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Despite high efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in-stent restenosis proves to be a significant problem of therapy. Restenosis concerns around 30 percent of patients. Studies have suggested that restenosis is initiated by cells which participate in intense inflammatory reaction caused by stent implantation. Atherosclerotic plaque rupture during stent implantation and PCI-associated injury of the vessel wall lead to hemorrhage and release of various cytokines. They are probably responsible for quick recurrence of vascular lumen stenosis (restenosis). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is known as a main pro-inflammatory cytokine, whereas Transformig Growth Factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) has anti-inflammatory properties. The study population comprised 36 patients with myocardial infarction treated with PCI with stent implantation. They underwent control coronary angiography after 12 months. At this time plasma concentration of IL-6 and TGF-beta was measured in peripheral blood. Serum IL-6 concentration in the analyzed population correlates with lumen loss (p

Trimetazidine is widely used in the treatment of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and its cytoprotective effect has been confirmed in animal studies and in many clinical trials. Given the inflammatory milieu of CAD and trimetazidine effect on the inflow of neutrophilis to the ischemic area, it is interesting to consider whether trimetazidine actions could be also explained through the inhibition of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines. The aim of this study was to (i) examine the influence of treadmill exercise test (TET) on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and (ii) the influence of three-month trimetazidine therapy on serum CRP and IL-6 concentrations. One hundred and fifty-six patients with stable CAD were included. TET was performed (according to the standard Bruce protocol) twice for all subjects – at baseline and after the three-month trimetazidine treatment. Serum IL-6 and CRP concentrations were determined prior to and after performing each TET. Exercise led to the increase of CRP (2.35 vs 2.81 mg/L, p0.05) and IL-6 concentrations (1.64 vs 1.92 pg/ml, p=0.0318) in patients without trimetazidine. Three-month treatment resulted in the increase in the TET duration (378.0s vs 410.9s, p0.05) and decrease in serum CRP concentration, both before (2.35 vs 1.51 mg/L, p0.05) and after TET (2.81 vs 1.69 mg/L, p0.05). There was no significant increase of CRP after the second TET (1.51 vs 1.69 mg/l, p=NS). Three-month trimetazidine treatment increased IL-6 concentrations (1.64 vs 2.23 pg/mL, p0.05). TET was not associated with further changes in IL-6 concentrations (2.23 vs 2.18 pg/mL, p=NS). Serum IL-6 and CRP concentrations increase during exercise in patients without trimetazidine. Three-month trimetazidine prolonged the duration of TET. Moreover, it resulted in the reduction of CRP concentration The increase of IL-6 concentration after three-month trimetazidine treatment and the lack of changes of its concentration after TET is associated with yet another mechanism of trimetazidine.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has revolutionized the management of and outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The role of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in restenosis has been intensively studied. We aimed to investigate the power of serum IGF-I and TNF-alpha concentrations to predict restenosis in patients who had previously undergone PCI for STEMI. Thirty-seven patients were enrolled in the study. Twelve months prior to the study they underwent successful PCI with stent placement for STEMI. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 - patients with in-stent restenosis in the infarct-related artery (N=9); group 2 - patients without in-stent restenosis in the infarct-related artery (N=28). Baseline profile was similar in both groups. The mean diameter and length of placed stents were similar in both groups. Smaller minimal lumen diameter (MLD) and greater lumen loss (LL) were observed in group 1. Median IGF-I concentrations were substantially higher in patients with ISR compared to those without ISR (170 ng/mL vs 115 ng/mL, p=0.004). Strikingly, median TNF-alpha levels were lower in group 1 (2.4 pg/mL vs 4.1 pg/mL, p=0.05). Correlation analysis showed that serum IGF-I levels were significantly associated with diameter stenosis (R=0.29 p=0.05), LL (R=0.37 p=0.02), MLD (R= -0.38 p=0.03), and stent length (R=0.30 p=0.05). The cut-off value to predict restenosis for IGF-I was less than 158 ng/mL (sensitivity 55 percent, specificity 93 percent, positive predictive value 71 percent, negative predictive value 87 percent). IGF-I detected twelve months after stent placement during the acute phase of AMI may be a late determinant of restenosis. High concentrations of IGF-I could play a permissive role in the progression of NIH and subsequently restenosis. It seems that as far as TNF-alpha is concerned, diagnostic value remains inconclusive.