Serum levels of soluble Fas and inflammatory cytokines in elderly patients with coronary heart disease

Objective To explore the variation and clinical significance of serum levels of soluble Fas and inflammatory cytokines in elderly patients with coronary heart disease.Methods With enzymelinked immunosorbent assay,serum soluble Fas and tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein were measured in 120 elderly patients with coronary heart disease(including 40 cases of stable angina pectoris,40 of unstable angina pectoris,40 of acute myocardial infarction) and 40 subjects without coronary heart disease.Results Mean levels of soluble Fas tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6 and high sensitivity C-reactive protein were significantly higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris than these in stable angina pectoris(P0.05).No difference was found in patients with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris(P0.05).Conclusion High serum levels of soluble Fas may have relationship with acute coronary syndrome.It may be an efficient index to predict the stability of atherosclerotic plaque.There are activation of inflammatory cells and inflammation in patients with coronary heart disease,which may play an important role in the disruption and thrombosis of plaque and the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease.