Background It was well established that high von Willebrand factor (vWf) levels reflect damage to the endothelium or endothelial dysfunction. We evaluated that the relation between vWf level and risk factors of coronary artery disease in patients with chest pain.
Methods We studied 133 patients with chest pain who underwent elective coronary angiography. vWf activity, serum lipid levels and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were measured before coronary angiography. According to TSH level, the patients divided into two groups; patients with highest quartile of vWf activity (>154%) and low vWf activity (���154%). Laboratory and angiographic findings were compared between the two groups. Relation between vWf activity and other coronary risk factors was evaluated.
Results Age, incidence of hypertension, serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), creatinine, uric acid, glucose, and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in patients with high vWf activity. vWf activity was relatively correlated with the number of involved coronary arteries (p= 0.08 in 0 vessel disease vs. 3 vessel disease, p= 0.343 by ANOVA), moreover, Gensini���s score was higher in patients with high vWf activity. A significant positive correlation was observed between the vWf activity and Age, serum hsCRP, creatinine, uric acid, glucose, and fibrinogen level. The number of traditional coronary risk factor was significantly correlated with vWf activity. The multivariate analysis revealed that glucose (p=0.014) and uric acid (p=0.046) were major determinants of vWf activity.
Conclusions The high level of vWf activity is associated with risk factors of coronary artery disease in patients with chest pain. However, vWf activity was not direct indicator of significant coronary artery stenosis.