OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 and high sensitive C-reactive protein in vulnerable coronary atherosclerotic plaques.

METHODS

Patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) were examined for CAD with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). According to the findings of CAG and IVUS, all the patients were divided into three groups: a control group without plaque, stable plaque group and vulnerable plaque group. The total serum Lp-PLA2 and hs-CRP were measured before angiography and they were valued with T test and Pearson's correlation analysis.

RESULTS

(1) Lp-PLA2 level in stable plaque group and vulnerable plaque group was higher than that in control group (P < 0.05). (2) Lp-PLA2 level in the vulnerable plaque group was higher than that in stable plaque group (P < 0.05). (3) hs-CRP level in the vulnerable plaque group is higher than that in the stable plaque group and control group (P < 0.05) and there was significant difference between them. (4) To discriminate vulnerable plaque, the specificity of serum Lp-PLA2 was stronger than that of hs-CRP.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum Lp-PLA2 level has higher sensitivity in predicting the vulnerability of the coronary atherosclerotic plaque than hs-CRP. In combination with hs-CRP, we can use Lp-PLA2 as a new biomarker to predict the presence of vulnerable plaque.