High circulating osteoprotegerin levels are associated with non-zero blood groups

Background: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) form complex within endothelial cells and following secretion. The nature of blood group antigens strongly influences the levels of circulating VWF, but there is no available data concerning its ascendancy on OPG levels. We aimed to assess the relationship of AB0 blood groups with OPG, VWF levels (VWF: Ag) and collagen binding activity (VWF: CB) in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients. Methods: Functional and laboratory parameters of 105 PAD patients and 109 controls were examined. Results of OPG, VWF: Ag, VWF: CB (ELISA-s) were analysed by comparative statistics, together with clinical data. Results: OPG levels were higher in patients than in controls (4.64 ng/mL vs. 3.68 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Among patients elevation was marked in the presence of critical limb ischemia (5.19 ng/mL vs. 4.20 ng/mL, p = 0.011). The OPG in patients correlated positively with VWF: Ag and VWF: CB (r = 0.26, p = 0.008; r = 0.33, p = 0.001) and negatively with ankle-brachial pressure index (r = -0.22, p = 0.023). Furthermore, OPG was significantly elevated in non-0 blood groups compared to 0-groups both in patients and controls (4.95 ng/mL vs. 3.90 ng/mL, p = 0.012 and 4.09 ng/mL vs. 3.40 ng/mL, p = 0.002). Conclusions: OPG levels are associated to blood group phenotypes and higher in non-0 individuals. Increased OPG levels in PAD characterize disease severity. The significant correlation between OPG and VWF: CB might have functional importance in an atherothrombosis-prone biological environment

Plurivascular Lesions in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease

Introduction: Occlusive arterial disease, regardless of etiology, is a progressive chronic disease with multiple vessel involvement. The importance of obstructive arterial disease is that it leads to an increased mortality and morbidity of other cardiovascular disorders. Therefore, the presence of a lesion on a certain artery should lead to the identification of other lesions on the carotid and coronary arteries. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency and severity of lesions in peripheral arterial disease of different etiologies, and also to study its association with multivessel lesions at the level of the coronary tree and the carotid arteries

Low Level of Physical Activity in Two Roma Subgroups Compared to Non-Roma Population in Niraj Valley, Transylvania

Objective: A low level of physical activity is a cardiovascular risk factor. Physical activity patterns may differ among different ethnic groups

Additional file 1: Table S1. of High circulating osteoprotegerin levels are associated with non-zero blood groups

Clinical and laboratory parameters of patients and controls by 0/non-0 blood groups. (DOCX 24 kb