Relationship between the level of serum Matrix Metalloproteinas-9 and the degree of atherosclerosis in cerebral infarction patients

Objective To investigate the correlation between the level of serum matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) and the degree of artherosclerosis in cerebral infarction(CI) patients.Methods A total of 60 people were enrolled into this study,30 CI patients and 30 normal persons.The levels of serum MMP-9 were measured by ELISA.Four parametres,intimae-media thickness(IMT),atheromatous plaque morphology and histology and stenosis of carotid of bilateral arteria carotis communis,arteria carotis interna and carotid bifurcation were studied by colour doppler flow imaging(CDFI).Relation of MMP-9 and IMT in obser-ration group was analyzed.Results The degrees of carotid artery atherosclerosis in cerebral infarction patients were significantly severer than those in control group(P0.01).The levels of MMP-9 in serum were also significantly higher in cerebral infarction patients than those in control group.The levels of MMP-9 in serum significantly raise in the group of unstable plaque(P0.01).The serum MMP-9 content was positively correlated with IMT content(r=0.896 1,P0.01).Conclusions Serum MMP-9 participates pathophysiology process of CI and is closely relative to the formation and stability of atherosclerosis.Serum MMP-9 could be a clinical mark relative to unstable plaque.Serum MMP-9 was closely relative to IMT in CI patients,and it can reflect the degree of atherosclerosis.