title: Relationship Between Plasma Levels of Soluble CD40 Ligand and the Presence and Severity of Isolated Coronary Artery Ectasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate whether soluble CD40 ligand (CD40L) levels are higher in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia (CAE) compared to patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries and those with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 55 patients with isolated CAE without stenosis, 55 with stable CAD, and 55 control participants with angiographically normal coronary arteries were included. The CAE severity was determined according to the Markis classification. Plasma levels of soluble CD40 ligand were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline characteristics of the 3 groups were similar. Plasma levels of soluble CD40 ligand were significantly higher in patients with CAE and CAD than in controls (2.6 ± 3.1 ng/mL and 2.0 ± 3.1 ng/mL vs 1.8 ± 2.1 ng/mL, P = .004). No difference was found between the CAE and CAD groups. Soluble CD40 ligand level was significantly higher in the type 1 Markis subgroup than that in the type 3 or type 4 subgroups ( P = .01). A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that soluble CD40 ligand level >1.2 ng/mL identified patients with isolated CAE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significantly higher levels of soluble CD40 ligand were detected in patients with CAE than that in control participants with normal coronary arteries, suggesting that soluble CD40 ligand may be involved in the pathogenesis of CAE. The CD40-CD40 ligand system likely plays a role in the pathogenesis of CAE.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, Cankiri State Hospital, Cankiri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozde
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Cardiology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Cardiology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kundi
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bakırkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ersan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oflar
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bakırkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ungan
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bakırkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Vusal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Xankisi
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Istanbul Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nilhan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nurlu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D023201:CD40 Ligand
keywords: inflammation; isolated coronary artery ectasia; soluble CD40 ligand