Evaluation of Proinflammatory Cytokines before and after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Stable Angina

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. It is the most common complaint among patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of several pro-inflammatory mediators as follow-up markers after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with stable angina. Study Design: The study was conducted on 50 patients diagnosed with stable angina who attended the Nasiriyah Cardiology Center between November 2021 and May 2022. Methods: IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 were determined by ELISA before PCI and one day and one week after PCI. Results: Compared to healthy controls, patients with stable angina had increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 before PCI. One day after PCI, IL-1β levels returned to normal compared to controls, while IL-6 and IL-8 levels remained higher than controls. One week after PCI, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 levels returned to normal values ​​compared to controls. On the other hand, statistical analysis showed that serum IL-1β levels decreased significantly compared to the pre-PCI period, while IL-6 and IL-8 levels remained significantly higher than their pre-PCI levels. When cytokines were measured one week after PCI, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were decreased below pre-PCI levels, and all cytokines returned to normal levels compared to controls. In general, elevated serum cytokine levels reflect the inflammatory response in atherosclerosis, represent a causal component of unstable angina, and are positively associated with the course of coronary artery disease. Levels of proinflammatory mediators decline rapidly after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), suggesting they are good markers for follow-up after PCI in patients with stable angina.