ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the value of serum soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) detection in risk evaluation of acute coronary syndromes (ACS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study involved 200 patients with established diagnosis of ACS, with death or nonfatal myocardial infarction as the end point of observation during the 6-month-long follow-up. Blood samples were obtained from the patients within the initial 72 h of ACS onset, and the levels of sCD40L and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) measurement was performed using chemiluminescent immunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 200 patients, 108 had serum sCD40L levels higher than 5.0 microg/L, and the levels of sCD40L, CRP and cTnI were found to significantly correlate with ACS.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Independent detection of serum sCD40L, CRP and cTnI can help predict the risks of ACS, and their combined measurement may increase the sensitivity of the risk prediction and provide new cardiac makers to replace the cardiac enzymes for laboratory diagnosis and risk evaluation of cardiovascular events.</p>
