Percutaneous coronary transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) may release inflammat
ory mediators such as chemokines. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1
) and eotaxin (EOX) are monocyte- and eosinophil-specific chemokines involv
ed in the inflammation and pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis. A tota
l of 28 patients undergoing elective PTCA, 20 coronary artery disease (CAD)
patients undergoing coronary angiography and 28 healthy controls were stud
ied. In PTCA patients before the procedure, MCP-1 plasma levels (441 +/- 64
pg/ml) were similar to those of CAD patients (430 +/- 24 pg/ml), and signi
ficantly higher compared with controls (145 +/-7 pg/ml, P <0.01). MCP-1 ros
e significantly after 3 and 6 months following PTCA (696 +/- 89 and 876 +/-
86 pg/ml, respectively, P <0.01 vs. before PTCA). EOX plasma levels (155 /- 14 pg/ml) were similar to those of CAD patients (157 +/- 14 pg/ml), but
significantly higher compared with controls (83.2 +/- 10 pg/ml, P <0.05). E
OX rose significantly 24 h (273 +/- 41 pg/ml, P <0.05) but not 3 months aft
er PTCA (160 +/- 20 and 158 +/- 19 pg/ml, respectively). These findings ind
icate that chemokine-induced monocyte- and eosinophil-specific chemoattract
ion is stimulated in patients with coronary artery disease. MCP-I levels re
main significantly elevated for at least 6 months following elective PTCA,
suggesting an inflammatory stimulation, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland L
td. All rights reserved.