Coronary sinus blood sampling: an insight into local cardiac pathophysiology and treatment?

• Published in: European heart journal Vol. 28; no. 8; pp. 929 - 940
• Main Authors: Jaumdally, Rumi, Varma, Chetan, Macfadyen, Robert J., Lip, Gregory Y.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.04.2007; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiac Catheterization; Cardiology. Vascular system; Collateral Circulation - physiology; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Disease - blood; Coronary Artery Disease - etiology; Coronary Artery Disease - therapy; Coronary heart disease; Coronary Thrombosis - blood; Coronary Thrombosis - etiology; Endothelium, Vascular - physiopathology; Heart; Humans; Medical sciences; Myocardial Ischemia - blood; Myocardial Ischemia - etiology; Myocardial Ischemia - therapy; Myocarditis. Cardiomyopathies; Neovascularization, Physiologic - physiology; Renin-Angiotensin System - physiology; Risk Factors; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; Circulating factors; Myocardial ischaemia; Coronary sinus; Heart; Pathophysiology; Pathogenesis; Samplings; Cardiovascular disease; Myocardial ischemia; Coronary heart disease; Myocardial disease; Knowledge; Phlebology; Blood; Vascular disease; Treatment; Circulatory system; Cardiology; Sampling
• ISSN: 0195-668X; 1522-9645
• DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehm015

Atherosclerosis remains the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease and is a dynamic process involving inflammation, haemostasis, endothelial dysfunction, and angiogenesis. Studies of circulating factors from peripheral blood can provide an insight into this pathophysiology but may remain indicative of a more generalized, systemic process. More localized interaction(s) within the heart may be better studied from coronary blood samples. Indeed, an increasing number of prospective studies show good correlation between indices of these processes and clinical outcomes. As local sampling offers a unique way of assessing the local cardiac milieu, this may prove useful in the monitoring of both local/systemic drug therapies and interventional technologies.