扩张型心肌病慢性心力衰竭患者血浆脑利钠肽水平的临床意义

目的:探究扩张型心肌病慢性心力衰竭患者血浆脑利钠肽水平的临床意义。方法:收集2012年3月至2016年3月我院收治的90例扩张型心肌病慢性心力衰竭患者,将患者按照NYHA心功能分级分为A组(II级)20例、B组(III级)38例、C组(IV级)32例。比较各组患者的血浆脑力钠肽(BNP)以及超声心动图相关指标,包括左心室射血分数(LVEF)、左心房内径(LA)、左室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)以及左室收缩末期内径(LVESD),分析血浆BNP与NYHA分级和超声心动图相关指标的相关性,以及比较血浆BNP和LVEF在慢性心力衰竭病情程度中的能力。结果:C组患者的血浆BNP浓度显著高于A组和B组(P0.05),而B组患者的血浆BNP浓度显著高于A组,比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。心脏超声检测发现,C组患者的LA显著高于A组(P0.05),而LVEF、LVEDD及LVESD比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。血浆BNP与NYHA分级呈正相关关系,但与LVEDD、LVESD、LVEF、LA无明显相关关系(P0.05)。血浆BNP对评价心力衰竭患者病情程度呈现出较强的能力(受试者工作特征曲线下面积=0.902,P0.001)。血浆BNP=523.5 pg/mL为中重度心力衰竭患者的诊断最佳值。LVEF对评价心力衰竭患者病情程度无明显能力(受试者工作特征曲线下面积=0.392,P=0.276)。结论:血浆BNP浓度对扩张型心肌病慢性心力衰竭患者的诊断、筛查以及心功能分级具有重要的临床意义。     

ROC曲线评价Fib、CRP和NT-pro BNP在慢性房颤 并发早期心衰的诊断价值

目的：探讨CRP、Fib、NT-pro BNP在早期心衰患者中的诊断价值,并通过ROC曲线方法找到临床诊断界值。方法：对48 例 房颤并发早期心衰患者(A组),31 例为心房颤动并发重度心衰(B 组)和40 健康对照组(C 组)血清Fib、CRP 和NT-pro BNP水平。 利用ROC 曲线,评价CRP、Fib、NT-pro BNP 房颤并发早期心力衰竭诊断效能。结果：CRP、Fib 和NT-pro BNP 在B 组中水平最 高,C 组水平最低,三组间差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。NT-pro BNP 的对心房颤动并发早期心力衰竭患者诊断的灵敏度和特异 度明显高于Fib和CRP。NT-pro BNP 曲线下面积明显高于Fib 和CRP,差异有统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论：Fib、CRP 和NT-pro BNP在房颤并发可能或早期心衰患者血清中水平升高,联合诊断可以提高并发可能心衰的诊断敏感性,使得临床及早干预。     

Diagnostic utility of BNP,corin and furin as biomarkers for cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Abstract

Context: The number of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is progressively increasing, and diabetic cardiovascular complications have become a public health problem. Brain or B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a cardiac hormone synthesized as a pre-pro-peptide. pro-BNP is produced by cleaving the signal peptide then two proprotein convertases, corin and furin cleave pro-BNP to form a biologically active hormone. Two corin single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported to alter corin protein conformation and impair its biological activity.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the potential role of corin and furin in comparison to BNP as biomarkers for predicting cardiovascular complications in T2DM patients. The association of corin gene SNPs with corin levels was also examined.

Methods: Seventy-five subjects were recruited in this study, including 25 T2DM patients with complications, 25 T2DM patients without complications as well as 25 healthy subjects. Plasma BNP, corin and furin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Two corin SNPs were genotyped using allele specific oligonucleotide-polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Both furin and BNP were found to be more sensitive than corin (80% versus 56%, p?=?0.008), whereas furin showed higher specificity when compared to BNP (96% versus 84%, p?=?0.041) and corin (96% versus 64%, p?<?0.0001) in predicting cardiovascular complications in T2DM patients. Corin SNPs are not associated with corin levels, neither in the entire study cohort nor in the subgroup of T2DM patients with cardiovascular complications (p?>?0.05).

Conclusions: Furin may be useful, either alone or in combination with other biomarkers, for cardiovascular risk stratification assessment in T2DM patients.     

