Procoagulant Membrane Microparticles Correlate with the Severity of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Rationale: Procoagulant microparticles constitute valuable hallmarks of cell damage. Microparticles also behave as cellular effectors.Objectives: We hypothesized that the extent of the vascular cell damage measured by circulating microparticles could be related to the severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).Methods: Circulating biomarkers of vascular damage and cell activation were measured in blood samples from 20 patients with PAH. Samples were withdrawn from occluded pulmonary artery and jugular vein. Peripheral venous blood samples were obtained in 23 control subjects. The microparticle procoagulant abilities were quantified by functional prothrombinase and tissue factor assays and their cellular origin was determined.Measurements and Main Results: Soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 and proinflammatory markers, such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and highly specific C-reactive protein, were elevated in patients with PAH compared with control subjects. Microparticles bearing...