ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the association between the level of plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9) with incidence and severity of calcified aortic valve disease(CAVD).Methods:We prospectively recruited 120 CAVD patients with at least increased echo density and 40 control patients by transthoracic echocardiography.All patients were grouped by CT quantitative scoring system:aortic valve calcification (AVC)1,2,3 and 4.Calcium score of aortic valve were calculated.Total cholesterol (TC),low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),triglyceride (TG), carrying lipoprotein A1 (apo A1) and apolipoprotein B (apo B),lipoprotein (a) {LP (a)} and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were detected by biochemical analyzer.Plasma PCSK9 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The re-lationship between AVC and plasma PCSK9 level,blood lipid,Apo A1,Apo B and hsCRP was analyzed.Results:The data indicated that Apo,B Lp(a) and LDL-C levels in AVC2-4 level was significantly higher than that of AVC1(P<0.05),while TG,APO,A1 HDL-C and hsCRP were not different significantly in the four groups.The levels of TC in group AVC3 and AVC4 were significantly higher than those in group AVC1(P<0.05).At the same time,the patients of grade AVC2-4 have higher level of plasma PCSK9 than patients of group AVC1(P<0.05).Correlation analysis was performed and aortic valve calcium score were significantly correlated with TC (r=0.248,P=0.026),LDL-C (r=0.222,P=0.048),Lp(a) (r=0.276,P=0.013),Apo A1(r=0.245,P=0.012),Apo B(r=0.212, P=0.019) and PCSK9(r=0.309,P=0.005) in all study subjects.PCSK9 was positively correlated with TC,LDL,LP (a),Apo A1, Apo,and no correlation with hsCRP (B).Conclusion:The level of PCSK9 in CAVD patients was significantly higher than that in control group.And there is an association of PCSK9 levels with the presence of CAVD,however.