外周血miR-223和血清BNP水平在慢性心力衰竭患者中的诊断价值

目的:探究慢性心力衰竭(chronic heart failure,CHF)患者外周血microRNA-223(miR-223)和血清B型利钠肽(B-type natriuretic peptide,BNP)水平及其诊断价值。方法:选取CHF患者65例(CHF组),其中美国纽约心脏病协会(New York Heart Association,NYHA)心功能分级Ⅱ级24例,Ⅲ级22例,Ⅳ级19例。另取40例同期在体检中心进行健康体检者(Control组),采用实时荧光定量PCR检测外周血中miR-223水平,ELISA检测血清BNP含量,ROC曲线评价miR-223及BNP对CHF的诊断价值。结果:CHF组左心室短轴缩短率及左心室射血分数显著低于Control组(P0.01);左心室舒张末期内径显著高于Control组(P0.01)。CHF组不同NYHA心功能分级患者miR-223和BNP水平均高于Control组,且miR-223和BNP水平随NYHA心功能分级逐渐递增,组间两两比较均显示统计学差异(P0.05)。miR-223诊断CHF的曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)为0.7375,临界值为43.51时灵敏度为92.82%,特异度为89.44%;BNP诊断CHF的AUC为0.7925,临界值为128 ng/L时灵敏度为92.93%,特异度为92.58%。结论:CHF患者外周血miR-223和血清BNP水平高于健康对照人群,其对CHF的诊断具有一定的临床参考价值。     

Comprehensive plasma metabolomic and lipidomic analyses reveal potential biomarkers for heart failure

Heart failure is a syndrome with symptoms or signs caused by cardiac dysfunction. In clinic, four stages (A, B, C, and D) were used to describe heart failure progression. This study was aimed to explore plasma metabolomic and lipidomic profiles in different HF stages to identify potential biomarkers. Metabolomics and lipidomics were performed using plasma of heart failure patients at stages A (n?=?49), B (n?=?61), and C+D (n?=?26). Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used for screening dysregulated molecules. Bioinformatics was used to retrieve perturbed metabolic pathways. Univariate and multivariate receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were used for potential biomarker screening. Stage A showed significant difference to other stages, and 142 dysregulated lipids and 134 dysregulated metabolites were found belonging to several metabolic pathways. Several marker panels were proposed for the diagnosis of heart failure stage A versus stage B-D. Several molecules, including lysophosphatidylcholine 18:2, cholesteryl ester 18:1, alanine, choline, and Fructose, were found correlated with B-type natriuretic peptide or left ventricular ejection fractions. In summary, using untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic profiling, several dysregulated small molecules were successfully identified between HF stages A and B-D. These molecules would provide valuable information for further pathological researches and biomarker development.

     

参附注射液联合新活素对老年慢性心力衰竭患者心功能及血清BNP、MMP-9、CypA水平的影响

目的:研究参附注射液联合新活素对老年慢性心力衰竭患者心功能及血清B型利钠肽(Brain natriuretic peptide,BNP)、基质金属蛋白酶-9(matrix metalloprotein-9,MMP-9)、亲环素(cyclophilin,CypA)水平的影响。方法:选择2015年6月至2017年5月在我院进行治疗的慢性心力衰竭患者100例,根据治疗方案不同分为观察组和对照组,对照组给予新活素治疗,观察组以对照组为基础联合参附注射液治疗。治疗后,观察和比较两组的临床疗效、不良反应的发生情况及治疗前后血清BNP、MMP-9、CypA、SCr和BUN水平、LVEF、SV、LVEDD的变化。结果:观察组总有效率显著高于对照组(P0.05),治疗后,观察组血清BNP、MMP-9、CypA、SCr、BUN、LVEDD水平及不良反应发生率均显著低于对照组(P0.05),LVEF、SV均明显高于对照组(P0.05)。结论:参附注射液联合新活素治疗慢性心力衰竭可有效改善患者心功能,降低血清BNP、MMP-9、CypA水平,提高临床疗效,减少不良反应。     

