Markers for Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Microvascular Disease – Is there a Difference?

Introduction: The clinical significance of inflammation (and markers such as resistin, hsCRP) and oxidative stress (e.g. 8-isoprostanes) for microvascular disease (MVD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is still elusive. Aims: To determine the role of the markers for inflammation and oxidative stress as independent markers for MVD. Methods: Ninety consecutive patients were recruited: twenty-five of them had CAD; thirty – MVD and thirty-five were controls. The latter included patients with atypical chest pain, risk factors, lack of coronary artery disease and negative adenosine test. Coronary angiography was performed in all participants. The adenosine test was performed in those without CAD, hs CRP, resistin in plasma and urine 8-isoprostanes were measured. The correlation of all these indicators with CAD and MVD was analyzed. Results: The 8-isoprostanes showed significant differences between patients with MVD and CAD (0,055/0,52 pg/mmol Cre; p = 0,028). The same trend was found between CAD patients and the control group (0,055/0,003 pg/mmol Cre; p = 0,041); as well as between those with MVD and the control group (0,52/0,003 pg/mmol Cre; p = 0,001). The highest values of 8-isoprostanes were detected in patients with MVD – 0,52 pg/mmol Cre. Markers for inflammation were similar in patients with MVD and CAD (hsCRP- p = 0,091; resistin − p = 0,32). Conclusions: hs CRP, resistin and 8-isoprostanes are involved in the pathogenesis of both CAD and MVD. However, oxidative stress is probably more important for MVD, therefore 8-isoprostanes can be a part of panel of markers for its detection and analysis.