ACE and endothelial dysfunction: Assessed by multiple linear regression analysis, ACE activity was independently linked to parameters of endothelial dysfunction (i.e., VWF antigen; aB: 0.10; p = 0.001), coagulation (i.e., prothrombin fragment F1,2; aB: −0.03; p = 0.023), and of fibrinolysis (i.e., antiplasmin activity; aB: −0.58; p = 0.006), but not with parameters of inflammation (i.e., CRP and IL-6) (Table 3).