Table 1.
Selected studies investigating neopterin concentrations in cardiovascular disease patients
| Ref. | Condition | n | Result |
| Melichar et al[64], 1994 | AMI | 13 | Increased urinary neopterin |
| Anwaar et al[65], 1999 | Acute cerebral ischemia or transient ischemic attack, 1-yr follow-up | 59 (57) | Increase of plasma neopterin after acute cerebral ischemia |
| Tatzber et al[66], 1991 | Different clinical stages of atherosclerosis | 61 | Elevated plasma neopterin in about 50% of hospitalized patients undergoing conservative or surgical therapy, higher neopterin levels were overrepresented in patients with higher Frederickson type |
| Weiss et al[67], 1994 | Cross-sectional community-based screening study (Ischemic Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Study, Bruneck, Italy) | 561 (total) | Serum neopterin correlated with the extent of carotid atherosclerosis |
| Schumacher et al[68], 1997 | AMI Stable CAD | 21 62 | Neopterin levels were highest in AMI patients but also elevated in those with CAD |
| Gurfinkel et al[69], 1999 | Unstable angina pectoris (non-Q-wave AMI) | 52 (26) | Serum neopterin correlated with score of atherosclerotic extension (angiography) |
| Zouridakis et al[70], 2004 | Chronic stable angina pectoris | 124 | CAD progression correlated with increased neopterin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein as well endothelial activation markers |
| Avanzas et al[71], 2005 | Patients with chronic stable chest pain undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography, 1-yr follow-up | 297 | Elevated serum neopterin correlated with adverse coronary events during follow-up (17.2%) |
| Kaski et al[72], 2008 | NSTE ACS (unstable angina and NSTE MI), 6-mo follow-up | 397 (147,250) | Baseline neopterin in unstable angina and NSTE MI comparable, increased neopterin was associated with adverse cardiac events |
| Johnston et al[73], 2006 | ACS (treatments: medication, uncoated or rapamycin-eluting coronary stents) and stable CAD | 70 (35, 25, 10) 36 | Serum neopterin correlated with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction; mean changes in serum neopterin higher in uncoated stent group |
| Barani et al[74], 2006 | Critical limb ischemia, 1-yr follow-up | 232 | Neopterin was elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter and with ischemic electrocardiogram changes which were at risk for adverse cardiac events |
| Ray et al[75], 2007 | ACS (PROVE IT–TIMI 22) 2-yr follow-up | 3946 | Increased neopterin was associated with increased risk of death and of acute coronary events after ACS |
NSTE: Non-ST-segment elevation; PROVE IT-TIMI: PRavastatin or atorVastatin Evaluation Infection Therapy-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction; AMI: Acute myocardial infarction; MI: Myocardial infarciationnon; CAD: Coronary artery disease; ACS: Acute coronary syndrome. Table adapted and extended from Fuchs et al[6].