Association of pentraxin-3 with the severity of rheumatic mitral valve stenosis

Abstract

Objectives Infl ammation is involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatic mitral valve stenosis (RMVS). Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) indicates the infl ammatory state of humans. However, circulating PTX3 levels in patients with RMVS, remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether there is an association between the severity of RMVS and PTX3.

Methods All patients diagnosed as rheumatic mitral valvular stenosis between December 2013 and April 2014 were included in the study. We investigated circulating PTX3 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in patients with RMVS and healthy controls.

Results The study population included 72 subjects (41 patients with RMVS and 31 healthy subjects, 56 female) with a mean age of 40 ± 13 years. Patients with RMVS had higher left atrial diameters than healthy subjects. PTX3 and hsCRP were signifi cantly higher in patients with RMVS when compared to control subjects and this diff erence was more signifi cant in PTX3 compared to hsCRP (3.37 ± 1.11 vs 2.86 ± 0.59, P= 0.014 and 2.36 ± 1.48 vs 1.72 ± 0.73, P= 0.019, respectively). PTX3 was positively correlated with Wilkins score, mitral valvular area, mitral pressure gradient and left atrium diameter.

Conclusions We demonstrated that plasma PTX3 and hsCRP levels were increased in patients with RMVS. Compared to hsCRP, PTX3 was more closely related with the severity of mitral valve stenosis. These fi ndings suggest that PTX3 may participate in the pathophysiology of RMVS.

Key Words:

• Rheumatic valve disease
• mitral stenosis
• inflammation
• pentraxin
• C-reactive protein.