Elevated plasma osteoprotegerin levels are associated with venous thrombosis and bleeding in patients with polycythemia vera

Mathias Kees; Franz Wiesbauer; Bettina Gisslinger; Renate Wagner; Medhat Shehata; Heinz Gisslinger

doi:10.1160/TH04-06-0394

Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Table of Contents

Thromb Haemost 2005; 93(01): 70-75
DOI: 10.1160/TH04-06-0394

Blood Coagulation, Fibrinolysis and Cellular Haemostasis

Schattauer GmbH

Elevated plasma osteoprotegerin levels are associated with venous thrombosis and bleeding in patients with polycythemia vera

Authors

Mathias Kees

¹Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Blood Coagulation, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Franz Wiesbauer

²Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Cardiology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Bettina Gisslinger

¹Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Blood Coagulation, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Renate Wagner

¹Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Blood Coagulation, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Medhat Shehata

¹Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Blood Coagulation, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Heinz Gisslinger

¹Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Blood Coagulation, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Summary

Patients with polycythemia vera (PV) have an increased risk for the development of thrombohemorrhagic complications. The pathogenesis of these complications is still unclear.An important role in vascular disease has recently been attributed to osteoprotegerin (OPG). It has been shown that various tissues of the cardiovascular system produce OPG, and there is growing evidence of an association between elevated serum OPG levels and cardiovascular morbidity.We evaluated if OPG was associated with an increased risk of venous thrombosis or bleeding complications in a cohort of 114 PV patients.The analysis consisted of a retrospective and a prospective part. In the retrospective univariate analysis,a one unit change in OPG caused the odds of venous thrombosis to increase by 40% (p=0.005) and the odds of bleeding to increase by 52% (p=0.001). Multivariate analysis only slightly attenuated the association to 33% (p=0.03) and 37% (p=0.013) for venous thrombosis and bleeding, respectively. OPG was also related to the development of the combined outcome of venous thrombosis and bleeding in the prospective analysis (log-rank-test: p=0.017).This is the first report that links the occurrence of venous thrombosis or bleeding to elevated OPG levels.

Keywords

Osteoprotegerin - polycythemia vera - thrombosis - bleeding - vascular complications

Full Text

References

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