabashi Watanabe Hospital, Osaka, Japan
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Abstract
Background: Decreases in circulating CD34-positive cells are associated with increases in cardiovascular events. We investigated the association between the number of CD34-positive cells and the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of atherosclerosis, in patients with hypercholesteremia under statin therapy in a sub-analysis of a multicenter study.
Methods: In the principal study, patients with CAC scores of 1–999 were treated with pitavastatin. Measurement of CAC by non-enhanced computed tomography and a blood test were performed at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Patients were divided into two groups: CAC progression (change in CAC score > 0) and non-progression. The number of circulating CD34-positive cells was counted using flow cytometry.
Results: A total of 156 patients (mean age 67 years, 55% men) were included in this sub-analysis. CD34 positive cell numbers at baseline as a continuous variable was inversely correlated with annual change in the log-transformed CAC score (r = –0.19, p = 0.02). When patients were divided into high and low CD34 groups based on the median value of 0.8 cells/μL, the adjusted change in CAC score in the low-CD34 group was significantly greater than that in the high-CD34 group (54.2% vs. 20.8%, respectively, p = 0.04). In multiple logistic analysis, a low CD34-positive cell number was an independent predictor of CAC progression, with an odds ratio of 2.88 (95% confidence interval 1.28–6.49, p = 0.01).
Conclusions: Low numbers of CD34-positive cells are associated with CAC progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia under statin therapy. The number of CD34-positive cells may help to identify patients at increased cardiovascular risk.
Abstract
Background: Decreases in circulating CD34-positive cells are associated with increases in cardiovascular events. We investigated the association between the number of CD34-positive cells and the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of atherosclerosis, in patients with hypercholesteremia under statin therapy in a sub-analysis of a multicenter study.
Methods: In the principal study, patients with CAC scores of 1–999 were treated with pitavastatin. Measurement of CAC by non-enhanced computed tomography and a blood test were performed at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Patients were divided into two groups: CAC progression (change in CAC score > 0) and non-progression. The number of circulating CD34-positive cells was counted using flow cytometry.
Results: A total of 156 patients (mean age 67 years, 55% men) were included in this sub-analysis. CD34 positive cell numbers at baseline as a continuous variable was inversely correlated with annual change in the log-transformed CAC score (r = –0.19, p = 0.02). When patients were divided into high and low CD34 groups based on the median value of 0.8 cells/μL, the adjusted change in CAC score in the low-CD34 group was significantly greater than that in the high-CD34 group (54.2% vs. 20.8%, respectively, p = 0.04). In multiple logistic analysis, a low CD34-positive cell number was an independent predictor of CAC progression, with an odds ratio of 2.88 (95% confidence interval 1.28–6.49, p = 0.01).
Conclusions: Low numbers of CD34-positive cells are associated with CAC progression in patients with hypercholesterolemia under statin therapy. The number of CD34-positive cells may help to identify patients at increased cardiovascular risk.
Keywords
coronary artery calcification, computed tomography, endothelial progenitor cells, hypercholesterolemia
About this articleTitle
The number of circulating CD34-positive cells is an independent predictor of coronary artery calcification progression: Sub-analysis of a prospective multicenter study
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original Article
Pages
423-431
Published online
2021-11-15
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4881
Article views/downloads
641
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Cardiol J 2022;29(3):423-431.
Keywords
coronary artery calcification
computed tomography
endothelial progenitor cells
hypercholesterolemia
Authors
Keishi Ichikawa
Toru Miyoshi
Kazuhiro Osawa
Takashi Miki
Kunihisa Kohno
Kazufumi Nakamura
Yasushi Koyama
Hiroshi Ito
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