[Correlation between serum inflammatory cytokine levels and fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions].

Objective: To identify the correlation between serum inflammatory cytokine levels including high sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and lipoprotein associated phospholipase (Lp-PLA2) and the fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions. Methods: Clinical data of 117 patients with selective coronary artery angiography diagnosed coronary artery disease admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to January 2016 were retrospective analyzed. According to type of coronary disease, patients were divided into 3 subgroups: SAP group (containing 47 stable angina patients), UAP group (containing 52 unstable angina patients), and NSTEMI group(containing 18 acute non ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients). Serum hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 levels were measured before subsequent procedures. The characteristics of the culprit lesions were detected by optical coherence tomogarpgy(OCT) before interventional treatment, and the correlation between hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 and the fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions were analyzed. Results: (1) The serum levels of hs-CRP (2.13(1.04, 4.75)μg/L vs. 1.02(0.60, 1.29)μg/L and 1.30(1.03, 1.96)μg/L, all P <0.05) and Lp-PLA2 ((394.8±61.4)mg/L vs. (140.1±40.4)mg/L and (284.5±93.6)mg/L, all P <0.05) were significantly higher in NSTEMI group than in SAP group and UAP group, and serum levels of hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 were significantly higher in UAP group than in SAP group (all P <0.05). (2)The fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions were smaller in NSTEMI group and UAP group than in SAP group(50(50, 60)μm and 60(50, 90)μm vs. 130(80, 190)μm, all P <0.05), and there was no significantly difference between NSTEMI group and UAP group( P >0.05). Proportion of thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque(82.35%(14/18) vs. 19.15%(9/47) and 63.46%(33/52), all P <0.05), plaque rupture(55.56%(10/18)vs. 6.38%(3/47) and 28.85%(15/52), all P <0.05) and thrombosis(33.33%(6/18) vs. 4.26%(2/47) and 9.26%(5/52), all P <0.05) were significantly higher in NSTEMI group than in SAP group and UAP group. Proportion of calcifiacation in plaque was lower in NSTEMI group than in SAP group (11.11%(2/18)vs. 42.55%(20/47), P <0.05), and there was no significantly difference between NSTEMI group and UAP group( P >0.05). (3) Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum levels of hs-CRP( r =-0.233, P <0.05) and Lp-PLA2( r =-0.465, P <0.01)were negatively correlated with fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaques. Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum levels of hs-CRP were positively correlated with plaque rupture( r =0.409, P <0.01) and thrombosis ( r =0.227, P <0.05), and serum levels of Lp-PLA2 were also positively correlated with plaque rupture( r =0.499, P <0.01) and thrombosis( r =0.263, P <0.01). (4)Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that serum levels of Lp-PLA2 at baseline was independently related to thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque( OR =1.017, P <0.01). Conclusions: The serum levels of hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 in NSTEMI patients are much higher than that in SAP and UAP patients, higher in UAP patients than in SAP patients. Prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque, plaque rupture and thrombosis was significantly higher in the NSTEMI patients, while the prevalence of calcification in plaque is more often in SAP patients. Increased serum levels of Lp-PLA2 are independent risk factor of thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque formation.