Serum visfatin and omentin levels in slow coronary flow

The adipocytokines visfatin and omentin have a direct effect on inflammation and endothelial injury. The expression of visfatin is closely associated with the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Omentin has an anti-inflammatory effect and is inversely associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). The slow coronary flow phenomenon is an angiographic finding characterized by delayed distal vessel opacification in the absence of significant epicardial coronary disease. The pathophysiology of SCF has not been clearly identified, although multiple abnormalities including endothelial dysfunction, atherothrombosis and inflammation have been reported. However, the relationship between visfatin, omentin and SCF is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship of these adipocytokines with SCF.

The study included slow coronary flow (n=45) and normal coronary flow (n=55) subjects, according to the corrected TIMI frame count, who underwent angiography in the catheterization laboratory of Duzce University. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 12.

Visfatin levels were significantly higher in patients with SCF than in controls (p<0.001). Plasma omentin levels were lower in the SCF group than in controls, although without statistical significance. Visfatin, gender and platelet count were significant predictors of SCF in multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR 0.748, 95% CI 0.632-0.886, p=0.01; OR 30.016, 95% CI 4.355-206.8, p=0.01; OR1.028, 95% CI 1.006-1.050, p=0.011, respectively).

Adipocytokines such as visfatin and omentin may play a role in the pathogenesis of coronary slow flow.