Detection and significance of serum IL-18 in patients with acute coronary syndromes

AIM: To measure the serum concentration of interleukin-18(IL-18)in patients with acute coronary syndromes and investigate its relation with high sensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)and cardiac troponin(cTnI). METHODS:The serum concentrations of IL-18,hs-CRP and cTnI were measured in 31 patients with stable angina pectoris(SAP),74 patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and 22 controls(control)undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)or immunonephelometric assay or microparticle capture enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: ①The serum levels of IL-18 and hs-CRP were significantly increased in ACS in comparison with SAP and control (P0.01);②No difference in IL-18 was found between patients with unstable angina pectoris(UAP) and those with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)(P0.05),but the serum concentration of hs-CRP was higher in patients with AMI than those with UAP (P 0.05); ③The serum concentration of IL-18 was correlated with hs-CRP in ACS; ④Not similar to hs-CRP,the serum concentration of IL-18 was not correlated with cTnI in patients with AMI. CONCLUSION: Serum IL-18 concentration was significantly increased in patients with ACS and it can be a new and important serum marker in ACS.