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Published on: April 13, 2015
Inverse correlation between coronary blood flow velocity and sICAM-1 level observed in ischemic heart disease
Jusztina Bencze1, Robert Gabor Kiss, Emese Toth-Zsamboki
1Cardiovascular Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University and National Health Center, Budapest, Hungary.
Insights
This study found that impaired coronary blood flow is inversely correlated with soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) levels in ischemic heart disease patients. This relationship is independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and other inflammatory markers.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Inflammation Research
- Atherosclerosis Studies
Background:
- Systemic factors and blood flow velocity in atherosclerosis are often studied separately or via in vitro methods.
- Understanding the interplay between local coronary hemodynamics and systemic inflammatory markers is crucial for cardiovascular disease research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between local coronary blood flow, measured by corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC), and systemic atherosclerosis-related inflammatory parameters.
- To explore the relationship between CTFC and specific markers including soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in human subjects.
Main Methods:
- The study enrolled patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), including those with coronary stenosis (stable angina/CAD, unstable angina/ACS) and patients with normal coronary angiograms but documented myocardial ischemia (NEG).
- Coronary blood flow was assessed using corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC).
- Systemic inflammatory markers (sICAM-1, IL-6, hsCRP, vWF) were measured and correlated with CTFC, adjusting for various clinical and demographic factors.
Main Results:
- While patient groups showed minor differences in CTFC and sICAM-1, a general positive correlation was observed between CTFC and sICAM-1 levels across all IHD patients (r = 0.33), strongest in the ACS group (r = 0.61).
- This correlation remained significant and independent of age, gender, BMI, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, prior myocardial infarction, family history, medication, hsCRP, IL-6, and vWF.
- No significant correlation was found between CTFC and IL-6, hsCRP, or vWF levels.
Conclusions:
- Coronary blood flow is inversely correlated with adhesion molecule production, specifically sICAM-1.
- This association is independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors and common inflammatory markers like hsCRP and IL-6.
- The findings suggest a distinct pathway linking local hemodynamics to specific inflammatory responses in the context of ischemic heart disease.
Abstract:
Systemic factors and blood flow velocity related to atherosclerosis have been examined mainly separately or by in vitro studies. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between local coronary blood flow (corrected TIMI frame count, CTFC) and systemic atherosclerosis-related inflammatory parameters such as soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), interleukin-6 (Il-6), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in humans. We enrolled the following groups of ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients: patients with coronary stenosis and stable (CAD, n = 96) or unstable angina (ACS, n = 27), patients with documented myocardial ischemia and normal coronary angiogram (NEG, n = 68). Patient groups showed only marginal differences in CTFC or sICAM-1 levels. In contrast, when IHD patients were studied individually, general positive correlation was found between CTFC and sICAM-1 level (r = 0.33; in NEG r = 0.25; in CAD r = 0.37; in ACS r = 0.61), being the strongest in ACS. The relation was independent from age, gender, BMI, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, previous myocardial infarction, family history of IHD, medication, hsCRP, IL-6 and vWF levels. (odds ratio, OR = 6.4; CI 95%: 2.43-16.84; p < 0.05). Nevertheless, correlation between CTFC and IL-6, hsCRP, vWF levels was not found. These results indicate inverse correlation between coronary blood flow and adhesion molecule production independently from conventional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory markers.
