OBJECTIVES: Thymosin beta4 (Tβ4) has been shown to have an important role in healing of damaged tissues and promoting cardiomyocyte survival in acute coronary syndromes. We evaluated endogenous Tβ4 levels in patients presenting with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) before and after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
STUDY DESIGN: The study included 24 consecutive patients (7 females, 17 males; mean age 55.0±10.9 years) who underwent successful primary PCI for STEMI and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (13 females, 11 males; mean age 57.5±11.7 years) with angiographically normal coronary arteries. To determine Tβ4 levels, blood samples were obtained from STEMI patients on admission and 48 hours after successful PCI, and from controls immediately after coronary angiography.
RESULTS: Compared to controls, baseline levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (46.2±8.9 vs. 34.2±7.2 mg/dl, p<0.001) and Tβ4 (2.9±1.5 vs. 1.5±1.0 µg/ml, p<0.001) were significantly lower, and white blood cell counts (7.6±2.2 vs. 11.4±3.0 10³/µl, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the STEMI group. After 48 hours of PCI, the mean Tβ4 level increased significantly to 2.3±0.8 µg/ml (p<0.001) and became similar to that of the control group (p=0.068). There was a significant negative correlation between serum Tβ4 and white blood cell count (r=-0.347, p=0.016).
CONCLUSION: Considering the significant increase in serum Tβ4 levels following successful primary PCI in patients with STEMI, Tβ4 may prove to be a new marker in the assessment of reperfusion success in addition to those used currently.