Plasma circulatory markers in male and female patients with coronary artery disease
published online 26 April 2010.
Objective
Inflammatory processes play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and plasma circulatory markers have been associated with cardiovascular risk. There is no single report in which adhesion molecule and circulatory cytokines have been evaluated in a single population set with coronary artery disease (CAD) on the basis of gender. Thus, we evaluated plasma circulatory markers in patients with CAD and in controls that were divided by gender (because functioning of circulatory markers and response toward conventional factors are not identical in men and women) and by conventional risk factors such as smoking and alcohol intake.
Methods
A total of 192 patients with CAD (148 male and 44 female) and 192 controls with no symptoms of CAD (142 male and 50 female) were enrolled. Detection of concentration to high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion molecule [ICAM]-1 and vascular adhesion molecule [VCAM]-1) was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.
Results
In male patients with CAD, levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, hsCRP (P < .001), and IFN-γ (P = .003) were significantly higher compared with controls; however, levels of IL-10 were significantly lower (P < .001). In female patients with CAD, levels of IL-4, hsCRP, VCAM-1 (P = .001), and IL-13 (P = .028) were significantly higher and IL-10 levels were significantly lower (P < .001) compared with controls. In addition, levels of circulatory markers were strongly associated with male smokers and imperceptibly associated with male alcoholics and female smokers and alcoholics.
Conclusion
This study compared the plasma circulatory markers between patients with CAD and healthy controls, between patients with CAD who smoke and controls, and between alcoholic patients with CAD and controls divided by gender. Moreover, among circulatory markers studied, higher levels were found for IL-4, IL-13, hsCRP, and VCAM-1, and lower levels were found for IL-10 in male and female patients with CAD compared with healthy controls.
aInstitute of Pathology, Indian Council of Medical Research, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, India
bAll India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
cDepartment of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
Corresponding author: Aruna Mittal, PhD, Institute of Pathology (Indian Council of Medical Research), Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box, no-4909, New Delhi 110029, India.
This study was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, SR/SO/HS-6/2005, India. The Indian Council of Medical Research provided financial assistance to Hem Chandra Jha in the form of fellowship.
ABSTRACT