OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and monocyte chemotactic factor-1 (MCP-1) following percutaneous coronary interventional procedures (PCI) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and evaluate the impact of PCI on the inflammatory indices and postoperative vascular restenosis.

METHODSThis study involved 80 patients undergoing PCI procedures for CAD compromising a single coronary artery. Forty healthy individuals with normal findings by coronary angiography were selected as the control group. Before and after PCI or coronary angiography, plasma hs-CRP and MCP-1 were measured in all the subjects by immunonephelometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA), respectively.

RESULTSIn the CAD patients, the plasma hs-CRP level was significantly elevated after PCI as compared with the preoperative level (2.37-/+0.56 microg/L vs 1.59-/+0.41 microg/L, P<0.01), whereas in the control group, the hs-CRP level underwent no significant changes after coronary angiography (1.18-/+0.37 microg/L vs the preoperative level of 1.13-/+0.32 microg/L, P>0.05). PCI procedures also resulted in significant elevation of plasma MCP-1 level in the CAD patients (26.04-/+5.43 pg/L vs the preoperative level of 18.07-/+4.30 pg/L, P<0.01), but in the control group, MCP-1 showed no significant variation after coronary angiography (9.80-/+2.64 pg/L vs the preoperative level of 9.63-/+2.52 pg/L, P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONPlasma hs-CRP and MCP-1 are elevated in CAD patients following PCI procedures, but their roles in the vascular restenosis following the procedures need further investigation.