title: Patterns of serological markers for cellular immune activation in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and chronic myocarditis.
abstract: We determined serum concentrations of neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin, soluble markers of cellular immune activation, in 27 patients with either dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) or chronic myocarditis. Neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin concentrations were respectively increased in 2 and 5 of 11 patients with DCM and in 11 and 9 of 16 patients with chronic myocarditis. A higher cardiac functional class (according to the New York Heart Association) was associated with greater neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin concentrations. During follow-up of patients, both neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin concentrations in serum correlated with the course of disease. Additionally, correlations were significant between left ventricular functional tests (end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and ejection fraction) and neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin concentrations. We conclude that measurement of neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin are useful to monitor disease development in patients with myocardial inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Cardiology, All-Union Cardiology Research Center, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samsonov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reibnegger
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Belenkov
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Nassonov
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wachter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000276:immunology*; D019798:Neopterin; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin