Objective To explore the relationship between serum IL-8 and peripheral blood white blood cell(WBC)counts and coronary artery disease(CHD)and the pathological changes degree of coronary artery.Methods 296 CHD patients were divided into acute myocardial infarction(AMI)(n=100),unstable angina(UA)(n=100)and stable angina pectoris(SAP)(n=96)groups,the other 100 healthy controls were selected as normal control group.Serum IL-8 level was detected by ELISA.The correlation between Deripheral blood WBC and serum IL-8 level was analyzed.Results Serum IL-8 level in AMI,UAP and SAP groups was higher than of control group(P<0.05);that of AMI and UAP groups was higher than that of SAP group;serum IL-8 level in CHD patients was positively related to peripheral WBC.Conclusion Serum IL-8 level might be the marker of coronary atherosclerosis in the elderly,is closely related to the pathological changes degree of coronary artery,participating in the development of CHD.