Inverse Correlation Between Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells With CD34+CD133+ and the Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis Assessed by Syntax Score

Background: The number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) descends when atherosclerosis developed. The objective was to compare the number of CD34(+)CD133(+) cells with the severity of atherosclerosis assessed by Syntax score. Methods: The study included 80 patients with stable angina undergoing coronary angiography. Patients were classified into single-vessel group, multiple-vessel group and normal group according to angiography. The percentage of CD34(+)CD133(+) cells in the mononuclear cells isolated from peripheral blood of different groups by flow cytometric analysis was compared. The quantity of CD34(+)CD133(+) EPCs was log transformed to improve normality (lgEPC). Syntax score was used in this study to assess the extent of coronary artery disease. Results: The level of lgEPC was lower in the single-vessel group than that in the normal group (-3.42 +/- 0.44 versus -3.17 +/- 0.39, P < 0.05), and the level of lgEPC was lower in the multiple-vessel group than that in the single vessel group (-3.63 +/- 0.31 versus -3.42 +/- 0.44, P < 0.05). An inverse correlation between lgEPC and Syntax score analyzed by linear regression. Conclusions: EPC level probably serves as a predictor of the development and severity of atherosclerosis on a cellular level. EPC, a relatively more important risk factor, perhaps protects against coronary artery disease.