The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of plasma interleukin-8 (IL-8) for early complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The pre- and postprocedural plasma levels of IL-8 and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) were examined by immunoassay, and the expression of CD11b/CD18 on neutrophils was assessed by flow cytometry. Early complications (abrupt occlusion, threatened abrupt occlusion, early recurrence of ischemia, myocardial infarction, cardiac sudden death, and target vessel revascularization) occurred intra-procedure and 30 days after PCI and were observed in 121 consecutive patients with coronary heart disease. Sixteen patients with early complications had high preprocedural levels and high postprocedural differentials of IL-8, CRP, and CD11b/CD18 compared to those without complications (all P < 0.05). The occurrence of complications showed a significant increase in the patients according to the tertiles of IL-8, CRP, and CD11b/CD18. Preprocedural levels of IL-8 (RR = 5.864, CI = 1.658-20.734, P = 0.006) and diabetes (RR = 1.587, CI = 1.246-2.132, P = 0.038) were independent predictors of early complications. There were significant correlations in the postprocedural differential between IL-8 and CD11b/CD18 (r = 0.776, P = 0.002) in patients with complications. The results reveal that the early complications after PCI contribute to preprocedural inflammatory responses. Normal levels of IL-8 may be powerful negative predictors of early complications in patients with CHD following PCI.