Relationship of self-reported exercise tolerance with inflammatory markers in women with stable ischemic heart disease. 
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is associated with decreased exercise tolerance and it is subjectively reported as angina pectoris or dyspnea.  Inflammation and pro- inflammatory cytokines are related to progression of IHD, but their level is seldom analyzed in association with self reported exercise tolerance.  Women aged 35-75 years with stable IHD from Homocysteine Slovakia study (N=175) were analyzed for monocyte chemoatractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF β1), Mannan binding lectin (MBL), heat shock proteins 60 (HSP60), carbonyl protein (CP), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in relation to exercise induced dyspnea or angina pectoris (AP) (≤200 m).  Patients with dyspnea had higher HSP60 (77.3±107.2 vs 43.7±48.9 ng/ml; p=0.014) and IL-6 (2.9±1.3 vs 1.9±0.6 pg/ml; p=0.04) levels.  IL-6 and HSP60 demonstrated direct correlation with dyspnea (rho=0.39; p=0.02 resp.  rho=0.22; p=0.01).  AP≤200 m patients showed only decreased protein carbonyl a marker of protein oxidation and increased oxidative stress (CP 61.7±27.3 vs. 72.1±23.1 pg/ml; p=0.001).  CP indirectly correlates with AP≤200 m (rho=-0.25; p=0.001).  We have found associations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammation markers with dyspnea or angina pectoris, but the relationship was not consistent in our patients with stable ischemic heart disease.