Up‐regulation of long non‐coding RNA THRIL in coronary heart disease: Prediction for disease risk, correlation with inflammation, coronary artery stenosis, and major adverse cardiovascular events

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the role of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) THRIL in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. METHODS: A total of 420 patients who underwent coronary arteriography due to suspected symptoms of CHD were enrolled, in which 220 were diagnosed as CHD and 200 were set as control subjects. LncRNA THRIL in plasma samples of CHD patients and control subjects was detected by reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Gensini score and biochemical indexes were evaluated in CHD patients and control subjects. Plasma inflammatory cytokines were detected, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were recorded in CHD patients. RESULTS: Both before and after adjustment by age/gender, lncRNA THRIL was increased in CHD patients compared with control subjects (both P < .001), and it well predicted enhanced CHD risk by receiver operating characteristic curves. For coronary artery stenosis, it was positively correlated with Gensini score (P < .001, r = .430). For clinical characteristics, lncRNA THRIL was positively correlated with diabetes mellitus occurrence (P < .001) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) level (P = .029, r = .147). For inflammation, it was positively associated with CRP (P < .001, r = .374), TNF‐α (P < .001, r = .249), IL‐1β (P = .001, r = .222), IL‐8 (P < .001, r = .254), and IL‐17 (P = .011, r = .172), while negatively correlated with IL‐10 (P < .001, r = −.244). For prognosis, lncRNA THRIL was positively associated with MACE accumulating rate (P = .037) in CHD patients. CONCLUSION: Long non‐coding RNA THRIL was increased in CHD patients and well predicted elevated CHD risk. Moreover, it was correlated with enhanced coronary stenosis, systematic inflammation, FBG level, and MACE risk in CHD patients.