Association of intracellular pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood with the clinical or ultrasound indications for carotid endarterectomy in patients with carotid atherosclerosis

Summary Early non-invasive diagnostic information would be useful in identifying patients at risk of progressive carotid atherosclerosis, despite an apparently harmless plaque on ultrasound imaging. In this study, we assessed the possible association of intracellular cytokines in peripheral blood with the ultrasound (stenosis ≥ 70%) and clinical indications (transient ischaemic attack, amaurosis fugax or stroke) for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients. Intracellular cytokine expression was determined in 106 patients (67 undergoing and 39 not undergoing CEA). Cells primed for the proinflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were found in significantly higher percentages in patients undergoing CEA than in patients who were not (P