ABSTRACT
The objective of the present study was to investigate the presence of endothelial dysfunction in obesity by measuring the plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 [PAI-1] antigen, von Willebrand [vWF] and thrombomodulin [TM] in obese subjects. Fifty-five healthy subjects, aged 20-60 years with a range body mass index [BMI] of 18.5-63 kg/m2, were evaluated for waist hip ratio [WHR], plasma lipids, PAI-I antigen, vWF and TM. The subjects were divided into two groups according to BM: Group 1 [lean and overweight], 20 subjects with BMI of <30 kg/m2 and group II [obese], 35 subjects with BMI of <30 kg/m2. It was concluded that obesity is associated with an endothelial dysfunction leading to an increase in the plasma concentrations of PAI-1 antigen, vWF and TM, thus providing an additional explanation for the higher cardiovascular risk in individuals with obesity