Hemostatic markers of endothelial dysfunction and risk of incident type 2 diabetes: the Framingham Offspring Study.

Endothelial dysfunction may precede development of type 2 diabetes. We tested the hypothesis that elevated levels of hemostatic markers of endothelial dysfunction, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigen, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) antigen predicted incident diabetes independent of other diabetes risk factors. We followed 2,924 Framingham Offspring subjects (54% women, mean age 54 years) without diabetes at baseline (defined by treatment, fasting plasma glucose > or =7 or 2-h postchallenge glucose > or =11.

Relation of the prothrombotic state to increasing age (from the Framingham Offspring Study).

A greater life expectancy has led to an increasing proportion of elderly patients. Increasing age is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but the mechanism of risk is not well understood. Because thrombosis plays a key role in plaque development and the onset of acute coronary syndromes, the age-related increase in cardiovascular risk may be a result of a prothrombotic imbalance.

Risk factors for thromboembolic events in renal failure.

Objectives: To determine whether prior thromboembolic events (TE) influence current measures of hemostasis, inflammation and oxidative stress in a population at high cardiovascular risk.

Background: Renal failure patients demonstrate a remarkably elevated incidence of TE.

Methods: Relationships between plasma test results and prior TE history were studied in 78 diabetic and 23 non-diabetic patients with renal failure.

Association between increased homocysteine levels and impaired fibrinolytic potential: potential mechanism for cardiovascular risk.

Background: Elevated homocysteine levels increase cardiovascular risk although the mechanism is not well understood. Since thrombosis plays an important role in plaque development and acute coronary syndromes, hyperhomocysteinemia may increase risk by increasing the thrombotic potential.

Methods And Results: Hemostatic risk factors were measured in 3,216 individuals (1,451 men and 1,765 women) free of cardiovascular disease who participated in cycle 5 of the Framingham Offspring Study.