Platelet surface expression of SDF-1 in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (A), stable angina pectoris (SAP) (B) subgroups and platelet CD62P expression in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) (C).

<p>(A, B) SDF-1 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) in patients with non-valvular disease (NV) compared to patients with aortic stenosis (AS) [ACS (AS vs. NV): 75±40.4 vs. 39.5±23.3; P = 0.002; SAP (AS vs. NV): 54.9±44.6 vs. 24.3±11.2; P = 0.008]. (C) CD62P mean fluorescence intensity showed a trend for increased platelet activation in CAD patients with aortic stenosis (AS) compared to patients with non-valvular disease (NV) [AS vs. NV: 15.6±12.6 vs. 11±3.6; P = 0.085].</p

Platelet SDF-1 surface expression according to the degree of aortic stenosis (AS) (A) and association between platelet SDF-1 expression and the degree of AS (B).

<p>(A) Platelet SDF-1 surface expression depicted by mean fluorescence intensity (MFI± standard deviation) in patients with non-valvular disease (NV; n = 109; 36.3±22.1) and patients with mild (AS I°; n = 75; 54.2±42.2), moderate (AS II°; n = 21; 81.8±47.9) and severe (AS III°; n = 13; 100.7±55.9) aortic stenosis. (B) Association of platelet SDF-1 surface expression in patients with non-valvular disease (NV) and patients with mild AS (I°), moderate AS (II°) and severe AS (III°) (r = 0.462; P = 0.002).</p

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria.

<p>Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria.</p

Propensity score matching of patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and non-valvular (NV) disease.

<p>Implementation of a 1∶1 propensity score matching. 218 cases with 109 pairs comprising age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors and medication regarding ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, statins, aspirin, clopidogrel, GPIIb/IIIa antagonists and vitamin K antagonists were matched.</p

Multivariate Logistic Regression Modeling.

<p>Multivariate Logistic Regression Modeling.</p

Multifactorial Analysis of Covariance.

<p>Multifactorial Analysis of Covariance.</p

Macroscopic and histological assessment of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

<p>(a) Plaque size [%] was determined in macroscopic en face preparations after sudan red staining of the common carotid arteries. The relative lesion area was expressed as percentage of the total vessel area of the common carotid artery. (b) Vessel wet weight to body weight ratio was determined. The mean ± SEM of 8 animals are shown. * indicates significant difference of p<0.05 versus cholesterol-fed atherosclerotic control rabbits.</p

Patients' Characteristics and Premedication on Hospital Admission.

<p>*mean ± standard deviation. AD denotes Alzheimer's disease, CAD coronary artery disease, BMI body mass index, ACE angiotensin converting enzyme, NSAID non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.</p

Correlation of baseline concentrations of leptin according to mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score.

<p>(A) Lower plasma levels of leptin significantly correlated with a lower MMSE score (r = 0.264; P = 0.019). (B) High leptin plasma levels positively correlated with an increased body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.428; P = 0.001) and (C) inversely correlated with advancing age (r = −0.225; P = 0.048).</p

Patients` baseline characteristics.

<p>Values are n (%) or mean±standard deviation. BNP – brain natriuretic peptide, CMR – cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, CRP – C-reactive protein, CK – creatinkinase, DCM –dilated cardiomyopathy, HCM – hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, LGE – late gadolinium enhancement, LVEDD – left ventricular enddiastolic diameter, LVEF - left ventricular ejection fraction, NYHA – New York Heart Association, SD – standard deviation, TnI –troponin I, y – years.</p