Investigation In The Association Of Serum MMP-9and MCP-1with Carotid Atherosclerosis Based On Measurment Of Plaque And Intima-media Thickness (IMT)

Purpose: Relationships between MMP-9and MCP-1and the severity ofcarotid atherosclerosis are still indistinct. We examined the associationbetween serum MMP-9and MCP-1and carotid plaque and IMT.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among116stroke-free subjects (mean age,64.73±14.53;45.7%men) with serumMMP-9and MCP-1and ultrasonographic assessment of plaque morphologymeasured by total plaque score (PS), plaque stability, and IMT. IMT wasexamined in3categories. Multinomial logistic regression model was used toassess the associations of MMP-9and MCP-1with plaque and IMTadjusting for vascular risk factors.Results: Participants were divided into3groups based on total PS(group1(PS=0), group2(PS=1–2) and group3(PS≥3)), risk of plaque(no plaque, low risk and high risk), and tertiles of IMT: T1(＜0.8mm, n=22), T2(0.8–1mm, n=74) and T3(>1mm, n=20). MMP-9quartiles (versusquartile1) were significantly associated with a greater prevalence of high risk plaque (Q2, odds ratio [OR]=5.13,15.5,[95%confidence interval{CI}1.01-24.9], p=0.042; Q3, OR=15.5,95%CI:3.1-78.1, p=0.001; Q4,OR=13.2,95%CI:2.7-64.97, p=0.001), high total PS (Q3, OR=10.02,95%CI:1.5-65.33, p=0.016; Q4, OR=21.5,95%CI:3.5-132.1,p=0.001) andelevated IMT (Q4,OR=53.6,95%CI:1.7-1647.2). MCP-1was significantlyassociated with IMT(OR=22.94,95%CI:2.14-245.66, p=0.01).Conclusions: Elevated serum MMP-9was independently associatedwith high carotid PS, instable plaque, and high IMT. MCP-1wasindependently associated with IMT, but not plaque morphology. They areuseful as predictor of ischemic vascular events in patients withatherosclerosis.