Plasma concentrations of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in aortic dissection

Abstract Background The role of inflammation in aortic dissection (AD) has not fully been investigated. We evaluated the potential relationships between interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and AD. Methods Plasma concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α, MMP-9 and CRP were determined in 64 acute AD patients, 42 patients with chronic AD, 98 patients with hypertension alone, and 96 healthy subjects. Results IL-6 concentrations were higher in acute AD than that in hypertension and healthy controls (10.98 ± 2.38 vs. 3.79 ± 1.56 and 3.32 ± 1.60 pg/ml, P P P P P P P  = 0.000), and negative correlation with CRP (r = − 0.424, P  = 0.000). Plasma CRP levels decreased significantly when the onset time increased ( P  = 0.013). Moreover, in the patients with acute AD who underwent surgery and stenting, plasma MMP-9 concentrations increased immediately after surgical treatment and stenting, and reached the peak values at 24 h, then decreased at 1 week ( P Conclusions Our findings confirmed and extended previous studies that increased plasma inflammatory markers were significantly associated with AD.