title: Prognostic value of the high-mobility group box-1 in young patients with chest pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerosis is accepted as an inflammatory disease. Evidence suggests that inflammation evoked by injury plays a pathogenic role in all stages of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate whether the high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) a proinflammatory cytokine/nuclear protein, which is derived from both injured endothelium and activated macrophages/monocytes, could contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was designed as case-control. A total of 135 patients who referred to the hospital due to angina pectoris had the diagnosis of unstable angina and were candidates of angiography were recruited in this study. Forty patients who had coronary artery disease confirmed by angiography were considered as case group and control group consists of 40 persons who had no plaque, and 55 persons were excluded according to the exclusion criteria. At first, a questionnaire was filled for each patient including demographic factors and their medical history. Then a blood sample was taken to assess the level of HMGB1. Data were analyzed using SPSS, Student's independent t-test, and chi-square tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean plasma level of HMGB1 in the case group was 27.1 ± 2.9 ng/ml, while it was 19.6 ± 1.9 ng/ml in control groups (P = 0.03). The odds ratio for coronary artery plaque associated with high (> 15.03 ng/ml) levels of HMGB1 was 2.50 (95% confidence interval, 1.02-6.17, P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased plasma HMGB1 concentration may be associated with an increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shaghayegh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haghjooy-Javanmard
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Safavi
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gheraati
authors.affiliation: Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dana
keywords: Biomarkers; Coronary Artery Diseases; High-Mobility Group Box-1; Inflammation