心力衰竭超声指数联合血清肌钙蛋白I、脑钠肽对老年舒张性心力衰竭患者不良心血管事件的预测价值分析

摘要 目的：研究心力衰竭超声指数（HFEI）联合血清肌钙蛋白I（cTnI）、脑钠肽（BNP）对老年舒张性心力衰竭患者不良心血管事件（MACE）的预测价值。方法：将医院从2018年1月～2019年12月期间收治的80例老年舒张性心力衰竭患者纳入研究。将其按照随访1年结局的差异分作研究组（发生MACE）35例和对照组（未发生MACE）45例。检测并比较两组HFEI以及血清cTnI、BNP水平,同时分析两组基线资料以及心功能指标水平的差异。通过多因素Logistic回归分析明确MACE的相关影响因素,并以受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析HFEI以及血清cTnI、BNP联合预测MACE的效能。结果：研究组HFEI以及血清cTnI、BNP水平均高于对照组（均P＜0.05）。研究组年龄和左室舒张末期内径（LVEDd均高于对照组,而左室射血分数（LVEF）、二尖瓣血流频谱E峰和A峰比值（E/A）比值均低于对照组（均P＜0.05）。经多因素Logistic回归分析可得：HFEI以及血清cTnI、BNP水平均是老年舒张性心力衰竭患者MACE的独立危险因素（均OR＞1,P＜0.05）。经ROC曲线分析可得：HFEI以及血清cTnI、BNP联合预测MACE的曲线下面积、灵敏度、特异度、约登指数均高于上述三项指标单独检测。结论：HFEI以及血清cTnI、BNP在预测老年舒张性心力衰竭患者MACE方面的价值较高,值得临床推广应用。     

动态心电图对无症状性心肌缺血的诊断价值

目的:研究动态心电图对无症状性心肌缺血的临床诊断价值。方法:收集我院2014年6月-2015年6月我院接受诊治的冠心病(CAD)患者120例作为研究对象,采用动态心电图仪检测记录24h心电图信息,将动态心电图检测为心肌缺血的患者分为A组(无症状心肌缺血)、B组(有症状心肌缺血),比较两组患者基本信息、心肌缺血发作阵次、ST段下降幅度、ST段下降持续时间、心肌缺血阈变异性、心率及心率失常发生率。结果:120例CAD患者中有95例患者出现心肌缺血,其中A组66例(占69.47%),B组29例(占30.53%),差异显著(P0.05)。A组ST段阵次改变明显高于B组,A组ST段下降幅度、ST段下降持续时间、心肌缺血阈变异性明显低于B组(P0.05)。A、B两组患者心肌缺血发作表现出昼夜节律,在时间段6:00-12:00最高,在时间段0:00-6:00最低(P0.05)。A组患者平均心率显著低于B组患者,心律失常发生率显著高于B组(P0.05)。结论:动态心电图能够准确的诊断出无临床症状心肌缺血,使患者得到及时的治疗,值得临床推广应用。     

Diagnostic utility of MR-proANP and NT-proBNP in elderly outpatients with a high risk of heart failure: the Copenhagen heart failure risk study

Abstract

Background: Amino-terminal-pro-B-type-natriuretic-peptide (NT-proBNP) is a diagnostic biomarker for heart failure (HF), but plasma concentrations are influenced by numerous factors. Mid-regional-pro-atrial-natriuretic-peptide (MR-proANP) have comparable diagnostic value in acute HF. However, data are lacking in the non-acute setting. This study sought to assess the diagnostic utility of MR-proANP in outpatients with a high risk of HF.

Methods: This prospective study included 399 outpatients. Inclusion criteria were: age?≥?60?years, ≥1 risk factor for HF (diabetes, chronic kidney disease, vascular disease, atrial fibrillation, hypertension), without known or suspected HF. Unrecognized HF was diagnosed based on clinical signs, patient-reported symptoms and echocardiography. Plasma concentrations of MR-proANP and NT-proBNP were analysed.

Results: In total, 65 patients were diagnosed with HF or asymptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction (N?=?12 LVEF?≤?40%, N?=?7 LVEF?>?40% to ≤50%, N?=?46 LVEF?>?50%). Both MR-proANP (odds-ratio: 1.77; 95% CI:1.16–2.72; p?=?0.009) and NT-proBNP (odds-ratio: 1.49; 95% CI:1.22–1.82; p?<?0.001) were associated with HF. Area under receiver-operator characteristics curve (AUC) for the diagnosis of HF or asymptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction was higher for MR-proANP (AUC?=?0.886; p?<?0.001) and NT-proBNP (AUC?=?0.910; p?<?0.001) compared to patient-reported symptoms of HF (AUC?=?0.830), but NT-proBNP added more diagnostic information compared to MR-proANP (p?=?0.022).

