Plasma and platelets amino acids in coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation patients – are they linked?

Introduction. The impact of circulating amino acid levels and their combinations on the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease and atrial fibrillation is a current issue, otherwise, the platelets amino acid spectrum is still under discussion, despite the known pathogenetic role of platelets in these disorders. Aim. To compare changes in the plasma and platelets amino acid spectrum in patients with coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation as well as to find their connections. Materials & Methods. 300 patients were divided into 3 groups: I group – 149 patients with coronary artery disease without arrhythmias, II group – 124 patients with coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation paroxysm, and the control group – 27 patients without coronary artery disease and arrhythmias. Plasma and platelet amino acid levels were detected by means of ion exchange liquid column chromatography. Results & Conclusions. In platelets amino acid spectrum, a significant rise in leucine (12.63%), isoleucine (10.73%), and Fishers’ ratio (6.37%); a decrease in threonine (23.05%), valine (30.83%) levels, glycine (32.21%), serine (5.06%), and glycine+serine sum (20.51%) in group 2 patients was found compared with group 1, p<0.05. In the plasma amino acids spectrum, a significant increase in glutamate, branched-chain amino acids, and Fishers’ ratio and a decrease in glycine in group 2 patients was checked in comparison with group 1, p<0.05. Only 10 moderate strength correlations were revealed between the plasma and platelets amino acid spectrum of investigated patient’s groups. These changes in platelets and plasma amino acids spectrum were not significantly congruent in patients with coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation. Plasma and platelets amino acid spectrum should be analyzed separately in patients with coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation for further studies and evaluation of new prognostic markers and pathogenetic clues to their development. Keywords: myocardial ischemia, heart rhythm violations, proteins, metabolomics.