title: The level of serum bilirubin associated with coronary lesion types in patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum bilirubin has been proven to be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, how serum bilirubin is related to the complexity of coronary artery lesions is still unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand two hundred and sixty patients (men 775, 61.5%, mean age, 59.3  ±  8.2 years) diagnosed with unstable angina were enrolled in the study. Patients were categorized into three major groups and group III was further divided into four subgroups according to the guidelines of AHA/ACC 1993 described in the Methods section. The total serum bilirubin levels showed significant differences among the three major groups (group I vs. group II, 14.8 ± 5.8 vs. 13.7 ± 4.7 μmol/l, P=0.017; group I vs. group III, 14.8 ± 5.8 vs. 12.6 ±  4.4 μmol/l, P<0.001; group II vs. group III, 13.7 ± 4.7 vs. 12.6 ± 4.4 μmol/l, P=0.009). The difference was further seen among the subgroups. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, male sex, histories of hypertension and diabetes, and total serum bilirubin were independent risk factors for CAD. However, in the subgroups, only age, male sex, history of hypertension and total serum bilirubin were associated with CAD. Total serum bilirubin showed the strongest relationship (odds ratio=0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.91-0.98, P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total serum bilirubin level is an independent risk factor for CAD. It has a strong relationship with coronary artery lesion types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Shipeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Changlu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Guoqian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yanjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Xueqi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001663:Bilirubin