RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown an exercise-induced increase in circulating adhesion molecules (sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of changes in serum adhesion molecules in the setting of a dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE). METHODS: Thirty patients (18 men and 12 women aged 63.3 ± 10.67 years) with suspected myocardial ischemia underwent a DSE in our department's laboratory of echocardiography in order to identify inducible ischemia. Dobutamine was infused in incremental doses from 5 µg/kg/min up to 40 µg/kg/min. Blood samples were drawn at baseline as well as at peak stress and circulating adhesion molecules sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 levels were measured by ELISA. Patients with a positive DSE underwent coronary arteriography within 2 weeks of the DSE study. RESULTS: Sixteen patients had a positive DSE for inducible ischemia while 14 had a negative test. Among the patients with positive DSE, 12 had angiographically significant CAD as well as statistically significantly higher levels of sICAM-1 than DSE negative patients (n=14), both at baseline (302.57 ± 43.37 vs. 267.47 ± 28.03 ng/mL, p=0.028) and at peak stress (322.07 ± 49.64 vs. 260.43 ± 36.45 ng/mL, p=0.001). A significant increase from baseline to peak stress was also noted in this group (from 302.57 ± 43.37 to 322.07 ± 49.64 ng/mL, p=0.043). There were no statistically significant differences in the levels of sVCAM-1 between groups at baseline and there was no change from baseline to peak stress. CONCLUSION: Plasma levels of sICAM-1 were found to be elevated in subjects with a positive DSE and angiographically significant CAD compared to patients with a negative DSE, both before and after inducible ischemia. In contrast, no changes were noted regarding sVCAM-1 levels.