Are low total serum antioxidant status and elevated levels of C-reactive protein and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 associated with cardiac syndrome X?
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.
On
Young Keun
YK
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
Park
Rojin
R
Hyon
Min Su
MS
Kim
Sung Koo
SK
Kwon
Young Joo
YJ
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
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D002097:C-Reactive Protein