Plasma levels of stromal cell-derived factor-1 in patients with coronary artery disease: effect of clinical presentation and cardiovascular risk factors.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possible association of plasma levels of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1; CXCL12) with clinical presentation of symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) and with cardiovascular risk factors.

METHODS

A cath lab cohort of 492 consecutive patients with symptomatic CAD were recruited. Blood for plasma-SDF-1 determination was taken at the time of heart catheterization before percutaneous coronary intervention.

RESULTS

Plasma-SDF-1 was significantly decreased in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared to stable angina pectoris (SAP) or to non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (SAP vs. NSTEMI vs. STEMI: [pg/ml]: mean ± SD: 2110 ± 562 vs. 2127 ± 467 vs. 1834 ± 377; P < 0.001) independent of cardiovascular therapy. A weak correlation was observed between cholesterol levels and plasma SDF-1 in the whole study population. Left ventricular function and diabetes mellitus associated with plasma SDF-1 levels in patients with NSTEMI, while among STEMI patients, those with hyperlipidemia presented with even further decreased SDF-1 levels.

CONCLUSION

Plasma SDF-1 is significantly decreased in patients with STEMI, a fact which may reflect the importance of SDF-1 regulation in patients with acute myocardial infarction.