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Inflammation is increasingly considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes. We documented persistent elevation in the levels of soluble ICAM-1 and soluble VCAM-1 and a decrease in the levels of soluble E-selectin in the first 72 hours of acute presentation in patients with unstable angina and subendocardial myocardial infarction.

We have demonstrated increased levels of the circulating soluble adhesion molecules (sCAMs), ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin in patients with unstable angina compared with healthy controls. Our findings support the role of inflammation in clinically unstable coronary disease, and may indicate a potential role for measurement of peripheral sICAM levels as a marker for inflammatory activity in atherosclerotic plaque.

Increased serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules are found in various disorders of inflammatory or immunologic etiology. We found elevated levels of the soluble adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin in patients with nonrheumatic aortic stenosis, suggesting that inflammation may be important in the pathogenesis of this condition, which is generally believed to be degenerative.