Baseline plasma IL-10 levels were measured in 193 well-characterized male patients with acute coronary syndrome who were referred for coronary angiography and followed prospectively for 5 years for the development of major adverse cardiovascular events.
After controlling for a variety of baseline variables (including established biomarkers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), plasma IL-10 levels (whether analyzed as a continuous variable or as a categorical variable using receiver operating characteristic-derived cut point) were a strong and independent predictor of the composite outcome of death or non-fatal myocardial infarction when using a Cox proportional hazards model.
These data demonstrate that, despite biologic plausibility for IL-10 as being a cardioprotective cytokine, elevated baseline plasma levels of IL-10 are a strong and independent predictor of long-term adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome.