Objective: To evaluate the effect of percutaneous intervention (PCI) on coronary circulation levels of adrenomedullin (ADM) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).
Methods: Thirty-three CHD patients underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and stenting (altogether 48 stents were implanted). Blood samples were collected from the coronary sinus and femoral artery at the time points of immediately before and after angioplasty, immediately after PTCA or stenting, 10 min after procedures, respectively.
Results: The ADM and TNF-alpha levels in the coronary sinus varied little after coronary angiography, but were elevated markedly following PTCA from the basal levels of 36.3+/-1.3 pg/ml to 28.9+/-1.9 pg/ml (P<0.01) and from 11.10+/-0.46 ng/ml to 8.84+/-0.37 ng/ml (P<0.01), respectively. Further increases of ADM and TNF-alpha levels were detected immediately after stent deployment. ADM recovered to basal levels 10 min after completion of the procedures, while TNF-alpha underwent further increase. Before the procedure, ADM and TNF-alpha levels were higher in the coronary sinus than in the femoral artery (28.9+/-1.9 pg/ml vs 22.6+/-0.8 pg/ml, P<0.01; 8.84+/-0.37 ng/ml vs 7. 56+/-0.23 ng/ml, P<0.01, respectively), and their levels in the femoral artery did not undergo significant changes in response to the operations.
Conclusion: The coronary circulation levels of ADM and TNF-alpha increase after PTCA and stenting but not after coronary angiography in CHD patients, which might be attributed to injuries by the procedures as well as the mechanical stimulation by the stent.