Relationship Between Inflammatory Reaction And Coronary Heart Disease

Objective To investigate the relationship between inflammatory reaction and chronic infection by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) , soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and immunoglobulin G and M antibodies against HCMV(IgG and IgM) were measured in 23 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 25 angina patients with coronary artery stenosis and 31 controls. Results (1) Serum levels of CRP in AMI group were significantly higher than control group and stenosis group (6.79 mg/L vs 4.07 and 4.60mg/L, P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). (2) Serum sICAM-1 levels in AMI group and stenosis group were also significantly higher than control group (4.13ng/ml and 2.84ng/ml vs 1.70ng/ml, P<0.001 for each). (3) The positive rates of HCMV-IgG in AMI group and stenosis group were all higher than those in control group (91.30% vs 61.29%,92% vs 61.29%, P <0.05, respectively). Conclusion CRP,sICAM-1and HCMV infection might involve in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease. Inflammatory reaction seems to be a potential risk factor of CHD.