RESUMEN
Objective:To observe the correlation between serum immunoglobulins levels with the disease severity and nutritional indexes in elderly patients with heart failure.Methods:The clinical data of 53 elderly patients with heart failure (observation group) from October 2020 to January 2022 in the Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University Medical College were retrospectively analyzed, and 53 cases of health examination at the same time were selected as the control group. The disease severity was assessed by a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and nutritional status was assessed by nutritional index. The serum levels of IgA, IgM and IgG were measured by PUZS-300 fully automated biochemical analyzer; the serum nutrient indexes were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, including total protein, albumin and proalbumin. Pearson method was used for correlation test; the value of IgA, IgM and IgG in predicting disease severity in elderly patients with heart failure was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:The IgA, IgM and IgG in observed group were significantly higher than those in control group: (4.31 ± 1.50) g/L vs. (1.63 ± 0.71) g/L, (18.50 ± 3.93) g/L vs. (11.33 ± 1.12) g/L and (4.58 ± 1.26) g/L vs. (1.96 ± 0.36) g/L, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01). The 6MWT result showed that 23 cases were with mild status, 18 cases moderate, and 12 cases severe. The IgA, IgM and IgG in moderate and severe patients were significantly higher than those in mild patients: (4.34 ± 0.78) and (6.38 ± 0.91) g/L vs. (3.23 ± 0.94) g/L, (18.90 ± 2.09) and (23.81 ± 2.78) g/L vs. (15.44 ± 2.03) g/L, (4.77 ± 0.56) and (6.47 ± 0.34) g/L vs. (3.45 ± 0.44) g/L, the indexes in severe patients were significantly higher than those in moderate patients, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis result showed that IgA, IgM and IgG were positively correlated with disease severity in elderly patients with heart failure ( r = 0.801, 0.830 and 0.925; P<0.01). The nutritional index result showed that malnutrition was in 25 cases, and normal nutrition in 28 cases. The IgA, IgM and IgG in patients with malnutrition were significantly higher than those in patients with normal nutrition: (4.89 ± 0.80) g/L vs. (1.98 ± 0.69) g/L, (19.45 ± 2.01) g/L vs. (12.01 ± 1.28) g/L and (4.88 ± 0.59) g/L vs. (2.01 ± 0.47) g/L, the nutritional index, total protein, albumin and proalbumin were significantly lower than those in patients with normal nutrition: (49.44 ± 6.98) scores vs. (58.34 ± 8.12) scores, (62.87 ± 5.20) g/L vs. (66.74 ± 4.54) g/L, (33.21 ± 2.64) g/L vs. (39.12 ± 3.11) g/L and (185.55 ± 16.72) mg/L vs. (196.33 ± 18.90) mg/L, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01 or <0.05). Pearson correlation analysis result showed that the IgA and IgM were negatively correlated with nutritional index, total protein, albumin and proalbumin in elderly patients with heart failure (IgA: r = - 0.456, - 0.353, -0.620 and -0.281; IgM: r = -0.445, -0.327, -0.611 and -0.321; P<0.01 or <0.05); IgG was negatively correlated with nutritional index, total protein and albumin ( r = - 0.425, - 0.359 and - 0.646; P<0.01), and it had no correlation with proalbumin ( P>0.05). ROC curve analysis result showed that the areas under the curve of IgA, IgM and IgG in predicting disease severity in elderly patients with heart failure were 0.891, 0.943 and 0.838, sensitivity of 76.70%, 90.00% and 73.33%, and specificity of 87.00%, 87.00% and 100.00%. Conclusions:The serum levels of IgA, IgM and IgG increased significantly in elderly patients with heart failure, who were also with abnormal immune function and decreased nutritional status. The serum levels of IgA, IgM and IgG correlate with disease severity and nutritional indexes.