Interleukin-6 (IL-6) a pleiotropic cytokine is a central mediator of inflammation in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Our aim is to evaluate the serum levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) and to analyze the IL-6 polymorphism in CAD patients and to identify the first-degree relatives (FDRs) at risk of the disease in comparison with healthy controls. Estimation of IL-6 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and CRP by latex reagent kit method, and genotyping of IL6 gene variants -174 (G>C) was carried out by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 600 subjects. IL-6 and CRP levels were significantly high in patients followed by FDRs compared to controls. The frequency of the IL-6 genotype was significantly different between cases, FDRs and controls and association of serum IL-6 levels with genotype found to be significant in CC genotype compared to GC and GG at p < 0.01 in CAD patients and FDRs, while there is no significant difference observed in controls. The study shows the importance of inflammation in the pathogenesis of CAD and predicts the risk of future coronary events in healthy asymptomatic FDRs.

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