J Clin Med Res

Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://www.jocmr.org

Original Article

Volume 14, Number 5, May 2022, pages 202-208

No Significant Association Between Plasma Endosialin Levels and the Presence or Severity of Coronary Artery Disease

Figure 1. Plasma endosialin levels and the presence of CAD or the number of stenotic coronary vessels. Plasma endosialin levels did not significantly differ between patients with and without CAD (0.91 vs. 0.92 ng/mL) (left). No significant difference was found in endosialin levels among the four groups of CAD(-), 1-VD, 2-VD, and 3-VD (0.92, 0.89, 0.98, and 0.87 ng/mL) (right). The central line represents the median, and the box represents the 25th to 75th percentiles. The whiskers represent the lowest and highest value in the 25th percentile minus 1.5 IQR and 75th percentile plus 1.5 IQR, respectively. NS: not significant; CAD: coronary artery disease; 1-VD: one-vessel disease; 2-VD: two-vessel disease; 3-VD: three-vessel disease; IQR: interquartile range.

Figure 2. Correlations between plasma endosialin levels and HbA1c or hsCRP levels. Plasma endosialin levels signficantly but weakly correlated with HbA1c levels (rs = 0.12, P < 0.025) (left). However, no significant correlation was found between endosialin and hsCRP levels (right). HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c; hsCRP: high-sensitivity CRP; NS: not significant.

**Table 1.** Clinical Characteristics of Patients With and Without CAD
	CAD(-) (n = 166)	P value CAD(-) vs. CAD	CAD (n = 210)	1-VD (n = 90)	2-VD (n = 65)	3-VD (n = 55)	P value among four groups
Data represent the mean ± SD or the number (%) of patients, except for hsCRP levels which are presented as the median value and interquartile range. CAD: coronary artery disease; 1-VD: one-vessel disease; 2-VD: two-vessel disease; 3-VD: three-vessel disease; BMI: body mass index; SBP: systolic blood pressure; HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c; LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; CRP: C-reactive protein; hsCRP: high-sensitivity CRP; SD: standard deviation.
Age (years)	66 ± 11	0.005	69 ± 10	68 ± 10	70 ± 10	71 ± 9	0.008
Gender (male)	99 (60%)	0.001	159 (76%)	68 (76%)	48 (74%)	43 (78%)	0.010
BMI (kg/m²)	25.3 ± 13.9	0.199	24.0 ± 3.4	24.3 ± 3.7	24.6 ± 2.9	23.1 ± 3.5	0.530
Hypertension	100 (60%)	< 0.001	165 (79%)	68 (76%)	50 (77%)	47 (85%)	0.001
SBP (mm Hg)	129 ± 21	0.012	134 ± 19	133 ± 17	137 ± 21	134 ± 18	0.041
Diabetes mellitus	29 (17%)	< 0.001	74 (35%)	26 (29%)	27 (42%)	21 (38%)	< 0.001
HbA1c (%)	6.0 ± 0.7	< 0.001	6.3 ± 1.0	6.1 ± 0.8	6.4 ± 1.0	6.3 ± 1.0	0.001
Smoking	50 (30%)	0.051	84 (40%)	38 (42%)	27 (42%)	19 (35%)	0.178
Hyperlipidemia	71 (43%)	< 0.001	130 (62%)	56 (62%)	41 (63%)	33 (60%)	0.003
Statin	49 (30%)	0.001	99 (47%)	45 (50%)	30 (46%)	24 (44%)	0.005
LDL-C (mg/dL)	112 ± 27	0.403	115 ± 33	110 ± 34	115 ± 31	121 ± 32	0.151
HDL-C (mg/dL)	59 ± 16	< 0.001	52 ± 13	54 ± 14	51 ± 12	49 ± 14	< 0.001
hsCRP (mg/L)	0.43 (0.22, 0.92)	0.007	0.57 (0.30, 1.19)	0.52 (0.28, 0.95)	0.57 (0.35, 1.11)	0.58 (0.35, 1.48)	0.019

Table 1. Clinical Characteristics of Patients With and Without CAD

CAD(-) (n = 166)

P value CAD(-) vs. CAD

CAD (n = 210)

1-VD (n = 90)

2-VD (n = 65)

3-VD (n = 55)

P value among four groups

Data represent the mean ± SD or the number (%) of patients, except for hsCRP levels which are presented as the median value and interquartile range. CAD: coronary artery disease; 1-VD: one-vessel disease; 2-VD: two-vessel disease; 3-VD: three-vessel disease; BMI: body mass index; SBP: systolic blood pressure; HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c; LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; CRP: C-reactive protein; hsCRP: high-sensitivity CRP; SD: standard deviation.

