Circulating pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients with unstable angina pectoris

Recent data indicate that CAD patients differ in their susceptibility to inflammatory status on the basis of their cytokine profiles. We investigated whether interleukin-1 beta (IL-beta), IL-8 and IL-4 are indicative of unstable angina and whether they are influenced with atorvastatin. Patients were divided into group 1( 22 patients with unstable angina) and group 2 (23 patients with stable angina). Mean serum concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-8 were increased in group 1 (4,0 +/- 0,72; 11,4 +/- 3,5pg/mL) vs group 2(1,5 +/- 0,32; 2,1 +/- 1,1 pg/mL). On the contrary, IL-4 level was lower in group 1. Atorvastatin treatment 10 mg daily reduced IL-8 serum concentration in patients with unstable angina, but had no effect in group 2. Our data confirm the role of cytokine disbalance in pathogenesis of unstable angina and nonlipid effect of atorvastatin.