%0 Journal Article
%T Circulating CD34+ Cell Count is Associated with Extent of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic Amish Men, Independent of 10-Year Framingham Risk
%A Lawrence F. Bielak
%A Richard B. Horenstein
%A Kathleen A. Ryan
%A Patrick F. Sheedy
%A II
%J Clinical Medicine : Cardiology
%D 2009
%I 
%X Background: Bone-marrow derived progenitor cells (PCs) may play a role in maintaining vascular health by actively repairing damaged endothelium. The purpose of this study in asymptomatic Old Order Amish men (n = 90) without hyper- tension or diabetes was to determine if PC count, as determined by CD34+ cell count in peripheral blood, was associated with 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and measures of subclinical atherosclerosis.Methods and Results: CD34+ cell count by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, coronary artery calcification (CAC) by electron beam computed tomography, and CVD risk factors were obtained. Carotid intimal-medial thickness (CIMT) also was obtained in a subset of 57 men. After adjusting for 10-year CVD risk, CD34+ cell count was significantly associated with CAC quantity ( p = 0.03) and CIMT ( p 0.0001). A 1-unit increase in natural-log transformed CD34+ cell count was associated with an estimated 55.2% decrease (95% CI:  77.8% to  9.3%) in CAC quantity and an estimated 14.3% decrease (95% CI:  20.1% to  8.1%) in CIMT.Conclusions: Increased CD34+ cell count was associated with a decrease in extent of subclinical atherosclerosis in multiple arterial beds, independent of 10-year CVD risk. Further investigations of associations of CD34+ cell count with subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic individuals could provide mechanistic insights into the atherosclerotic process.
%K atherosclerosis
%K carotid arteries
%K coronary artery calcification
%K epidemiology
%K risk factors
%U http://www.la-press.com/circulating-cd34-cell-count-is-associated-with-extent-of-subclinical-a-a1473