Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 and venous bypass graft occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
The primary results after coronary artery bypass grafting are good, but early clinical events as a result of graft occlusion are still a problem. Early occlusions are thought to be due to thrombosis or fibrointimal hyperplasia superimposed by thrombosis, but the etiology of these phenomena is not fully understood. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 has been suggested to have a role in graft occlusion ex vivo.


METHODS
We investigated whether the level of serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 reflects its proposed role in occlusion of vein grafts. The study population consisted of 30 men with a history of myocardial infarction and 31 men without myocardial infarction who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting. All the men were asymptomatic.


RESULTS
Among the patients with no previous myocardial infarction, serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 level was significantly higher in those with graft occlusion than in those without occlusion (54.0+/-11.0 microg/L and 41.7+/-10.4 microg/L, respectively, p = 0.006), and it correlated positively with the number of occluded grafts (R = 0.55, p = 0.001). In the patients with myocardial infarction, this effect was not detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 reflected the occurrence of vein graft occlusion in subjects with no previous history of myocardial infarction.
Kalela
A
A
Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Tampere Medical School, FIN-33014 Tampere, Finland.
Limnell
V
V
Aittoniemi
J
J
Virtanen
V
V
Jaakkola
O
O
Lehtimäki
T
T
Nikkari
S T
ST
D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery
D001323:Autoantibodies; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9