Conclusions: Both NT-proBNP and MR-proANP are useful biomarkers in the diagnosis of HF or asymptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction in a non-acute setting. However, NT-proBNP added more diagnostic information compared to MR-proANP.     

Elevated Plasma Soluble ST2 Is Associated with Heart Failure Symptoms and Outcome in Aortic Stenosis

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is often used as a complementary finding in the diagnostic work-up of patients with aortic stenosis (AS). Whether soluble ST2, a new biomarker of cardiac stretch, is associated with symptomatic status and outcome in asymptomatic AS is unknown. sST2 and BNP levels were measured in 86 patients (74±13 years; 59 asymptomatic, 69%) with AS (<1.5 cm²) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction who were followed-up for 26±16 months. Both BNP and sST2 were associated with NYHA class but sST2 (>23 ng/mL, AUC = 0.68, p<0.01) was more accurate to identify asymptomatic patients or those who developed symptoms during follow-up. sST2 was independently related to left atrial index (p<0.0001) and aortic valve area (p = 0.004; model R² = 0.32). A modest correlation was found with BNP (r = 0.4, p<0.01). During follow-up, 29 asymptomatic patients (34%) developed heart failure symptoms. With multivariable analysis, peak aortic jet velocity (HR = 2.7, p = 0.007) and sST2 level (HR = 1.04, p = 0.03) were independent predictors of cardiovascular events. In AS, sST2 levels could provide complementary information regarding symptomatic status, new onset heart failure symptoms and outcome. It might become a promising biomarker in these patients.     

Prediction of all-cause mortality with hypoalbuminemia in patients with heart failure: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: The prognostic utility of serum albumin level for mortality in heart failure patients has received considerable attention. This meta-analysis sought to examine the prognostic significance of hypoalbuminemia for prediction of all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure.

Materials and methods: Pubmed and Embase databases were systematically searched up to 10 March 2019 to identify eligible studies. Epidemiological studies reporting a multivariable-adjusted risk estimate of all-cause mortality associated with hypoalbuminemia in acute or chronic heart failure patients were included.

Results: Nine studies from 10 articles involving 16,763 heart failure patients were included in the final analysis. Hypoalbuminemia was associated with an increased in-hospital mortality (risk ratio [RR] 4.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.96–8.10) and long-term all-cause mortality (RR 1.75; 95% CI 1.35–2.27) in acute heart failure patients. Chronic heart failure patients with hypoalbuminemia exhibited a 3.5-fold (95% CI 1.29–9.73) higher risk for long-term all-cause mortality.

Conclusions: Hypoalbuminemia is possibly an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with acute or chronic heart failure. However, the current findings should be further confirmed in future prospective studies. Moreover, future well-designed randomized controlled trials would be required to investigate whether correcting hypoalbuminemia in heart failure patients has potential to improve survival outcome.     

呋塞米联合硝普钠注射液治疗顽固性心力衰竭的临床效果研究

目的:探讨呋塞米与硝普钠注射液联合治疗顽固性心力衰竭的临床效果及安全性。方法:选择2016年5月至2018年5月在我院进行治疗的90例顽固性心力衰竭患者,按照随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组。对照组给予基础治疗,观察组以对照组为基础加用呋塞米联合硝普钠注射液治疗。治疗后,观察和比较两组的临床疗效、治疗前后血清B型脑钠肽(BNP)、C-反应蛋白(CRP)水平及心功能[左室射血分数(LVEF)、左室舒张末容积指数(LVEDVI)、左室收缩末容积指数(LVESVI)、左室舒张早期与晚期充盈速度比值(E/A)]的变化。结果:治疗后,观察组总有效率(91.1%)明显高于对照组(66.7%)(P0.05)。与治疗前相比,两组患者治疗后的血清BNP、CRP、LVEDVI、LVESVI水平均明显低于治疗前,LVEF、E/A明显高于治疗前(P0.05);与对照组相比,观察组治疗后血清BNP、CRP、LVEDVI、LVESVI水平均明显降低,LVEF、E/A显著升高(P0.05)。两组治疗期间均未发生严重不良反应。结论:与常规治疗相比,呋塞米联合硝普钠注射液治疗顽固性心力衰竭患者可更有效改善其心功能,提高其临床疗效,且安全性高。     

Prognostic prediction in acute heart failure patients with extreme BNP values

Background: Some patients have good prognosis despite elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), while others have ominous outcome with low BNP. We aimed at characterising these groups of patients.

