Flow cytometry-based method for predicting post-surgical cardiovascular events.

Cardiovascular events that occur after non-cardiac vascular surgery are significantly associated with post-surgical mortality. In fact, the mortality rate of patients who experience heart attacks following non-cardiac vascular surgery is 65%. Additionally, one in five patients suffer a cardiovascular event within one year of surgery. Stratification of patient population by risk factors is crucial to inform management of pre-, peri-, and post-surgical care for better outcome. Various intervention clinical trials aimed at improving surgical outcomes have produced conflicting results. A more precise and systematic approach is necessary.

The inventors developed a flow cytometry-based method of analyzing extracellular vesicles (EVs) in patient samples collected prior to surgery to predict post-surgical cardiovascular event risk.

The inventors demonstrated that surface markers on EVs collected prior to surgery (including CD31, CD105, and CD64) may predict risk of cardiovascular events following a non-cardiac surgical procedure (full panel includes: CD47, CD3, CD31, CD105, CD64, CD41a, and CD144). Analysis of EVs was done by 1) collecting pre-surgical patient blood samples, 2) isolating EVs, 3) labeling EV isolate, and 4) analyzing via high-sensitivity flow cytometry. The presence of EVs expressing CD31+, CD105+, and CD64+ was significantly correlated with cardiovascular events.

• Cost effective
• Rapid analysis
• Can achieve higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting cardiovascular events than any existing methodology.