title: Are low total serum antioxidant status and elevated levels of C-reactive protein and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 associated with cardiac syndrome X?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac syndrome X, also known as microvascular angina, is characterized by exercise-induced chest pain occurring despite a normal coronary angiogram. Several causes and mechanisms have been proposed to explain both the chest pain and ST segment depression. In this study, the association, if any, between cardiac syndrome X and several factors, including blood total antioxidant status, C-reactive protein (CRP), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels, was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group comprised 36 patients who had been diagnosed as cardiac syndrome X on the basis of a positive treadmill test and a normal coronary angiogram, and 24 control patients. Total serum antioxidant status and CRP were assessed, and the levels of P-selectin, MCP-1, and interleukins 6 and 10 were also measured. Total serum antioxidant levels were determined to be significantly lower in the cardiac syndrome X patients than in the controls. CRP and serum MCP-1 levels, however, were found to be significantly higher in the cardiac syndrome X group. The total serum antioxidant levels and serum MCP-1 levels were comparable with the levels observed in a group of chronic stable angina patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, patients who had been diagnosed as cardiac syndrome X demonstrated increased systemic oxidative and enhanced inflammatory status.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Cardiac and Vascular Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ykon@skku.edu
authors.forename: Young Keun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: On
authors.forename: Rojin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Min Su
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hyon
authors.forename: Sung Koo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D002097:C-Reactive Protein