title: Relationship between inflammatory markers and new cardiovascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent primary angioplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The determination of inflammation markers in circulation has enabled an important improvement in the study of cardiovascular diseases. It was tested the hypothesis that non-specific markers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen may provide prognostic information in patients with acute myocardial infarction with persistent ST-segment elevation (STEMI) undergoing primary angioplasty (PCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 197 consecutive patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI was enrolled, evaluating during hospitalization, the peak values of the following markers of inflammation: ESR, CRP and fibrinogen. A telephone follow-up has been made in order to investigate any possible new cardiovascular events after hospital discharge and the procedure performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher values of CRP were statistically associated with adverse future events as composite endpoint and with the single endpoint of death. Furthermore, higher age, presence of hypertension, history of previous cardiovascular events, were statistically significantly associated with cardiac events at follow up. In this group were also overrepresented subjects with anterior myocardial infarction in the anterior localization and with an EF ? 35% at discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRP appears to be a predictor of future cardiovascular events, confirming that a pro-inflammatory state promotes the progression of atherosclerotic disease and its complications.
authors.affiliation: Policlinico Universitario, Palermo, Italy. lajello@libero.it
authors.forename: Eluisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: La Franca
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sansone
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iacona
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ajello
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castellano
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Novo
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Assennato
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein