Prospective study of metalloproteinase 9 expression in a cohort of South American patients with and without ST elevation coronary artery disease.

Introduction: MMP type 9 (MMP-9) plays an important role in the degradation of the extracellular matrix, destabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. Materials and methods: A prospective open study was carried out in a South American hospital. All patients gave their voluntary informed consent to participate and process the results of the survey. The scientific work was approved by the local ethics committee of the Educational Institution of Higher Education. Results: During the recruitment of the index group, we examined 297 people. Our study included 121 people, exclusively men, who underwent angioplasty after STEMI of the anteroseptal and posterior wall of the left ventricle. In the group of patients we examined, MMP-9 content was correlated with BMI, WC, and WC/WCa. Conclusions: The results found here force us to consider new variables as prognostic determinants in coronary heart disease.