Effect of the intravascular low energy laser illumination during percutaneous coronary intervention on the inflammatory process in vascular wall

The angioplasty procedure is associated with a release of numerous factors triggering the local inflammatory reaction in vascular wall and leading thus to the restenosis. In this study, we hypothesize that the low-energy laser irradiation may exert beneficial effect by limiting this process. A group of 101 subjects (75 men and 26 women, mean age: 59.1 ± 10.3) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), were recruited to this study. While 52 patients (40 men and 12 women) were subjected to the intravascular low-energy laser irradiation (λ = 808 nm) of dilated lesion during the PCI, the remaining patients (35 men and 14 women) constituted the control group. The levels of interleukin 1β, 6 and 10 (IL 1β, IL 6 and IL 10) were measured immediately before the procedure, and then at the 6th, 12th hour as well as after 1 month following the PCI. Significantly lower levels of IL 1β and IL 6 in the irradiated group during each analysis after the procedure were observed. Moreover, significantly lower IL 10 level in irradiated group within 6 and 12 hours after PCI was observed. Irradiation of the lesion with low-energy laser radiation during the PCI procedure results in a decrease in the levels of pro-inflammatory IL 1β and IL 6 as well as in an increase in the levels of anti-inflammatory IL 10, which may result in decreased risk for restenosis.