title: Serum copper as a marker of inflammation in prediction of short term outcome in high risk patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxidative process and inflammation are regarded as important factors in the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure. Our study was aimed at investigating the prognostic value of serum copper levels in high risk subjects with chronic heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum copper levels and other prognostic indicators were determined in the group of 60 patients with chronic heart failure due to ischemic heart disease: 30 consecutive subjects with acute decompensation of chronic heart failure (acute group A) and 30 patients with chronic stable heart failure (group B). Patients were followed prospectively 12 months. Primary end-point was the mean time to death and/or heart failure hospital admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time to death was in the group A 279.4+/-18.9 days and 351.7+/-13.6 days in the group B (p<0.0001). Cox proportional hazard model revealed that the time to death for all subjects (n=60) was affected by cardiothoracic ratio (p<0.001). The time to combined end-point death or hospital admission was affected by serum copper concentration (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum copper levels predicted short term outcome in high risk patients with chronic heart failure.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jiresova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dohnalova
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koprivova
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spacek
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003300:Copper