Abstract 5664: Circulating Soluble Endoglin is a Sensitive Predictor of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Exercise Function

Rationale: Circulating biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are sensitive for the presence of systemic vascular disease and may aid in the early assessment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Current biomarkers for PAH such as NT-proBNP provide useful prognostic data but detect ventricular strain associated with advanced or severe disease. Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that circulating protein markers of endothelial dysfunction or inflammation – soluble endoglin (sEng), osteoprotegerin (OPG), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin 15 (IL-15) – may predict the presence or severity of PAH. Methods: Circulating protein levels were measured by immunoassay in a total of 84 individuals: 42 with WHO diagnostic group 1 PAH of various etiologies (see table), 11 of their first-degree relatives, and 31 healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Measurements and Main Results: Circulating levels of sEng, hsCRP, OPG, and NT-proBNP were significantly elevated in PAH pat...