Journal of General Practice

Progenitor Endothelial Cells in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Abstract

Alexander Berezin

Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is common cardio-pulmonary phenomenon associated with higher risk of premature death and disability. Several previous studies have shown that decreased number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) correlated well with vascular remodeling and impaired pulmonary artery function. Moreover, a deep deficiency of EPC characterized a poor clinical outcomes in PAH individuals. There is large body of evidence regarding that the EPCs could be not just biomarker of endothelial dysfunction, but a target of PAH therapy. However, improvement of PAH severity associated with increasing number of circulating EPC with angiopoetic phenotype accompanying sildenafil care. The short communication is depicted the predictive role of EPCs in risk stratification in PAH patients and possibilities to use EPC-based care aimed improving clinical outcomes.