MMP-1 (-1607 G in/del), MMP-3 (-1171 A in/del), and MMP-9 microsatellite ((13-26) CA repeats around -90) PMs have been determined (i) in 204 patients with cerebrovascular disease to assess the association with features of vulnerability in carotid plaques and prevalence of stroke, (ii) in 208 patients with UA/NSTEMI to assess the association with in-hospital clinical outcome.
MMP-1 and -12 transcript levels were significantly higher in plaques from patients with amaurosis fugax, than in those from asymptomatic patients (P=0.029 and P=0.008 for MMP-1 and MMP-12, respectively), than in those from patients with stroke (P=0.027 and P=0.001, respectively), and than in those from patients with transient ischemic attack (P=0.046 and P=0.008, respectively).