Methods: We analysed patients prospectively included in an acute HF registry. Vital status within 1-year post discharge was ascertained. A receiver–operating characteristic curve was used to define discharge BNP cut-offs for 1-year death prediction. Among survivors, we compared patients with low and not-low BNP (cut-off 400?pg/mL); and among non-survivors those with high vs not-high BNP (cut-off 2000?pg/mL). In the specific subgroups of patients with low and high BNP, mortality predictors were assessed with multivariate Cox-regression analysis.

Results: We studied 584 patients, median age 78 years, 62.5% had HF with reduced ejection fraction; and 199 (34.1%) died during the first year. Non-survivors were very homogeneous irrespective of BNP, survivors were substantially different. In patients discharged with BNP <400?pg/mL, increasing age independently predicted death; when BNP ≥2000?pg/mL death predictors were higher NYHA class, and non-use of evidence-based therapy. BNP was outcome associated in both groups.

Conclusions: Different prognostic predictors may play a role in different BNP levels. We suggest that risk stratification in HF would probably be more accurate if made on top of BNP knowledge.     

益气养阴活血化瘀方对心力衰竭合并房颤患者血清CRP，BNP，CK-MB及cTnI水平的影响及其疗效观察

目的:探讨益气养阴活血化瘀方治疗心力衰竭合并房颤的临床疗效。方法:收集2014年3月-2015年9月我院收治的158例充血性心力衰竭合并房颤的患者158例为研究对象,随机分为对照组和实验组,每组79例。对照组患者采取常规治疗,实验组患者采用益气养阴活血化瘀方治疗。观察并比较两组患者治疗前后超敏C反应蛋白(CRP)、脑钠素(BNP),CK-MB及肌钙蛋白(cTnI)水平的变化情况。结果:治疗后,与对照组相比,实验组LVEDD、LVESD明显低于对照组,而LVEF明显增高,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);治疗后实验组患者的CK-MB、pro-BNP、cTnI及CRP水平明显低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。实验组随访末期死亡率、非致死性心力衰竭及心源性休克发生率均低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);随访末期内建立侧支循环明显多于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:益气养阴活血化瘀方可以有效抑制充血性心力衰竭合并房颤患者术后心脏重塑,改善左心室收缩功能,降低不良事件发生。     

Repairing a "broken heart" with hormone replacement therapy: case report of cardiogenic shock due to undiagnosed pituitary insufficiency

ObjectivesTo indicate cardiogenic shock as a very rare but serious clinical consequence of untreated panhypopituitarism attributable to Sheehan syndrome; to emphasize the importance of eliciting a detailed endocrine and obstetric history in women presenting with idiopathic heart failure; to highlight the diagnostic shortcomings of screening for thyroid dysfunction solely with thyroidstimulating hormone determinations; and to report the reversibility of severe heart failure induced by longterm pituitary insufficiency.MethodsDescribed is a case report of a 35yearold woman who presented with severe congestive heart failure, hypotension, and confusion. Her 2dimensional echocardiogram revealed appreciable systolic and diastolic dysfunction. In screening for possible endocrine causes of heart failure, a normal thyroidstimulating hormone level of 0.72 mIU/L (reference range, 0.35 to 5.5) was unremarkable; however, a profoundly low free thyroxine level of 0.12 ng/dL (reference range, 0.9 to 1.8) led clinicians to pursue a workup of central hypothyroidism.ResultsEndocrine testing confirmed the presence of panhypopituitarism and adrenal insufficiency. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed empty sella syndrome. Further questioning of the patient revealed a history of extensive postpartum bleeding 15 years earlier, failure to lactate, and secondary amenorrhea—all consistent with undiagnosed Sheehan syndrome. In the hospital, the patient was treated with intravenously administered corticosteroids and levothyroxine. Her mental status and symptomatic heart failure improved dramatically. After 9 months of oral levothyroxine and glucocorticoid therapy, the patient remained asymptomatic, and repeated echocardiography indicated completely normalized cardiac function.ConclusionSevere heart failure and cardiogenic shock can be a very rare (but fortunately reversible) complication of longstanding panhypopituitarism resulting from undiagnosed Sheehan syndrome. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18:e26e31)     

