Objective       To study the value of risk stratification of coronary heart disease (CHD) by combined detection of three inflammatory markers of myeloperoxidase (MPO)

interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP).      Methods       Serum levels of MPO

IL-6 and hs-CRP were respectively measured by selective repression method

microparticle chemiluminescent immunoassay and immunofluorescence analysis in 381 CHD patients [105 acute myocardial infarction (AMI)

162 unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and 114 stable angina pectoris (SAP)] and in 337 people who were set as controls [187 non-coronary heart disease (NCHD) and 150 healthy subjects].      Results       Levels of MPO

IL-6 and hs-CRP in the acute coronary syndromes (ACS) group (AMI group+UAP group) were significantly higher than those in the SAP

NCHD and healthy groups (P=0.000). AMI patients had the highest activity of MPO

UAP patients were the second highest

and SAP patients were the third highest as compared with those of the NCHD and healthy groups (P0.05). IL-6 levels of the UAP and SAP groups had no significant difference (P0.05)

but were significantly lower than those of the AMI group and higher than those of the NCHD and healthy groups (P0.05). There was no significant difference in serum levels of hs-CRP among the SAP

NCHD and healthy groups

but their hs-CRP levels were significantly lower as compared with those of the UAP and AMI groups (P0.05). About 89.52% AMI patients had slightly elevated MPO with severely elevated IL-6 and hs-CRP (90.48% and 96.19%

respectively). Of 80.86% UAP patients had slightly elevated MPO with moderately elevated IL-6 and hs-CRP (67.28% and 78.40%

respectively). SAP patients had slightly elevated of MPO and hs-CRP (48.25% and 53.51%) with moderately elevated IL-6 (54.39%). Each tested inflammatory marker had a high diagnostic sensitivity for ACS

but the specificity was unsatisfactory. The diagnostic efficiency of combined detection of the three inflammatory markers by serial tests for ACS were 74.53% for sensitivity

79.82% for specificity

89.64% for positive predictive value

57.23% for negative predictive value and 76.12% for accuracy

respectively.      Conclusion       Combined detection of MPO

IL-6 and hs-CRP can be used in diagnosis of CHD at different pathological stages and improve the specificity and positive predictive value for diagnosing ACS

which is helpful for the risk stratification of CHD.