Plasma interleukin-6 levels are increased in coronary artery ectasia

Recent studies have suggested a cytokine-induced tissue inflammation in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms and it has been documented that circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in these patients are increased. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a similar association also exists for patients with coronary ectasia, which may also be regarded as an abnormal dilatation of the arterial system.

The study group was composed of 43 patients with coronary ectasia and 48 patients with normal coronary arteries constituted the control group. Coronary diameters were measured by quantitative angiography. A coronary diameter index was defined for each segment as the coronary diameter divided by the body surface area (BSA). A coronary segment with a diameter index of more than 1.5 fold of the control group was defined as ectatic. Baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar. Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with coronary ectasia (5.18 +/- 2.04 pg/ml vs. 4.13 +/- 0.5 pg/ml, p = 0.002). There was no significant correlation with the maximal diameter of the most dilated coronary segment and IL-6 levels in patients with coronary ectasia (r = 0.10, p = 0.50).

Results of this study have demonstrated increased levels of circulating IL-6 in patients with coronary ectasia which might indicate a possible role of inflammatory processes. Absence of a significant correlation between the dimensions of the ectatic segments and IL-6 levels might be due to the narrower range of the diameters of the coronary arteries compared with the abdominal aorta.