title: Increased serum concentrations of interleukin-1 beta in patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess serum interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) concentrations in patients with ischaemic heart disease, to characterise subgroups of patients with raised IL-1 beta concentrations, and to examine whether serum IL-1 beta concentrations correlate with non-specific indices of inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey study of patients with ischaemic heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiac catheterisation laboratory of a tertiary medical centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with angina pectoris and patients recovering from uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction and undergoing elective coronary angiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean(SD) serum IL-1 beta concentrations were higher (P < 0.001) in patients with angina and < 50% coronary artery stenosis (n = 11; 18.8(19.9) pg/ml), patients with angina > or = 50% stenosis (n = 23; 10.2(11.4) pg/ml), and patients 8(0.8) days post-infarction (n = 13; 4.4(5.8) pg/ml) than in 15 healthy, age-matched controls (0.3(0.5) pg/ml). Serum IL-1 beta concentrations did not correlate with total blood leucocyte counts (r = -0.07, P = NS), blood lymphocyte counts (r = -0.24, P = NS), and blood monocyte counts (r = -0.29, P = NS), or with fibrinogen (r = -0.16, P = NS) and C-reactive protein concentrations (9(10.5) mg/dl v 14.1(19) mg/dl for patients with undetectable and detectable concentrations, respectively, P = NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum IL-1 beta concentrations are raised in patients with ischaemic heart disease, in particular in those with minimal coronary artery disease and angina. The precise role of IL-1 beta in coronary artery disease remains to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tel-Aviv University, Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hasdai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheinowitz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leibovitz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sclarovsky
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eldar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1