Inflammatory markers in men with angiographically documented coronary heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Recent evidence suggests that atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process. In this study, we examined several markers of inflammation in men with coronary heart disease (CHD) and appropriate controls.


METHODS
The concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule (sICAM-1) were examined in 100 men with angiographically documented CHD and 100 age-, gender-, and smoking-matched controls with no history of CHD. We assessed the association of these markers with severity of disease as indicated by >50% obstruction in one vessel (n = 30), two vessels (n = 39), or three vessels (n = 31).


RESULTS
Significant increases were noted in serum CRP (median for cases vs controls, 3.4 vs 1.5 mg/L; P <0.0001), SAA (5.9 vs 3.7 mg/L; P <0.005), and IL-6 (2.3 vs 1.7 ng/L; P <0. 013) in patients with CHD compared with controls. These differences remained significant after correction for age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and lipid and homocysteine concentrations. Plasma sICAM-1 was not significantly different between the two groups (335 vs 339 microg/L). No significant correlation was seen between these markers and the severity of coronary disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Concentrations of CRP, SAA, and IL-6 were increased in patients with CHD but failed to correlate with severity of coronary disease. These markers might reflect the diffuse atherosclerotic process in the vascular system rather than the degree of localized obstruction from coronary lesions.
Rifai
N
N
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. rifai@a1.tch.harvard.edu
Joubran
R
R
Yu
H
H
Asmi
M
M
Jouma
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein