The Relationship between Serum Pentraxin-3 Levels and Severity of Coronary Heart Disease

Abstract

Background: Clinical data suggested that pentraxin-3 is a biomarker for atherosclerosis due to its role in inflammatory processes since it exerts unfavorable effects on the course of atherosclerosis, stimulates plaque formation, and augments vascular inflammation. Objective: The aims of this study were to measure the level of serum pentraxin-3 in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and to determine whether it was associated with the severity of CAD. Material and Methods: The serum pentraxin-3 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 80 patients who were referred for elective coronary angiography due to positive stress test results. SYNTAX score was used to determine the severity of CAD. Results: The study cohort consisted of 45 (56.25%) males and 35 (43.75%) females with a mean age of 55 ± 9.8 years. The mean serum pentraxin-3 level was 3.79 ± 1.38 ng/ml, and the mean SYNTAX score was 15.8 ± 11.3. A significant correlation was observed between pentraxin-3 level and SYNTAX score (r = 0.459, p < 0.001). The level of pentraxin-3 was significantly higher in patients with SYNTAX scores of ≥33 compared with patients who scored 23 - 32 or ≤22 (p = 0.002). Conclusion: The serum level of inflammatory marker pentraxin-3 is increased in patients with CAD and is correlated with the severity of CAD.