Emerging cardiovascular risk factors/markers such as proinflammatory cytokines , C-reactive protein , and adipokines are also increased in GHD patients .
Increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality have also been reported in GHD .
GH treatment has been shown to improve both traditional and emerging cardiovascular risk factors and markers .
The GHD population may be considered at high cardiovascular risk , and GH substitution may be expected to bring an added value to patients with hypopituitarism in terms of cardiovascular protection .
CONTEXT GH deficiency ( GHD ) of the adult is a clinical condition characterized by the presence of several traditional and emerging cardiovascular risk factors that can significantly increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality .
It is still an open issue whether GH replacement is able not only to improve cardiovascular risk factors but also to decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality .
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS In untreated GHD , cardiovascular risk is increased due to abnormal lipid profile ( increased total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , increased triglycerides , and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ) and impaired glucose metabolism .
Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A levels in patients with acute coronary syndromes: comparison with markers of systemic inflammation, platelet activation, and myocardial necrosis.
OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to determine the predictive value of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A ( PAPP-A ) in patients with acute coronary syndromes ( ACS ) . BACKGROUND Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A is a zinc-binding matrix metalloproteinase abundantly expressed in eroded and ruptured plaques and may serve as a marker of plaque destabilization . METHODS In 547 patients with angiographically vali date d ACS and in a heterogeneous emergency room population of 644 patients with acute chest pain , respectively , PAPP-A as well as markers of myocardial necrosis ( troponin T [ TnT ] ) , ischemia ( vascular endothelial growth factor [ VEGF ] ) , inflammation ( high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [ hsCRP ] ) , anti-inflammatory activity ( interleukin [IL]-10 ) , and platelet activation ( soluble CD40 lig and [ sCD40L ] ) were determined . Patients were followed for the occurrence of death or myocardial infa rct ion . RESULTS In patients with ACS , elevated PAPP-A levels ( > 12.6 mIU/l ) indicated an increased risk ( odds ratio 2.44 [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 1.43 to 4.15 ] ; p = 0.001 ) . When the analysis was restricted to TnT-negative patients , PAPP-A still identified a subgroup of high-risk patients ( odds ratio [ OR ] 2.72 [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 1.25 to 5.89 ] ; p = 0.009 ) . In a multivariable model , PAPP-A ( OR 2.01 ; p = 0.015 ) , sCD40L ( OR 2.37 ; p = 0.003 ) , IL-10 ( OR 0.43 ; p = 0.003 ) , and VEGF ( OR 2.19 ; p = 0.018 ) were independent predictors . Prospect i ve validation in patients with chest pain confirmed that  PAPP-A levels reliably identify high-risk patients ( adjusted OR 2.32 [ 95 % CI 1.32 to 4.26 ] ; p = 0.008 ) . Patients negative for all three markers ( TnT , sCD40L , and PAPP-A ) were at very low cardiac risk ( 30 days : 3.0 % event rate ; no death ) . CONCLUSIONS The PAPP-A level as a marker of plaque instability is a strong independent predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with ACS . Simultaneous determination of biomarkers with distinct pathophysiological profiles appears to remarkably improve risk stratification in patients with ACS
Emerging cardiovascular risk factors/markers such as proinflammatory cytokines , C-reactive protein , and adipokines are also increased in GHD patients .
Increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality have also been reported in GHD .
GH treatment has been shown to improve both traditional and emerging cardiovascular risk factors and markers .
The GHD population may be considered at high cardiovascular risk , and GH substitution may be expected to bring an added value to patients with hypopituitarism in terms of cardiovascular protection .
CONTEXT GH deficiency ( GHD ) of the adult is a clinical condition characterized by the presence of several traditional and emerging cardiovascular risk factors that can significantly increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality .
It is still an open issue whether GH replacement is able not only to improve cardiovascular risk factors but also to decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality .
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS In untreated GHD , cardiovascular risk is increased due to abnormal lipid profile ( increased total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , increased triglycerides , and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ) and impaired glucose metabolism .