连续负荷量新活素治疗难治性心力衰竭患者的临床疗效观察

目的:探讨连续负荷量新活素治疗难治性心力衰竭患者的临床疗效。方法:选取我院收治的65例难治性心力衰竭患者,随机分为两组。对照组在常规治疗的基础上加用硝酸甘油注射液,观察组在常规治疗的基础上加用新活素,比较两组的疗效,治疗前和治疗后24、36、48 h的肺动脉楔压(PAWP)、肺动脉压(PAP)、血清高敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP),脑利钠肽(BNP)水平的变化。结果:治疗后,观察组有效率为87.9%,显著高于对照组(65.6%,P0.05)。两组患者治疗后24、36、48 h的PAWP和PAP降低值逐渐增加,且观察组PAWP和PAP降低值均显著高于对照组同时点(P0.05)。两组治疗后24、36、48 h血清hs-CRP、BNP水平随着时间延长而逐渐下降(P0.05),观察组治疗后24、36、48 h的血清hs-CRP、BNP水平均低于对照组同时点(P0.05)。结论:在基础治疗之上,给予连续负荷量新活素对于治疗难治性心力衰竭可提高治疗效果,减轻心脏前负荷,降低hs-CRP,BNP水平,改善心肌重构。     

血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1与老年心力衰竭患者相关性分析

摘要 目的：探讨血清中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（NLR）、生长分化因子-15（GDF-15）及瞬时受体电位通道1（TRPC1）与老年心力衰竭患者相关性。方法：选取我院2020年1月到2022年10月收治的100例老年慢性心力衰竭患者作为研究对象,将其分为心力衰竭组,另选取同期来我院体检的101名健康老年人作为对照组,98例心律失常老年患者作为心律失常组,对比三组受检者血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1水平,并应用受试者工作（ROC）曲线分析血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1对老年慢性心力衰竭的诊断价值。并依照NYHA心功能分级标准对100例心力衰竭患者进行评价,其中Ⅱ级23例,Ⅲ级38例,Ⅳ级39例,对比不同心功能分级患者血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1表达水平,应用Spearman相关分析分析血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1与老年心力衰竭患者心功能的相关性。结果：三组受检者血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1水平对比差异显著,心力衰竭组明显高于心律失常组和对照组（P＜0.05）;通过绘制ROC曲线,分析表1中组间具有明显差异的指标,确定其对老年心力衰竭的诊断效能,结果显示,曲线下面积（AUC）从依次为NLR（0.688）、GDF-15（0.667）、TRPC1（0.656）、三者联合（0.671）。NLR诊断灵敏度为67.61 %,特异度为66.85 %,GDF-15诊断灵敏度为60.03 %,特异度为67.53 %,TRPC1诊断灵敏度为61.24 %,特异度为66.53 %,三者联合诊断灵敏度为74.58 %,特异度为86.32 %;不同级别心功能的心力衰竭患者血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1水平对比差异显著,Ⅳ级心功能明显高于Ⅲ级、Ⅱ级（P＜0.05）;Spearman相关分析结果显示：NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1水平与老年心力衰竭患者心功能呈正相关（P＜0.05）。结论：血清NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1三者联合对于老年心力衰竭诊断灵敏度和特异度较高,且与患者心功能具有明显相关性,临床可考虑应用NLR、GDF-15及TRPC1作为超声心动图补充诊断手段,为临床诊断提供参考意见。     

