OBJECTIVETo explore the relation of phlegm-stasis syndrome with insulin resistance and monocyte peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma messenger ribonucleic acid (PPARgamma mRNA) expression in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODSSixty patients with CHD were differentiated into three syndrome types, the non-phlegm non-stasis (NN) type, the phlegm congealing heart vessel (PC) type and the phlegm-stasis cemented (PS) type. Besides, 20 healthy volunteers were selected as the normal control. Levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fasting insulin (FINS) were determined and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated accordingly. The expression of PPARgamma mRNA in the peripheral monocytes was assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSLevels of FINS, HOMA-IR and PPAR-gamma mRNA expression in all CHD patients were higher than in the normal control (P <0.01, P < 0.05); comparisons of the three indexes between patients of different syndrome types showed that they were higher in PC type and PS type than in NN type (P < 0.05 or P <0.01), and the difference between PC type and PS type was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONChanges of insulin resistance and PPARgamma mRNA expression in monocytes are possibly one of the mechanisms for the development of phlegm-stasis syndrome in CHD.