Abstract

Searches for new biomarkers of stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) and myocardial infarction (MI) are critical for therapeutic efficacy of the diseases. In this study we tested our hypothesis that distinct patterns of autofluorescence (AF) of skin and fingernails may become novel diagnostic biomarkers for MI and SCAD. Our study has indicated that SCAD and MI have distinct patterns of AF of their body surface: First, the AF intensity of the MI patients is significantly higher than that of the Healthy and Low-Risk group in their right and left Centremetacarpus, Ventroforefinger, Dorsal Index Finger and Ventribrachium, while the AF intensity of the SCAD patients is significantly higher than that of the Healthy and Low-Risk group in their right and left Index Fingernails and Dorsal Antebrachium; and second, the AF asymmetry of the MI patients is significantly higher than that of the Healthy and Low-Risk group in their Centremetacarpus, Ventroforefinger, Index Fingernails and Dorsal Antebrachium, while the AF asymmetry of the SCAD patients is significantly higher than that of the Healthy and Low-Risk group in their Ventroforefinger, Dorsal Index Finger, Dorsal Centremetacarpus and Index Fingernails. Moreover, the AF pattern of acute ischemic stroke is markedly different from those of SCAD and MI. The oxidative stress in the plasma of the MI and SCAD patients may cause the increased AF by altering the AF of keratins. Collectively, our study has indicated that SCAD and MI patients have distinct patterns of AF changes, which may become novel diagnostic biomarkers for SCAD and MI.