Angiotensin II,as well as 5-hydroxytriptamine,is a potent vasospasm inducer of saphenous vein graft for coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an important risk factor for adverse outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting. The bypass grafts harvested from patients with DM tend to go into spasm after their implantation into the coronary circulation. To clarify the contribution of 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) and angiotensin II (AngII) in the bypass graft spasm, we examined the contractile reactivity to 5-HT or AngII of isolated human endothelium-denuded saphenous vein (SV) harvested from DM and non-DM patients. The 5-HT-induced constriction of the SV was significantly augmented in the DM group than in the non-DM group, which is similar to our previous report. AngII-induced constriction of the SV was also significantly augmented in the DM group than the non-DM group. Especially in the non-DM group, the AngII-induced maximal vasoconstriction was markedly lower than the 5-HT-induced one. Meanwhile, the increasing rates of AngII-induced vasoconstriction in the DM group to the non-DM group were significantly greater than those of 5-HT-induced vasoconstriction. These results indicate that 5-HT is a potent inducer of SV graft spasm in both DM and non-DM patients, while AngII is a potent inducer of SV graft spasm only in patients with DM. Furthermore, the protein level of AngII AT₁ receptor (AT₁R), but not the protein level of 5-HT_2A receptor, in the membrane fraction of the SV smooth muscle cells of DM patients was significantly increased as compared with that of the non-DM patients. These results suggest that the mechanism for hyperreactivity to AngII in the SV from DM patients is due to, at least in part, the increase in the amount of AT₁R on membrane of the SV smooth muscle cells.     

Regulation of expression of atrial and brain natriuretic peptide,biomarkers for heart development and disease

The mammalian heart expresses two closely related natriuretic peptide (NP) hormones, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). The excretion of the NPs and the expression of their genes strongly respond to a variety of cardiovascular disorders. NPs act to increase natriuresis and decrease vascular resistance, thereby decreasing blood volume, systemic blood pressure and afterload. Plasma levels of BNP are used as diagnostic and prognostic markers for hypertrophy and heart failure (HF), and both ANF and BNP are widely used in biomedical research to assess the hypertrophic response in cell culture or the development of HF related diseases in animal models. Moreover, ANF and BNP are used as specific markers for the differentiating working myocardium in the developing heart, and the ANF promoter serves as platform to investigate gene regulatory networks during heart development and disease. However, despite decades of research, the mechanisms regulating the NP genes during development and disease are not well understood. Here we review current knowledge on the regulation of expression of the genes for ANF and BNP and their role as biomarkers, and give future directions to identify the in vivo regulatory mechanisms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Heart failure pathogenesis and emerging diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.     

Low bone turnover in premenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus as an early process of diabetes-associated bone alterations: a cross-sectional study

Background

Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) are at increased risk for fracture due to the decrease in bone strength and quality. Serum procollagen type I intact N-terminal (P1NP) and serum C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) as markers of bone formation and resorption, respectively, have been reported to be decreased in T2DM. It remains unclear whether diabetes-associated alterations in the bone turnover of T2DM individuals are related to the longer duration of the disease or may occur earlier. Furthermore, previous studies on BTMs in T2DM individuals have mostly been done in postmenopausal women with T2DM, which might have masked the DM-induced alterations of bone turnover with concurrent estrogen deficiency. This study aims to assess the levels of serum P1NP and CTX as markers of bone turnover in premenopausal women with and without T2DM.

Methods

This cross-sectional study involves 41 premenopausal women with T2DM, and 40 premenopausal women without DM. Sampling was done consecutively. P1NP and CTX measurement was done using the electrochemi-luminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) method. Other data collected include levels of HbA1C, ALT, creatinine, eGFR and lipid profile.

Results

Median (interquartile range) P1NP in T2DM is 29.9 ng/ml (24.7–41.8 ng/ml), while in non-DM is 37.3 ng/ml, (30.8–47.3 ng/ml; p?=?0.007). Median (interquartile range) CTX in T2DM is 0.161 ng/ml (0.106–0.227 ng/ml), while in non-DM is 0.202 ng/ml (0.166–0.271 ng/ml; p?=?0.0035). Levels of P1NP and CTX in the T2DM group did not correlate with the duration of disease, age, BMI or the levels of HbA1C.

Conclusions

Premenopausal women with T2DM indeed have lower bone turnover when compared with non-DM controls. This significantly lower bone turnover process starts relatively early in the premenopausal age, independent of the duration of DM. Gaining understanding of the early pathophysiology of altered bone turnover may be key in developing preventive strategies for diabetoporosis.