Cytokines in patients with ischaemic heart disease or myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND

Cytokines are responsible for the modulation of immunological and inflammatory processes as well as proliferative responses and apoptosis. It has been recently suggested that such cytokines as interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble interleukin 6 receptor (sIL-6R) and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 10 (IL-10) may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes.

AIM: To assess serum concentration of IL-6, sIL-6R and IL-10 in patients with ischaemic heart disease or acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODS

The study group consisted of 74 patients (25 females, 49 males, aged 40-69 years) divided into three groups; group I - 18 patients with AMI (up to 12 hours from the onset of symptoms), group II - 31 patients with unstable angina and group III - 25 patients with stable angina. The control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects.

RESULTS

The IL-6 and sIL-6R serum levels were significantly higher in patients from groups I and II compared with patients from group III and controls, whereas the IL-10 serum concentration was similar in all studied groups. In patients with acute coronary syndromes serum concentrations of examined cytokines were positively correlated with acute inflammatory phase parameters and classical risk factors such as body mass index, blood pressure and lipid levels.

CONCLUSIONS

IL-6 and sIL-6R are markers of acute coronary syndromes and may be used for the identification of high-risk patients with unstable angina or AMI.