Purpose: We investigated the hypothesis that MHR (monocyte-to-high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio) is related to the severity of coronary artery in ACS (acute coronary syndrome).
Methods: In this case–control study, we recruited 15,853 participants undergoing the first time percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) including 4093 normal controls, 10,518 chronic coronary artery disease (CAD), and 1242 ACS cases. Examination of demographic clinical data and biochemical profiles, as well as MHR values, were performed before PCI. The relationship between MHR and severity of coronary artery lesion in ACS was analyzed. We also used a flow cytometric assay to distinguish CD14+/CD16- classical monocyte subsets in peripheral blood mononucleated cells from CAD patients.
Results: MHR was higher in patients with ACS compared with MHR in normal control and chronic CAD (normal control vs chronic CAD vs ACS: 0.46 ± 0.27 × 10⁹/mmol vs 0.53 ± 0.29 × 10⁹/mmol vs 0.73 ± 0.47 × 10⁹/mmol, P < 0.001). MHR showed a significantly progressive increase as the angiographic severity of coronary lesions increased (single vessel lesion vs multi-vessel lesions in ACS: 0.54 ± 0.31 × 10⁹/mmol vs 0.58 ± 0.35 × 10⁹/mmol, P < 0.001), and classical monocyte subset to HDL-C ratio (CMHR) was increased in with CAD patients compared with control [4.69 (IQR, 1.06, 2.97) × 10³/mmol vs 1.92 (IQR, 0.92, 3.04) × 10³/mmol, P = 0.02]. Using a multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, and dyslipidemia, MHR was positively associated with multi-vessel lesions in ACS [OR (odds ratio): 1.28 (95% CI: 1.03– 1.59, P = 0.029)].
Conclusion: MHR level could be a potential predictor of coronary artery lesion severity in ACS.
Keywords: MHR, CAD, ACS, multi-vessel lesions, CMHR