RESUMO
Objective To investigate the value of the serum heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) in the assessment of cardiac function in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD).Methods Forty-five RHD patients hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University from January 2016 to December 2016 were selected as the observation group.In addition,45 subjects with normal cardiac function in the same period were selected as control group.The levels of serum H-FABP,B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP),left ventricular end-diastolic dimension(LVEDD),left ventricular end-systolic dimension(LVESD) and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) were compared in the groups.The correlation between serum H-FABP and BNP,cardiac function classification was analyzed.Results The serum H-FABP and BNP levels and LVEDD,LVESD in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P ＜ 0.05),but the LVEF in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P ＜ 0.05).There were significant differences in the serum H-FABP,BNP levels and LVEDD,LVESD,LVEF among the patients with class Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ of heart function (P ＜0.05).The serum H-FABP,BNP levels and LVEDD,LVESD in the patients with class Ⅲ and Ⅳ of heart function were significantly higher than those in the patients with class Ⅱ of heart function(P ＜ 0.05);but the LVEF in the patients with class Ⅲand Ⅳ of heart function was significantly lower than that in the patients with class Ⅱ of heart function(P ＜0.05).Compared with the patients with class Ⅲ of heart function,the serum H-FABP,BNP levels and LVEDD,LVESD in the patients with class Ⅳ of heart function were significantly higher(P ＜ 0.05);but the LVEF in the patients with class Ⅳ of heart function was significantly lower(P ＜ 0.05).The serum H-FABP level was positively correlated with serum BNP level,LVEDD and LVESD in the observation group (r =0.579,0.743,0.740;P ＜ 0.05).but it was negatively correlated with LVEF (r =-0.801,P ＜0.05).Conclusion The serum H-FABP level increases with the aggravation of heart failure in patients with RHD.It can be used as an important index to evaluate the heart function and prognosis of RHD patients.