Skin autofluorescence is elevated in patients with stable coronary artery disease and is associated with serum levels of neopterin and the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products.

AIMS: To investigate whether skin autofluorescence (AF), a non-invasive marker for advanced glycation end products (AGEs), is elevated in stable coronary artery disease (sCAD) and to investigate its relationship with serum levels of the soluble receptor for AGEs (sRAGE), neopterin and C-reactive protein (CRP).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Skin AF and serum levels of sRAGE, neopterin and CRP were assessed in 63 sCAD patients (mean age: 64.7+/-10.5 years), comprising 78% males, 19% subjects with diabetes, and 22% current smokers and in 33 (mean age: 63.4+/-10.0 years) healthy non-diabetic and non-smoking age and gender matched controls. Skin AF was significantly increased in sCAD compared with controls, irrespective of diabetes, current smoking and renal function. Levels of sRAGE (standardized beta: 0.43 (explaining 17% of variance in skin AF); P<0.001), neopterin (beta: 0.36 (11%); P=0.003) and glucose (beta: 0.29 (8%); P=0.0011) as well as current smoking (beta: 0.26 (6%); P=0.024) were independently associated with skin AF (R(2) 0.42), whereas the association of gender, former smoking, body mass index, CRP, lipids, creatinine clearance and pulse pressure with skin AF was not significant in this model.

CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that skin AF is elevated in sCAD and is related to sRAGE and neopterin, making it an easily applicable tool to improve our understanding of inflammatory and oxidative stress in cardiovascular disease.