Carotid atherosclerosis and change of serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9,tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in middle-aged and young patients with cerebral infarction

Objective To study the carotid atherosclerosis and change of serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9),tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) in middle-aged and young patients with cerebral infarction.Methods The bilateral carotid atherosclerosis of 42 acute cerebral infarction patients(ACI group),29 asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis patients(ACA group) and 17 normal controls(NC group) were examined by color doppler.The serum levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in all the groups were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,and the serum levels of hs-CRP were measured by immunonephelometry.Results Carotid atherosclerosis plaque was not found in NC group.The percentage(69.2%) and positive rate(47.6%) of vulnerable plaque in ACI group were significantly higher than that in ACA group(46.4%,20.7%)(all P0.05).The serum levels of MMP-9,TIMP-1 and hs-CRP and the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in ACI group were significantly higher than that in ACA group(all P0.05),and the serum levels of MMP-9,TIMP-1 and hs-CRP in ACA group were significantly higher than that in NC group(all P0.05).In ACI group,the serum levels of MMP-9,TIMP-1 and hs-CRP and the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in vulnerable plaque subgroup were significantly higher than that in stabled plaque subgroup(all P0.05),and the serum levels of MMP-9,TIMP-1 and hs-CRP in stabled plaque subgroup were significantly higher than that in no plaque subgroup(all P0.05).Conclusions The serum levels of MMP-9,TIMP-1 and hs-CRP can be serum markers of carotid atherosclerosis plaque and its stability.The increase of the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 and carotid vulnerable plaque might indicate high risk of cerebral infarction in middle-aged and young persons.