title: Correlation between myocardial enzyme serum levels and markers of inflammation with severity of coronary artery disease and Gensini score: a hospital-based, prospective study in Greek patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our objective was to associate serum levels of myocardial enzymes and inflammatory biomarkers with severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  123 patients participated in our study, including 65 cases of acute myocardial infarction (MI), 27 cases of newly diagnosed CAD--without MI--and 31 controls. In all subjects, myocardial serum enzyme levels (creatine phosphokinase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase) and inflammatory indices (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, white blood cells, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) were measured. Patients were all submitted to coronary angiography and CAD severity was evaluated by Gensini score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences concerning enzyme serum levels and inflammatory indices were found to exist between the three study groups, being highest among patients with acute MI (p < 0.001). A significant association was demonstrated between Gensini score and serum enzyme levels as well as inflammatory biomarkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that serum levels of myocardial enzymes and inflammatory indices correlate with CAD severity in Greek patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. vpeppes@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Peppes
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rammos
authors.forename: Efstathios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manios
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koroboki
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rokas
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zakopoulos
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators