Predictive value of coronary artery stenoses and C-reactive protein levels in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Management of Residual Risk in Chronic Coronary Syndromes. Clinical Pathways for a Quality-Based Secondary Prevention

Chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), which encompasses a broad spectrum of clinical presentations of coronary artery disease (CAD), is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent guidelines for the management of CCS emphasize the dynamic nature of the CAD process, replacing the term "stable" with "chronic", as this disease is never truly "stable". Despite significant advances in the treatment of CAD, patients with CCS remain at an elevated risk of major cardiovascular events (MACE) due to the so-called residual cardiovascular risk. Several pathogenetic pathways (thrombotic, inflammatory, metabolic, and procedural) may distinctly contribute to the residual risk in individual patients and represent a potential target for newer preventive treatments. Identifying the level and type of residual cardiovascular risk is essential for selecting the most appropriate diagnostic tests and follow-up procedures. In addition, new management strategies and healthcare models could further support available treatments and lead to important prognostic benefits. This review aims to provide an overview of the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the management of patients with CCS and to promote more effective multidisciplinary care.

Systemic Inflammation is Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes

Purpose

Assessing an individual's systemic inflammatory state is vital to understand inflammation's role in cardiometabolic diseases and identify those at the greatest risk of disease. We generated global inflammation scores and investigated their associations with cardiometabolic risk factors and adverse outcomes.

Patients and Methods

Aggregate Inflammation Scores (AIS) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) scores were generated for 7287 Framingham Heart Study participants using up to 26 inflammation-related proteins, with higher scores reflecting a pro-inflammatory milieu. Multivariable regression and proportional hazards analyses were conducted to investigate the associations of inflammation with cardiometabolic risk factors and outcomes. The primary outcomes for cross-sectional analyses included age, cigarette smoking, fasting lipid and glucose levels, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. For prospective analyses, new-onset hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality were investigated.

Results

Higher inflammation scores were associated with smoking and older age, higher BMI, systolic blood pressure, lipids, and glucose levels, and with greater odds of hypertension and diabetes after adjusting for age, sex, cohort, and BMI (all p < 0.001). Higher baseline scores were associated with greater odds of new-onset hypertension after adjusting for traditional risk factors (OR [95% CI] per one standard deviation [1-SD] increase, AIS: 1.33 [1.21-1.47], PCA score: 1.26 [1.12-1.42], p < 0.001). The AIS also was associated with new-onset diabetes (1.32 [1.14-1.52], p < 0.001). Proportional hazards analyses revealed greater risk of new-onset cardiovascular disease events and all-cause mortality (HR [95% CI] per 1-SD, AIS: 1.25 [1.14-1.37] and 1.32 [1.23-1.42], PCA score: 1.22 [1.13-1.33] and 1.40 [1.31-1.49], p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Global inflammation scores encompassing an array of pro- and anti-inflammatory proteins and pathways may enhance risk assessment for cardiometabolic diseases. The AIS and PCA scores provide further opportunities to investigate the mechanisms of inflammation-related risk of disease.

Effect of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein on the relationship between haemoglobin A1c and cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

There are different opinions on haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in predicting cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Some factors may affect the ability of HbA1c to predict cardiovascular events, resulting in this inconsistency. Inflammation is a direct and whole-process participant in atherosclerosis. However, no one has studied the effect of inflammation on the correlation between HbA1c and cardiovascular events. Therefore, we aimed to test the hypothesis that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) modulates HbA1c-related cardiovascular events in patients with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing PCI.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study. We enrolled patients with ACS who were hospitalized for PCI and followed up for 24 months. The primary outcome was the composite of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), including all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and unplanned repeat revascularization. We stratified the overall population by HbA1c tertiles and hsCRP median. The relationship between HbA1c, hsCRP, and cardiovascular events was analysed by the Cox proportional hazard regression model.

RESULTS

A total of 2,023 patients were enrolled in this study (age: 59.7±10.03 years old, 78.1% male patients). After the 24-month follow-up, 152 (7.51%) events occurred. Patients with hsCRP >1.21 mg/L had an increased cardiovascular risk compared with patients with hsCRP ≤1.21 mg/L [hazard ratio (HR) 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-2.24, P=0.010]. We did not observe a significant correlation between HbA1c and cardiovascular events. Furthermore, we stratified patients by hsCRP ≤1.21 or >1.21 mg/L and found that the correlation between HbA1c and cardiovascular events was only significant in patients with hsCRP ≤1.21 mg/L (tertile 2 vs. tertile 1: HR 1.76, 95% CI: 0.79-3.90, P=0.165, tertile 3 vs. tertile 1: HR 3.03, 95% CI: 1.50-6.12, P=0.002; P=0.008 for trend) but not in patients with hsCRP >1.21 mg/L.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that hsCRP may affect the relationship between HbA1c and the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with ACS after PCI. This finding suggests that the risk of cardiovascular events may be underestimated when only HbA1c is used as a predictor of cardiovascular risk. HbA1c has a better predictive value in the absence or low levels of inflammation states represented by hsCRP as a predictor of cardiovascular events.

Predictive value of baseline C-reactive protein level in patients with stable coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Conflicting results have been reported on the association of C-reactive protein (CRP) level with adverse outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the predictive value of baseline CRP level in stable CAD patients.

METHODS

Two reviewers independently searched PubMed and Embase databases from their inception to November 28, 2021 to identify studies assessing the value of baseline CRP level in predicting adverse outcomes in stable CAD patients. The endpoints of interest included cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, or major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). The predictive value of CRP level was estimated by pooling the multivariable adjusted risk ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CI) compared the highest to the lowest CRP level.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies involving of 22,602 patients with stable CAD satisfied the inclusion criteria. In a comparison of the highest with the lowest CRP level, the pooled multivariable adjusted risk ratio was 1.77 (95% CI 1.60-1.96) for MACEs, 1.64 (95% CI 1.13-2.33) for cardiovascular mortality, and 1.62 (95% CI 2.62-5.12) for all-cause mortality, respectively. Subgroup analyses indicated that the values of elevated CRP level in predicting MACEs were consistently observed in each subgroup.

CONCLUSION

Elevated baseline CRP level was an independent predictor of MACEs, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality in patients with stable CAD. Baseline CRP level can provide important predictive information in stable CAD patients.

The Role of C-reactive Protein in Patient Risk Stratification and Treatment

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Several circulating inflammatory markers have been proposed for clinical use due to their ability to predict future cardiovascular events and may be useful for identifying people at high risk who might benefit from specific treatment to reduce this risk. Moreover, the identification of new therapeutic targets will allow the development of drugs that can help reduce the high residual risk of recurrence of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease. The clinical benefits of reducing recurrent major cardiovascular events recently shown by canakinumab and colchicine have renewed the cardiology community’s interest in inflammation as an aetiopathogenic mechanism for atherosclerosis. This review explores the use of C-reactive protein, which is the most frequently studied biomarker in this context; the concept of residual risk in primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention; and the current recommendations in international guidelines regarding the role of this inflammatory biomarker in cardiovascular risk stratification.

Targeting cardiovascular inflammation: next steps in clinical translation

Systemic vascular inflammation plays multiple maladaptive roles which contribute to the progression and destabilization of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). These roles include: (i) driving atheroprogression in the clinically stable phase of disease; (ii) inciting atheroma destabilization and precipitating acute coronary syndromes (ACS); and (iii) responding to cardiomyocyte necrosis in myocardial infarction (MI). Despite an evolving understanding of these biologic processes, successful clinical translation into effective therapies has proven challenging. Realizing the promise of targeting inflammation in the prevention and treatment of ASCVD will likely require more individualized approaches, as the degree of inflammation differs among cardiovascular patients. A large body of evidence has accumulated supporting the use of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) as a clinical measure of inflammation. Appreciating the mechanistic diversity of ACS triggers and the kinetics of hsCRP in MI may resolve purported inconsistencies from prior observational studies. Future clinical trial designs incorporating hsCRP may hold promise to enable individualized approaches. The aim of this Clinical Review is to summarize the current understanding of how inflammation contributes to ASCVD progression, destabilization, and adverse clinical outcomes. We offer forward-looking perspective on what next steps may enable successful clinical translation into effective therapeutic approaches-enabling targeting the right patients with the right therapy at the right time-on the road to more individualized ASCVD care.

Plasma CXCL1 levels and TRAF3IP2 variants in patients with myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

IL-17A plays an important role in inflammatory responses in myocardial infarction (MI). IL-17A signals through its receptor, for which, Act1 (TRAF3IP2) functions as a key upstream adaptor in the pathway.

AIM

To compare frequencies of functional polymorphisms of TRAF3IP2 (rs13210247, rs33980500) between patients with MI and healthy controls.

METHODS

The selected SNPs were studied in 201 Iranian MI patients and 201 healthy blood donors from Fars Province by PCR-RFLP in association with clinicopathologic criteria of patients. CXCL1 plasma levels in 126 MI patients and 50 normal subjects were measured by ELISA.

RESULTS

A significant increase in the mutant (T) allele of TRAF3IP2 rs33980500 in patients with diastolic dysfunction of the heart (P = .01) was observed. The highest correlation, however, was observed between the TRAF3IP2 rs33980500 TT genotype and T allele with left main coronary artery stenosis (P = .01, P < .001; OR = 31.03). T allele of TRAF3IP2 rs33980500 was also associated with female gender, family history of cardiovascular disease, and mechanical complications of heart (P = .04, P = .02, and P = .01, respectively). Moreover, TRAF3IP2 rs13210247 (G) correlated with mechanical complications of the heart (P = .01). A significant increase in the plasma levels of CXCL1 chemokine in patients (P = .0006) associated with TT genotype of TRAF3IP2 (rs33980500) was observed (P = .04).

CONCLUSION

The gene variants of Act1 adaptor are associated with correlates of poor outcome in patients with MI and plasma CXCL1 levels.

The influence of low-grade inflammation on platelets in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Inflammation is likely to be involved in all stages of atherosclerosis. Numerous inflammatory biomarkers are currently being studied, and even subtle increases in inflammatory biomarkers have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Low-grade inflammation may influence both platelet production and platelet activation potentially leading to enhanced platelet aggregation. Thrombopoietin is considered the primary regulator of platelet production, but it likely acts in conjunction with numerous cytokines, of which many have altered levels in CAD. Previous studies have shown that high-sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) independently predicts increased platelet aggregation in stable CAD patients. Increased levels of CRP, fibrinogen, interleukin-6, stromal cell-derived factor-1, CXC motif ligand 16, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, RANTES, calprotectin, and copeptin have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events in CAD patients. Additionally, some of these inflammatory markers have been associated with enhanced platelet activation and aggregation. However, CRP and other inflammatory markers provide only limited additional predictive value to classical risk factors such as smoking, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Existing data do not clarify whether inflammation simply accompanies CAD and increased production and aggregation of platelets, or whether a causal relationship exists. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of inflammatory markers in stable CAD with particular emphasis on platelet production, activation, and aggregation in CAD patients.

Assessing Risk in Patients with Stable Coronary Disease: When Should We Intensify Care and Follow-Up? Results from a Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies of the COURAGE and FAME Era

Background. A large number of clinical and laboratory markers have been appraised to predict prognosis in patients with stable angina, but uncertainty remains regarding which variables are the best predictors of prognosis. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of studies in patients with stable angina to assess which variables predict prognosis. Methods. MEDLINE and PubMed were searched for eligible studies published up to 2015, reporting multivariate predictors of major adverse cardiac events (MACE, a composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, and revascularization) in patients with stable angina. Study features, patient characteristics, and prevalence and predictors of such events were abstracted and pooled with random-effect methods (95% CIs). Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) was the primary endpoint. Results. 42 studies (104,559 patients) were included. After a median follow-up of 57 months, cardiovascular events occurred in 7.8% of patients with MI in 6.2% of patients and need for repeat revascularization (both surgical and percutaneous) in 19.5% of patients. Male sex, reduced EF, diabetes, prior MI, and high C-reactive protein were the most powerful predictors of cardiovascular events. Conclusions. We show that simple and low-cost clinical features may help clinicians in identifying the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches within the broad range of outpatients presenting with stable coronary artery disease.

The ethnicity-specific association of biomarkers with the angiographic severity of coronary artery disease

Background

Risk factor burden and clinical characteristics of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) differ among ethnic groups. We related biomarkers to CAD severity in Caucasians, Chinese, Indians and Malays.

Methods

In the Dutch-Singaporean UNICORN coronary angiography cohort (n = 2033) we compared levels of five cardiovascular biomarkers: N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), cystatin C (CysC), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI). We assessed ethnicity-specific associations of biomarkers with CAD severity, quantified by the SYNTAX score.

Results

Adjusted for baseline differences, NTproBNP levels were significantly higher in Malays than in Chinese and Caucasians (72.1 vs. 34.4 and 41.1 pmol/l, p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). MPO levels were higher in Caucasians than in Indians (32.8 vs. 27.2 ng/ml, p = 0.026), hsTnI levels were higher in Malays than in Caucasians and Indians (33.3 vs. 16.4 and 17.8 ng/l, p < 0.001 and p = 0.029) and hsTnI levels were higher in Chinese than in Caucasians (23.3 vs. 16.4, p = 0.031). We found modifying effects of ethnicity on the association of biomarkers with SYNTAX score. NTproBNP associated more strongly with the SYNTAX score in Malays than Caucasians (β 0.132 vs. β 0.020 per 100 pmol/l increase in NTproBNP, p = 0.032). For MPO levels the association was stronger in Malays than Caucasians (β 1.146 vs. β 0.016 per 10 ng/ml increase, p = 0.017). Differing biomarker cut-off levels were found for the ethnic groups.

Conclusion

When corrected for possible confounders we observe ethnicity-specific differences in biomarker levels. Moreover, biomarkers associated differently with CAD severity, suggesting that ethnicity-specific cut-off values should be considered.

The Role of HMGB1 in Cardiovascular Biology: Danger Signals

SIGNIFICANCE

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Accumulating evidence shows that dysregulated immune response contributes to several types of CVDs such as atherosclerosis and pulmonary hypertension (PH). Vascular intimal impairment and low-density lipoprotein oxidation trigger a complex network of innate immune responses and sterile inflammation.

RECENT ADVANCES

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a nuclear DNA-binding protein, was recently discovered to function as a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule (DAMP) that initiates the innate immune responses. These findings lead to the understanding that HMGB1 plays a critical role in the inflammatory response in the pathogenesis of CVD.

CRITICAL ISSUES

In this review, we highlight the role of extracellular HMGB1 as a proinflammatory mediator as well as a DAMP in coronary artery disease, cerebral artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and PH.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

A key focus for future researches on HMGB1 location, structure, modification, and signaling will reveal HMGB1's multiple functions and discover a targeted therapy that can eliminate HMGB1-mediated inflammation without interfering with adaptive immune responses.

Long-term prognostic utility of pentraxin 3 and D-dimer as compared to high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and B-type natriuretic peptide in suspected acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND

Vascular inflammation plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is one of several novel, promising markers of inflammation. In addition, D-dimer might serve as a marker of thrombogenesis and a hypercoagulable state following plaque rupture. The present study assesses the prognostic utility of these two biomarkers as compared to high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), in addition to conventional clinical risk factors for coronary heart disease in patients with suspected ACS.

METHODS

Chest pain patients with suspected ACS (n = 871) were consecutively included in a prospective, observational study with a follow-up time of 84 months.

RESULTS

At 7-year follow-up, 332 patients had died and 203 had suffered an adverse troponin T-positive, non-fatal cardiac event. In the multivariate analysis, levels of PTX3 above 5.88 ng/mL (median) and D-dimer above 436 µg/L (lower limit upper quartile) independently predicted mortality (HR 1.60 [95% CI 1.10-2.33]; p = 0.014 and HR 1.83 [95% CI 1.20-2.78]; p = 0.005, respectively). Also, BNP levels above 310.75 pg/mL (lower limit upper quartile) (HR 2.16 [95% CI 1.37-3.42]; p = 0.001), but not hsCRP, independently predicted mortality. Only hsCRP and BNP also predicted future myocardial infarction (HR 1.59 [95% CI 1.05-2.40]; p = 0.029 and HR 1.91 [95% CI 1.10-3.31]; p = 0.021, respectively).

CONCLUSION

High levels of PTX3, D-dimer and BNP were found to be independent, long-term predictors of all-cause mortality in chest pain patients with a suspected ACS. hsCRP and BNP also predicted future myocardial infarction.

Serum biomarkers for the detection of cardiac toxicity after chemotherapy and radiation therapy in breast cancer patients

Multi-modality cancer treatments that include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted agents are highly effective therapies. Their use, especially in combination, is limited by the risk of significant cardiac toxicity. The current paradigm for minimizing cardiac morbidity, based on serial cardiac function monitoring, is suboptimal. An alternative approach based on biomarker testing, has emerged as a promising adjunct and a potential substitute to routine echocardiography. Biomarkers, most prominently cardiac troponins and natriuretic peptides, have been evaluated for their ability to describe the risk of potential cardiac dysfunction in clinically asymptomatic patients. Early rises in cardiac troponin concentrations have consistently predicted the risk and severity of significant cardiac events in patients treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Biomarkers represent a novel, efficient, and robust clinical decision tool for the management of cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity. This article aims to review the clinical evidence that supports the use of established biomarkers such as cardiac troponins and natriuretic peptides, as well as emerging data on proposed biomarkers.

Adipose tissue and vascular inflammation in coronary artery disease

Obesity has become an important public health issue in Western and developing countries, with well known metabolic and cardiovascular complications. In the last decades, evidence have been growing about the active role of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ in determining these pathological consequences. As a consequence of the expansion of fat depots, in obese subjects, adipose tissue cells develope a phenotypic modification, which turns into a change of the secretory output. Adipocytokines produced by both adipocytes and adipose stromal cells are involved in the modulation of glucose and lipid handling, vascular biology and, moreover, participate to the systemic inflammatory response, which characterizes obesity and metabolic syndrome. This might represent an important pathophysiological link with atherosclerotic complications and cardiovascular events. A great number of adipocytokines have been described recently, linking inflammatory mileu and vascular pathology. The understanding of these pathways is crucial not only from a pathophysiological point of view, but also to a better cardiovascular disease risk stratification and to the identification of possible therapeutic targets. The aim of this paper is to review the role of Adipocytokines as a possible link between obesity and vascular disease.

Isoproterenol‑mediated heme oxygenase‑1 induction inhibits high mobility group box 1 protein release and protects against rat myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in vivo

Isoproterenol (ISO) has been reported to inhibit high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein release via heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 cells and increase the survival rate of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced septic mice. Therefore, it was examined whether ISO-mediated HO-1 induction inhibits HMGB1 release in cardiac myocytes and attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Anesthetized male rats were pretreated with ISO [intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 10 mg/kg] prior to ischemia in the absence and/or presence of zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX, i.p., 10 mg/kg), which is an inhibitor of HO-1, and then subjected to ischemia for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h. The myocardial I/R injury and oxidative stress were assessed. In addition, the HO-1 protein and HMGB1 expression were measured by western blot analysis. ISO significantly attenuated the myocardial I/R injury, reduced oxidative stress, and induced HO-1 and reduced HMGB1 release. However, all these effects caused by ISO were significantly reversed in the presence of ZnPPIX. These results suggested that ISO has a pivotal role in the protective effects on myocardial I/R injury. This protection mechanism is possibly due to the inhibition of HMGB1 release via the induction of HO-1.

Relationship of high sensitivity C-reactive protein with presence and severity of coronary artery disease

Objective: Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to assess the relationship of serum inflammatory marker high sensitivity C Reactive protein (hsCRP), with the presence and severity of angiographically evaluated coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: This study was conducted at departments of physiology and cardiology, College of Medicine & King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh from August 2009 to March 2012. Eighty seven patients (57 males and 30 females) with angiographically evaluated CAD were studied. In all these patients CAD severity was assessed by Gensini scoring and vessel scoring. Control group consisted of 29 healthy subjects (17 males and 12 females). Fasting venous blood samples were analyzed for lipid profile and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

Results: There were non-significant differences in age, weight and BMI among healthy subjects and CAD patients. Comparison of lipid profile between control and CAD patients showed that CAD patients had significantly higher TG and significantly lower HDL levels compared to control subjects. CAD patients presented with significantly higherhsCRP levels than controls. Linear regression analysis between hsCRP and CAD severity determined by Gensini scores showed a significant positive correlation (r=0.423, p=0.018). Triple vessel disease patients had significantly higher hsCRP levels than one vessel and two vessel disease, while the difference was non significant between one and two vessel disease groups.

Conclusions: These results suggest that patients with angiographically evaluated CAD have significantly higher levels of hsCRP levels compared to healthy individuals and are correlated with the presence & severity of CAD.

Trans-vessel gradient of myeloperoxidase in coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) may reflect generalized inflammation. We evaluated leucocyte activation in subjects with and without CAD in different vascular compartments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were divided in two groups; subjects without CAD (controls; n = 25) and with stable CAD (n = 52) based on coronary angiography. After blood sampling from vessels, cardiovascular risk factors and leucocyte activation markers CD11b, CD66b and cytoplasmatic myeloperoxidase (MPO) were determined by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) was higher in patients with CAD at all sites compared with controls (188 ± 7 vs. 210 ± 12 au for venous (P < 0.05), 178 ± 7 vs. 212 ± 12 au for femoral artery (P = 0.08), 166 ± 7 vs. 195 ± 12 au for abdominal artery (P < 0.05), 166 ± 6 vs. 189 ± 14 au for left coronary (P = 0.08) and 163 ± 6 vs. 193 ± 12 au for the right coronary artery (P < 0.05)). Other markers did not differ between the groups. A gradient of inflammation from peripheral vessels to the coronaries was found by differences in MPO in both groups; from 210 ± 12 au in the venous compartments towards 189 ± 14 and 193 ± 12 au, in the left and right coronaries, respectively, for the controls (P = 0.001), and from 188 ± 7 au in the venous compartment towards 166 ± 6 and 163 ± 6 au in the left and right coronaries, respectively, for the patients (P = 0.007). Other leucocyte activation markers did not show such a gradient.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a generalized inflammatory neutrophil gradient for MPO from peripheral vessels towards the coronaries in both patients with CAD and controls. However, patients with CAD show a higher degree of inflammation, mostly in the coronaries. These data strengthen the role of activated neutrophils in CAD.

Atorvastatin reduces serum HMGB1 levels in patients with hyperlipidemia

High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) has been identified as a novel pro-inflammatory cytokine in coronary artery disease. This study investigated the effect of atorvastatin on serum HMGB1 levels in patients with hyperlipidemia. In 72 patients with hyperlipidemia, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were compared with the levels in 32 control patients. In hyperlipidemic patients, serum HMGB1 levels were also determined by ELISA before and after a 3-month treatment of atorvastatin (20 mg/day). TC and LDL-C levels in the hyperlipidemic group (6.37±0.94 and 4.99±0.75 mmol/l, respectively) were significantly higher compared to those in the control group (4.34±0.89 and 2.57±0.82 mmol/l, respectively) (both P<0.05). Hs-CRP and HMGB1 levels in the hyperlipidemic group (3.91±1.06 mg/l and 5.42±1.56 ng/ml, respectively) were also significantly higher compared to those in the control group (1.53±0.45 mg/l and 2.11±0.95 ng/ml, respectively) (both P<0.05). After treatment with atorvasatin for three months, TC and LDL-C levels in the hyperlipidemic group were significantly decreased compared to those prior to treatment (TC, 4.67±0.89 vs. 6.37±0.94 mmol/l and LDL-C, 2.75±0.92 vs. 4.99±0.75 mmol/l, respectively) (both P<0.05). HMGB1 and hs-CRP levels in the hyperlipidemic group (3.07±1.24 ng/ml and 1.87±0.79 mg/l, respectively) were also significantly decreased compared to levels prior to treatment (5.42±1.56 ng/ml and 3.91±1.06 mg/l, respectively) (both P<0.05). Serum HMGB1 levels are increased in patients with hyperlipidemia which could be reduced by atorvastatin.

Prognosis by C-reactive protein and matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels in stable coronary heart disease during 15 years of follow-up

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Elevated CRP and matrix metalloproteinase-9 associate with increased risk of cardiovascular events, possibly because these plasma proteins mark vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. We tested the hypothesis that levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 associate with prognosis in patients with stable coronary heart disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We measured baseline plasma CRP and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in 1090 patients with stable coronary heart disease and as the primary composite endpoint detected incident unstable angina, myocardial infarction and any death during 15 years of follow-up. CRP above versus below the median of 3.0 mg/L was associated with an increased cumulative incidence of unstable angina, myocardial infarction and any death combined (log-rank p < 0.0001). CRP above versus below the median had a corresponding hazard ratio of 1.5(95% CI, 1.3-1.8) after age adjustment, of 1.4(1.2-1.6) after multifactorial adjustment, and of 1.4(1.2-1.6) after multifactorial adjustment including degree of coronary disease. In contrast, matrix metalloproteinase-9 above versus below the median was not associated with risk of unstable angina, myocardial infarction and death.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated CRP, but not elevated matrix metalloproteinase-9, associates with increased risk of unstable angina, myocardial infarction and death in patients with stable coronary heart disease.

C-reactive protein predicts the severity of coronary artery disease beyond low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Prospective studies and clinical trials have shown that C-reactive protein (CRP) independently predicts the occurrence of cardiovascular events, even in individuals without hypercholesterolemia. We evaluated whether CRP can predict the severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. A total of 418 patients with lower LDL-C (<3.37 mmol/L) who underwent coronary angiography were recruited. The median levels of CRP increased according to the number of stenotic vessels. Multivariable adjustment model indicated that CRP was associated with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the top to the bottom third comparison of CRP levels, yielding an odds ratio of 1.72 (95% confidence interval: 1.08-2.74); this trend was preserved after excluding the confounding effect of statin treatment. C-reactive protein may serve as a useful biomarker for improving the risk assessment and secondary prevention of CAD patients without hypercholesterolemia.

Increased serum HMGB1 is related to the severity of coronary artery stenosis

BACKGROUND

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein has been identified as a novel pro-inflammatory cytokine in coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated the relationship between serum HMGB1 level and the severity of coronary artery stenosis.

METHODS

Serum HMGB1 concentration in patients was measured by ELISA. All patients underwent coronary angiography and were assigned into groups according to the quartile of HMGB1 level.

RESULTS

HMGB1 level in USAP group was higher than that in control and SAP group. HMGB1 level in SAP group was higher than that in control group (p<0.05). Gensini scores in the highest quartile group (group IV), group III and group II were all significantly higher than that in the lowest quartile group (group I). There was significant correlation between angiographic Gensini score and serum level of HMGB1 (r=0.710, p<0.05). However, in subgroup analysis, we found that serum HMGB1 level was only correlated with angiographic Gensini score in SAP patients (r=0.786, p<0.05), but not USAP patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum HMGB1 level was markedly increased with the severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with SAP and USAP, especially in SAP patients, which suggested that increased serum HMGB1 may involve in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic CAD.

CRP and the risk of atherosclerotic events

A large body of literature supports the idea that inflammation plays a pivotal role in all phases of atherosclerosis, from the fatty streak lesion formation to the acute coronary event due to vulnerable plaque rupture. Indeed, vascular inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and later in the disease process, it is a major determinant for the acute coronary syndromes. There are various inflammatory markers that have been shown to predict cardiovascular events. These include high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a simple downstream marker of inflammation, recently emerged as a major cardiovascular risk factor. Elevated baseline concentrations of hs-CRP are associated with the risk of atherosclerotic events in general populations and show a predictive value even in terms of secondary prevention, both in patients with chronic stable angina and acute coronary syndromes. In recent year, a lot of concerns have emerged about the experimental models used to study the role of CRP in atherosclerosis; moreover, the results of trials evaluating the clinical association between this molecules and outcome are still controversial. In this paper, we attempt to review the pathophysiological evidences about the link between CRP and atherosclerosis and, most notably, about its utility as a marker and risk predictor in various clinical settings. The identification of specific triggers and mechanisms of underlying inflammation and a better understanding of each step involved in this complex process might lead to new ways to manage patients with atherosclerosis, both in terms of primary and secondary prevention, and CRP still appears to be a suitable candidate for this purpose.