title: Efficacy of different doses of aspirin in decreasing blood levels of inflammatory markers in patients with cardiovascular metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation and platelet aggregation and activation are key processes in the initiation of a cardiovascular event. Patients with metabolic syndrome have a high risk of cardiovascular events. This study determined whether small and medium doses of aspirin have anti-inflammation and antiplatelet aggregation effects in patients with metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty-one consecutive patients with metabolic syndrome were randomized into three groups, receiving 100 mg/day of aspirin, 300 mg/day of aspirin or a placebo, respectively, for 2 weeks. The blood levels of thromboxane B2 (TXB2), a stable product of the platelet aggregation mediator TXA2, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1-alpha (6-keto-PGF1-alpha), a stable product of the endogenous cyclooxygenase metabolite prostaglandin I2, and inflammatory mediators including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined by ELISA and radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The blood levels of hs-CRP, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and TXB2 were significantly decreased after 2 weeks of treatment with 300 mg/day of aspirin. Patients who received 100 mg/day of aspirin had decreased blood levels of hs-CRP and TXB2. The blood level of IL-6 in the 300 mg/day aspirin group was significantly lower than that in the other two groups after 2 weeks of therapy. Aspirin at either dose did not affect the blood level of 6-keto-PGF1-alpha.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aspirin at all doses suppresses the blood levels of inflammatory markers and the platelet aggregation mediator TXA2 in Chinese patients with metabolic syndrome. Since the suppression induced by 300 mg/day of aspirin was greater than that induced by 100 mg/day of aspirin, these data suggest that 300 mg/day of aspirin may be beneficial in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular events in Chinese patients with metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhong-Shan University, Guangzhou, China. xiurengao@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Xiu-Ren
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Chandar M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: Long-Yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xiao-Gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yuan-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Xu-Yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Li-Yuan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhi-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zuo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013929:Thromboxane B2; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D001241:Aspirin