ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in the myocardial tissue of mice with viral myocarditis (VMC).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Balb/c mice were infected with coxsackie virus B3 (CVB3) to establish VMC model. The mice were divided into control group (n = 50) and VMC group (n = 50). on days 4, 7, 14 and 21 after infection, heart specimens of 8 mice were randomly taken and examined after HE staining for myocardial necrosis and cellular infiltration. The area of positive Masson stained myocardium collagen fibers was measured, and collagen volume fraction (CVF) was measured. Then the level of serum creatine phosphokinase-MB (CKMB) was determined. The levels of CTGF and TGF-β₁ were detected by streptavidin peroxidase immunoperoxidase technique. Expression of CTGF and TGF-β₁ were detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). At the same time, the correlations were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>(1) The level of CKMB peaked on day 7, and decreased afterwards (455.45 ± 37.95, 606.95 ± 35.64, 573.62 ± 42.90, 308.60 ± 20.49, respectively, 4 - 21 d points), in which 4, 7, 14 d points, there was significant difference compared with control group (t = 6.144, 12.558, 11.182, respectively, P < 0.01). (2) CVF increased significantly on day 14 (8.22 ± 1.95, t = 4.486, P < 0.01) and day 21 (9.46 ± 1.87, t = 4.486, P < 0.01) in VMC group. (3) Measured by streptavidin peroxidase immunoperoxidase technique, the levels of CTGF (171.50 ± 10.25, 141.70 ± 10.863, 110.35 ± 11.051, 81.05 ± 10.190, respectively, 4 - 21 d points) and TGF-β₁ (184.90 ± 11.480, 150.25 ± 9.915, 103.50 ± 10.455, 84.15 ± 9.848, respectively, 4 - 21 d points) increased after day 4 in VMC (P < 0.01). (4) Measured by RT-PCR, the expression of CTGF mRNA and TGF-β₁ increased in VMC group, and the increase was enhanced with the disease development (P < 0.01). (5) The expression of CTGF and TGF-β₁ was positively linearly correlated (r = 0.987, P < 0.01), the expression of CTGF was negatively correlated with CVF (r = -0.901, P < 0.01), but the expression of CTGF was detected earlier than myocardial fibrosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The increase of CTGF expression was associated with the severity of myocardial fibrosis in VMC. These results suggest that abnormal expression of CTGF may take part in the development of fibrosis in VMC.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Mice , Connective Tissue Growth Factor , Metabolism , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Myocarditis , Metabolism , Pathology , Virology , Myocardium , Metabolism , Pathology , Transforming Growth Factor beta1 , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the ECG features in children with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and related factors for the occurrence of arrhythmia secondary to DCM.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data from 68 children with DCM from January 1998 to March 2011 were studied. The children were classified into three groups: severe arrhythmia (n=42), non-severe arrhythmia (n=20) and non-arrhythmia (n=6). Left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVED), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Abnormal ECG results were found in all of the 68 children with DCM. Sinus tachycardia (91%) and ectopic pulsatile (86%) were common. LVED in the severe arrhythmia group (74±6 mm) was greater than that in the non-severe arrhythmia group (65±4 mm; P<0.05) and non-arrhythmia group (61±3 mm; P<0.05). LVED in the non-severe arrhythmia group was also greater than that in the non-arrhythmia group (P<0.05). LVEF and LVFS in the severe arrhythmia group were (30±11)% and (22±4)%, respectively, which were lower than those in the non-severe arrhythmia group［(37±12)% and (28±5)%, respectively］and non-arrhythmia group［(45±9)% and (34±7)%, respectively］(P<0.05). There were also significant differences in the LVEF and LVFS between the non-severe arrhythmia and non-arrhythmia groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The common abnormal ECG findings are sinus tachycardia and ectopic pulsatile in children with DCM. Arrhythmia is one of the main clinical manifestations of DCM. The occurrence of arrhythmia is associated with the left ventricular size and heart function.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Arrhythmias, Cardiac , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated , ElectrocardiographyABSTRACT
Objective To determine the correlation of plasma brain natriuretic peptide(BNP) with severe degree of dilated cardiomyopathy in children.Methods Thirty children with dilated cardiomyopathy and 30 healthy subjects were selected in this degree of study, plasma BNP concentration was measured and compared among groups by using t test.Correlation of BNP levels with left ventricular ejection fraction and heart function was investigated using linear regression analysis.Results Children with dilated cardiomyopathy had significantly higher mean BNP levels compared with healthy children [(429.4?270.2) ng/L vs (67.0?10.2) ng/L].Significantly positive correlations were found between BNP and heart classification(r=0.950 P