Plasma Heme Oxygenase-1 Levels in Patients with Coronary and Peripheral Artery Diseases

Aims. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an intracellular enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of heme to generate CO, biliverdin, and iron. Since these products have antiatherogenic properties, HO-1 may play a protective role against the progression of atherosclerosis. However, plasma HO-1 levels in patients with atherosclerotic diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), have not been clarified yet. Methods. We investigated plasma HO-1 levels by ELISA in 410 consecutive patients undergoing elective coronary angiography who also had an ankle-brachial index (ABI) test for PAD screening. Results. Of the 410 study patients, CAD was present in 225 patients (55%) (1-vessel (1-VD), n=91; 2-vessel (2-VD), n=66; 3-vessel disease (3-VD), n=68). PAD (ABI