Age (years)

66 ± 11

0.005

69 ± 10

68 ± 10

70 ± 10

71 ± 9

0.008

Gender (male)

99 (60%)

0.001

159 (76%)

68 (76%)

48 (74%)

43 (78%)

0.010

BMI (kg/m²)

25.3 ± 13.9

0.199

24.0 ± 3.4

24.3 ± 3.7

24.6 ± 2.9

23.1 ± 3.5

0.530

Hypertension

100 (60%)

< 0.001

165 (79%)

68 (76%)

50 (77%)

47 (85%)

0.001

SBP (mm Hg)

129 ± 21

0.012

134 ± 19

133 ± 17

137 ± 21

134 ± 18

0.041

Diabetes mellitus

29 (17%)

< 0.001

74 (35%)

26 (29%)

27 (42%)

21 (38%)

< 0.001

HbA1c (%)

6.0 ± 0.7

< 0.001

6.3 ± 1.0

6.1 ± 0.8

6.4 ± 1.0

6.3 ± 1.0

0.001

Smoking

50 (30%)

0.051

84 (40%)

38 (42%)

27 (42%)

19 (35%)

0.178

Hyperlipidemia

71 (43%)

< 0.001

130 (62%)

56 (62%)

41 (63%)

33 (60%)

0.003

Statin

49 (30%)

0.001

99 (47%)

45 (50%)

30 (46%)

24 (44%)

0.005

LDL-C (mg/dL)

112 ± 27

0.403

115 ± 33

110 ± 34

115 ± 31

121 ± 32

0.151

HDL-C (mg/dL)

59 ± 16

< 0.001

52 ± 13

54 ± 14

51 ± 12

49 ± 14

< 0.001

hsCRP (mg/L)

0.43 (0.22, 0.92)

0.007

0.57 (0.30, 1.19)

0.52 (0.28, 0.95)

0.57 (0.35, 1.11)

0.58 (0.35, 1.48)

0.019

**Table 2.** Correlations Between Plasma Endosialin or hsCRP Levels and the Severity of CAD
	rs	P value
rs indicates correlation coefficient by the Spearman’s rank correlation test. CRP: C-reactive protein; hsCRP: high-sensitivity CRP; CAD: coronary artery disease; BMI: body mass index; HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; HDL: high-density lipoprotein.
Plasma endosialin levels
The number of > 50% stenotic coronary segments	0.02	0.700
The number of > 25% stenotic coronary segments	0.02	0.752
The severity score of stenosis	0.02	0.782
BMI	-0.03	0.634
Fasting glucose level	-0.04	0.432
HbA1c level	0.12	0.023
LDL-cholesterol level	0.01	0.827
HDL-cholesterol level	-0.04	0.412
hsCRP level	0.08	0.103
Plasma hsCRP levels
The number of > 50% stenotic coronary segments	0.15	0.003
The number of > 25% stenotic coronary segments	0.16	0.003
The severity score of stenosis	0.15	0.003

Table 2. Correlations Between Plasma Endosialin or hsCRP Levels and the Severity of CAD

P value

rs indicates correlation coefficient by the Spearman’s rank correlation test. CRP: C-reactive protein; hsCRP: high-sensitivity CRP; CAD: coronary artery disease; BMI: body mass index; HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; HDL: high-density lipoprotein.

Plasma endosialin levels

The number of > 50% stenotic coronary segments

0.02

0.700

The number of > 25% stenotic coronary segments

0.02

0.752

The severity score of stenosis

0.02

0.782

BMI

-0.03

0.634

Fasting glucose level

-0.04

0.432

HbA1c level

0.12

0.023

LDL-cholesterol level

0.01

0.827

HDL-cholesterol level

-0.04

0.412

hsCRP level

0.08

0.103

Plasma hsCRP levels

The number of > 50% stenotic coronary segments

0.15

0.003

The number of > 25% stenotic coronary segments

0.16

0.003

The severity score of stenosis

0.15

0.003

**Table 3.** Factors Associated With CAD (Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis of the 376 Study Patients)
	Odds ratio (95% CI)	P value
The dependent variable was the presence of CAD. The analysis included age (per 10-year increase), male gender, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, statin use, low HDL-cholesterol level (< 40 mg/dL), DM, smoking, and hsCRP and endosialin levels. DM: diabetes mellitus; CAD: coronary artery disease; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; CI: confidence interval.
Age (per 10-year increase)	1.35 (1.08 - 1.69)	0.010
Male gender	2.39 (1.43 - 3.99)	0.001
Hypertension	1.75 (1.06 - 2.90)	0.029
Hyperlipidemia	2.17 (1.35 - 3.50)	0.001
Low HDL-cholesterol level	2.09 (1.01 - 4.34)	0.047

Table 3. Factors Associated With CAD (Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis of the 376 Study Patients)

Odds ratio (95% CI)

P value

The dependent variable was the presence of CAD. The analysis included age (per 10-year increase), male gender, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, statin use, low HDL-cholesterol level (< 40 mg/dL), DM, smoking, and hsCRP and endosialin levels. DM: diabetes mellitus; CAD: coronary artery disease; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; CI: confidence interval.

Age (per 10-year increase)

1.35 (1.08 - 1.69)

0.010

Male gender

2.39 (1.43 - 3.99)

0.001

Hypertension

1.75 (1.06 - 2.90)

0.029

Hyperlipidemia

2.17 (1.35 - 3.50)

0.001

Low HDL-cholesterol level

2.09 (1.01 - 4.34)

0.047