Plasma gelsolin as a biomarker of acute rheumatic carditis. (18th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Argun, Mustafa; Baykan, Ali; Narin, Figen; Özyurt, Abdullah; Pamukçu, Özge; Elmalı, Ferhan; Üzüm, Kazım; Narin, Nazmi
• Is Part Of: Cardiology in the young. Volume 25:Number 7(2015)
• Page Start: 1276
• Page End: 1280
• Publication Date: 2014-11-18
• Subjects: Pediatric cardiology -- Periodicals; 618.9212
• DOI: 10.1017/S1047951114002327
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1047-9511

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="abs1" sec-type="general"> <title>Background</title> <p>Acute rheumatic fever is an autoimmune, inflammatory, and multi-systemic disease secondary to pharyngitis and is caused by group A streptococcus. In developing countries, acute rheumatic fever is the most common cause of acquired heart disease. Gelsolin is a calcium-dependent, multi-functional actin-regulatory protein circulating in the plasma of healthy human beings. The correlation between blood gelsolin levels and inflammatory conditions suggests the potential benefit of gelsolin as a prognostic marker. The aim of the present study was to appraise the association of gelsolin and acute rheumatic carditis in childhood.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs2" sec-type="methods"> <title>Materials and Methods</title> <p>Plasma gelsolin levels were measured and echocardiographic examinations were performed in patients (n=37) with acute rheumatic carditis and compared with those of age- and gender-matched healthy controls (n=24).</p> </sec> <sec id="abs3" sec-type="results"> <title>Results</title> <p>The plasma gelsolin levels in children with acute rheumatic carditis were significantly lower compared with controls (197±218 versus 322±255 mg/L, p=0.039). There was a significant correlation among gelsolin levels and the grade of mitral regurgitation (p=0.030), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (p=0.017), and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (p=0.028) at diagnosis.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs4" sec-type="conclusions"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Levels of the gelsolin plasma isoform were decreased in patients with acute rheumatic carditis compared with healthy controls. Gelsolin may be used as a biochemical marker for acute rheumatic carditis.</p> </sec> </abstract>