DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i08.036

Pages: 2909-2913

Oxidised LDL, a marker of systemic oxidative stress, and MMP-9, a collagenase found in vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques have been implicated in the initiation and/or progression of atherosclerosis. Infiltrating inflammatory cells interact with the extracellular matrix and oLDLs, contributing to and increased production of MMP-9 by macrophages. The MMPs contribute to the development of de novo atherosclerotic plaques as well as to the rupture of these plaques by degrading the associated extracellular matrix. A study was carried out to determine whether there was an association between these two markers of inflammation in samples from a normal population to see if they could be used as predictors of early coronary heart disease. The results showed that overall, in a normal population there was no association between the plasma levels of oLDL and MMP-9 except when other intrinsic factors were included such as fibrinogen or insulin, then there was a correlation.