Serum levels of the antiinflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 are decreasedin patients with unstable angina

Background-Proinflammatory cytokines play a role in acute coronary events. However, the potential role of antiinflammatory cytokines in the modulation of the atherosclerotic process remains unknown. Interleukin (IL)-10, which is expressed in human atherosclerotic plaques, has potent deactivating pro perties in macrophages and T cells. The aim of this study was to assess whe ther serum concentrations of IL-10 differed between patients with unstable and stable angina pectoris. Methods and Results-A total of 95 patients with angina pectoris and angiogr aphically documented coronary artery disease were studied. Of these, 50 pat ients had chronic stable angina (with stable symptoms over 3 months), and 4 5 patients had Braunwald class IIIB unstable angina with ST-segment changes . Serum IL-10 and IL-6 concentrations were measured on admission using comm ercially available immunoassays. Serum IL-10 concentrations were lower in u nstable angina patients compared with those who had chronic stable angina ( 28.4 versus 14.0 pg/mL; 95% CI, 9.8 to 19.0; P <0.0001), even after adjustm ent for variables that were significantly different on univariate analysis. IL-6 concentrations were higher in the unstable angina group (20.9 versus 11.4 pg/mL; 95% CI, 1.0 to 12.6; P=0.04). Conclusions-Patients with unstable angina had significantly lower serum IL- 10 concentrations than did patients with chronic stable angina. This import ant finding is in keeping with previous data from animal model studies that suggest that IL-10 has a protective role in atherosclerosis.