TY  - JOUR
A1  - Kraft, Peter
A1  - Drechsler, Christiane
A1  - Gunreben, Ignaz
A1  - Nieswandt, Bernhard
A1  - Stoll, Guido
A1  - Heuschmann, Peter Ulrich
A1  - Kleinschnitz, Christoph
T1  - Von Willebrand Factor Regulation in Patients with Acute and Chronic Cerebrovascular Disease: A Pilot, Case-Control Study
T2  - PLoS ONE
N2  - Background and Purpose

In animal models, von Willebrand factor (VWF) is involved in thrombus formation and propagation of ischemic stroke. However, the pathophysiological relevance of this molecule in humans, and its potential use as a biomarker for the risk and severity of ischemic stroke remains unclear. This study had two aims: to identify predictors of altered VWF levels and to examine whether VWF levels differ between acute cerebrovascular events and chronic cerebrovascular disease (CCD).

Methods

A case–control study was undertaken between 2010 and 2013 at our University clinic. In total, 116 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transitory ischemic attack (TIA), 117 patients with CCD, and 104 healthy volunteers (HV) were included. Blood was taken at days 0, 1, and 3 in patients with AIS or TIA, and once in CCD patients and HV. VWF serum levels were measured and correlated with demographic and clinical parameters by multivariate linear regression and ANOVA.

Results

Patients with CCD (158±46%) had significantly higher VWF levels than HV (113±36%, P<0.001), but lower levels than AIS/TIA patients (200±95%, P<0.001). Age, sex, and stroke severity influenced VWF levels (P<0.05).

Conclusions

VWF levels differed across disease subtypes and patient characteristics. Our study confirms increased VWF levels as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease and, moreover, suggests that it may represent a potential biomarker for stroke severity, warranting further investigation.
KW  - cerebrovascular diseases
KW  - sex addiction
KW  - biomarkers
KW  - ischemic stroke
KW  - blood
KW  - stroke
KW  - platelets
KW  - demography
Y1  - 2014
UR  - https://opus.bibliothek.uni-wuerzburg.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/11958
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119588
SN  - 1932-6203
VL  - 9
IS  - 6
ER  -