Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP 7) as a new biomarker in coronary heart disease

The role of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-7 (IGFBP-7) in atherosclerosis is still not well-known. The objective of this study was to find out the following: 1) whether IGFBP-7 may act as a biomarker of coronary artery disease (CAD) occurrence and extent; 2) whether IGFBP-7 is potentially related to the classical and new markers of cardiovascular risk (carotid intima-media thickness - cIMT); 3) whether IGFBP-7 may be a marker of mortality in the group of patients with myocardial infarction (MI).

The study group consisted of 212 patients with MI and 75 patients with stable CAD, the control group included 100 healthy volunteers. IGFBP-7 serum concentration was measured.

IGFBP-7 value was considerably higher in the study group (MI and CAD patients - 35.1 ng/ml (P = 0.000001) and 32.7ng/ml (P = 0.0001), respectively), than in the controls - 25.2ng/ml. No statistically significant differences between IGFBP-7 concentrations in the MI and CAD group were found. No relationship between IGFBP-7 and the coronary lesions advancement in the study group was observed. No changes in IGFBP-7 concentration in the MI patients during hospitalization were observed. In the group of MI patients who died during follow-up, a considerably higher cIMT values were found whereas no statistically significant difference was observed in relation to IGFBP-7 (34.6 vs. 35.2 ng/ml).

IGFBP-7 is a good biomarker of CAD occurrence but not of its advancement. We demonstrated the existence of the relation between higher IGFBP-7 concentration and the selected classical risk factors of cardiovascular events as well as cIMT values. IGFBP-7 cannot serve as a marker of acute ischemia. Also, IGFBP-7 was not confirmed as a predictor of mortality in the MI patients.