Introduction: Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase reactant that shares structural and functional homology with C-reactive protein (CRP). However, unlike CRP, which is synthesized mainly in the liver, PTX3 is produced at the site of inflammation. It has been suggested that PTX3 plays the same role in the periphery that CRP does in circulation. PTX3 may represent a rapid marker of local inflammation.
Methods: Fifty-one patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) were enrolled. Blood samples were collected on admission. Plasma concentration of PTX3 and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) were determined.
Results: Median PTX3 concentration was 0.92 μmol/L (0.58-1.40). Median hsCRP concentration was 0.90 mg/L (0.75-1.10). There was a positive correlation between PTX3 and total cholesterol (R=0.34; P=0.01), PTX3 and LDL cholesterol (R=0.35; P=0.01), and PTX3 and hsCRP (R=0.46; P = 0.0005). We found no correlation between hsCRP and all laboratory parameters. We found higher PTX3 concentrations in patients with Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) functional class 3 (compared to CCS functional class 2) and in patients taking nitrates. Lower PTX3 concentrations were reported in patients taking calcium channel blockers (amlodipine). hsCRP concentrations remained similar among these subgroups of patients.
Conclusions: PTX3 is a marker of clinically more advanced CAD (CCS2 vs CCS3; nitrates vs no nitrates). PTX3 is also associated with other cardiovascular risk factors (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and hsCRP). PTX3 may be a potential early marker of cardiovascular risk before the increase of systemic markers like hsCRP.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; atherosclerosis; coronary artery disease; inflammation; pentraxin-3.