Angiographic Profiling of Coronary Artery Ectasia in Relation to Matrix Metalloproteinase Enzyme

Background: Earlier literature proposed that coronary artery ectasia (CAE) might represent a manifestation of atherosclerosis, yet the connection between matrix metalloproteinase enzymes and both the presence and severity of CAE has remained insufficiently characterized.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the correlation between serum matrix metalloproteinase enzyme-9 (MMP-9) concentrations and the angiographically defined characteristics of CAE.
Patients and methods: A total of 100 cases with confirmed CAE were retrospectively analyzed for their clinical manifestations and angiographic patterns, with special emphasis on the correlation between CAE severity and serum MMP-9 levels. Evaluation of major cardiovascular risk factors was likewise performed.
Results: Among CAE cases, 45% exhibited elevated serum MMP-9 levels (>71 µg/dl). A substantial correlation was detected between MMP-9 levels and the extent of vascular involvement, being present in all cases with three-vessel ectasia compared to 43.38% with single-vessel disease (P = 0.035). Furthermore, higher MMP-9 levels were significantly associated with ectasia type, occurring in 83.33% of type 1 cases versus 40% of type 4 cases (P = 0.015).
Conclusions: Elevated serum MMP-9 levels were substantially correlated with both the occurrence of CAE and the degree of its severity.