Serial changes in plasma levels of cytokines in patients with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
Inflammation is known to be a major determinant of the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). In the present study we have evaluated the plasma levels of cytokines-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), interleukin- 1 alpha (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN), and interleukin-10 (IL-10)- to examine the association between these cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with CAD.


METHODS
Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS; n = 20) were compared with patients with stable angina (SA; n= 20) and with control volunteers (C; n= 20). Blood samples were collected at the time of admission from all patients and 15 and 30 days thereafter.


RESULTS
CRP levels (20.8+/-8.8 mg/L) (mean+/-SEM) were higher at baseline in ACS than SA patients (4.1+/-0.8mg/L) or the control subjects (5.1+/-1.8mg/L) (p<0.05). At admission, IL-6 was detected in 50% of the ACS patients and 5% of the SA patients or control subjects, while TNF was detected in 35% of the ACS and SA patients but only in 5% of control subjects. Subsequently, IL-6 levels declined and were no longer detectable, while TNF levels increased among ACS patients at all time periods tested when compared with other patients. The presence of IL-1 and IL-10 were not detectable in the blood samples examined, and IFN could only be detected in the ACS group. A significant correlation was observed between IL-6 and CRP levels (r=0.4; p<0.01) in all groups. There were no correlations among any of the other cytokines and CRP levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates raised levels of TNF, IL-6, IFN, and CRP in patients with ACS and a positive correlation between IL-6 and CRP but not with the other cytokines.
Heinisch
Roberto H
RH
Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil. heinisch@cardiol.br
Zanetti
Carlos R
CR
Comin
Fabiano
F
Fernandes
Juliano L
JL
Ramires
José A
JA
Serrano
Carlos V
CV
D000208:Acute Disease; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013577:Syndrome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D016207:Cytokines; C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002097:C-Reactive Protein