Endothelial Microparticles Correlate with Endothelial Dysfunction in Obese Women

Context: Cell-derived microparticles are supposed to be involved in atherogenesis. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate circulating microparticles in obese women and their relation with anthropometric measures and endothelial dysfunction. Design, Setting, and Participants: Forty-one obese [body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2] women and 40 normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2) age-matched women were studied. Flow cytometry was used to assess microparticles by quantification of circulating endothelial microparticles (EMP, CD31+/CD42b−) and platelet microparticles (PMP, CD31+/CD42b+) in peripheral blood; endothelium-dependent flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) was evaluated in the right brachial artery after reactive hyperemia. Results: Compared with lean women, obese women presented significantly higher numbers of EMP and PMP, and reduced FMD. BMI did not correlate with either EMP (r = 0.02, P = 0.9) or PMP (r = −0.07, P = 0.645), whereas waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) showed significant correlation with both microparticl...