Association of plasma C1q/TNF-related protein 9 levels with disease severity and prognosis in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease

C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 9 (CTRP9) has been recognized as a factor associated with cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, research regarding its relationship with the severity of coronary artery disease and the occurrence of adverse clinical events in coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD) remains limited. A total of 302 patients were divided into mild lesion group and moderate-severe lesion group according to coronary artery complexity, determined by the SYNTAX scores. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were assessed during a total follow-up of 21 months. The relationships of plasma CTRP9 levels with the severity of coronary artery stenosis and adverse prognosis were assessed in patients with CAD. Compared with the mild lesion group, the CTRP9 was significantly lower in the moderate-severe lesion group. In the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, a cut-off CTRP9 value of 266.95 ng/mL was identified for predicting moderate-severe lesions. A total of 97 MACEs (32.12%) were documented after 21 months of follow-up. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that decreased plasma CTRP9 levels independently predicted MACEs (HR: 0.996, 95% CI: 0.994–0.998, P < 0.001) after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Kaplan–Meier survival curves illustrated a significantly higher incidence of MACEs in patients with decreased CTRP9 levels compared with those with higher levels. Plasma CTRP9 levels were associated with the severity of coronary artery disease. Lower plasma CTRP9 levels were indicative of moderate-severe coronary lesions and an increased risk of MACEs in patients with CAD.