Modified serum profiles of inflammatory and vasoconstrictive factors in patients with emotional stress-induced acute coronary syndrome during World Cup Soccer 2006.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to assess whether emotional stress-induced acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is mediated by increased inflammatory and vasoconstrictive mediators.


BACKGROUND
The World Cup soccer 2006 has been shown to provoke levels of stress sufficient to increase the incidence of ACS. However, the mechanisms by which stress translates into vascular injury up to plaque rupture still remain elusive.


METHODS
Serum levels of soluble CD40L (sCD40L), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM)-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and endothelin (ET)-1 were determined in patients who experienced an ACS during World Cup matches, in ACS reference patients (not associated with emotional stress), and in healthy volunteers. Correlations and receiver-operating characteristic curves were calculated to develop multivariable analysis and to investigate the diagnostic value of each parameter.


RESULTS
The sCD40L, sVCAM-1, MCP-1, TNF-alpha, and ET-1 were significantly higher in study patients compared with the reference group. The hsCRP was similar in both groups, whereas RANTES was decreased in study patients. A positive correlation was found between ET-1 and soccer-induced enhanced levels of sCD40L, sVCAM-1, MCP-1, and TNF-alpha. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis displayed high performance of both MCP-1 and ET-1 as a measure to discriminate between stress-induced ACS and ACS controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Stress-induced ACS is associated with a profound increase of inflammatory and vasoconstrictive mediators. The evaluation of a targeted drug delivery, such as anti-inflammatory agents, ET-1 receptor antagonists, or inhibition of endothelin-converting enzyme is warranted to reduce stress-mediated cardiovascular morbidity.
Wilbert-Lampen
Ute
U
Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany. ute.wilbert-lampen@med.uni-muenchen.de <ute.wilbert-lampen@med.uni-muenchen.de>
Nickel
Thomas
T
Leistner
David
D
Güthlin
Denise
D
Matis
Tomas
T
Völker
Christoph
C
Sper
Sebastian
S
Küchenhoff
Helmut
H
Kääb
Stefan
S
Steinbeck
Gerhard
G
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology*; D000846:Anniversaries and Special Events; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012916:Soccer; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
C111835:CCL2 protein, human; C483024:CCL5 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D019332:Endothelin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002097:C-Reactive Protein