title: Increased proinflammatory cytokines in patients with chronic stable angina and their reduction by aspirin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proinflammatory cytokines released by injured endothelium facilitate interaction of endothelial cells with circulating leukocytes and thus may contribute to development and progression of atherosclerosis. We investigated whether cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) are indicative of myocardial ischemia or of diseased vessels and whether they are influenced by aspirin treatment in patients with chronic stable angina.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma macrophage colony stimulating factor (MCSF), IL-1b, IL-6, and CRP were measured in 60 stable patients after 48-hour Holter monitoring and in 24 matched controls. All patients had angiographic documentation of disease and positive exercise ECGs. Patients with ischemia on Holter monitoring (n=40) received aspirin or placebo in a 6-week, randomized, double blind, crossover trial. Blood sampling was repeated at the end of each treatment phase (3 weeks). Compared to controls, patients had more than twice median MCSF (800 versus 372 pg/mL), IL-6 (3.9 versus 1.7 pg/mL), and CRP (1.25 versus 0.23 mg/L) levels (P<0.01 for all comparisons). MCSF was related to ischemia on Holter monitoring (P<0.01), to low ischemic threshold during exercise (P<0.01), and together with IL-1b to number of diseased vessels (P<0.05). MCSF, IL-6, and CRP were all reduced after 6 weeks of aspirin treatment (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that cytokines are associated with both ischemia and anatomic extent of disease in patients with stable angina. Reduced cytokine and CRP levels by aspirin may explain part of aspirin's therapeutic action.
authors.affiliation: Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Cardiology Department, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ikonomidis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andreotti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Economou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toutouzas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nihoyannopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D001241:Aspirin