title: Relationship of urocortin-2 with systolic and diastolic functions and coronary artery disease: an observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The urocortin (Ucn) hormones have many important roles in the cardiovascular system. Apart from systolic dysfunction (SD), there is no sufficient data on the relationship between serum Ucn-2 and diastolic dysfunction (DD), or coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated serum Ucn-2 levels in SD, DD, and CAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this observational cross-sectional study, study population was enrolled among outpatients who underwent coronary angiography with the pre-diagnosis of CAD. By examining the echocardiography 86 subjects were selected to study after coronary angiography. The subjects distributed over three groups to investigate the relationship between serum Ucn-2 and SD according to their ejection fraction (EF): subjects with moderate to severe SD (Group A, EF=33.6%), subjects with mild to moderate SD (Group B, EF=46.1%), and those without SD (Group C, EF=64.5%). Apart from these groups, the serum Ucn-2 levels were compared between subjects with and without DD (EF≥45%), and also compared between subjects with and without CAD (EF≥55%). Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, Spearman correlation and multiple regression analyses tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum Ucn-2 levels were decreased in Group A and were increased in Group B compared to Group C (9.4±3.4, 12.8±3.6 vs. 10.4±3.9 pg/mL, respectively, p=0.003). Unlike SD; there was no significant difference in serum Ucn-2 levels between subjects with and without DD (11.4±4.1 vs 11.7±3.9 pg/mL, p=0.8) or CAD (10.7±4.7 vs 10.2±3.2 pg/mL, p=0.7).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ucn-2 is elevated in mild to moderate SD. But, DD (impaired relaxation pattern), or CAD (without myocardial infarction) seems to have no effect on Ucn-2 hormone levels.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Cardiology, Müjde Hospital, Malatya-Turkey. ergun2010@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ergün
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Topal
authors.forename: Jülide
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yağmur
authors.forename: Barış
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Otlu
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ataş
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cansel
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Açıkgöz
authors.forename: Necip
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ermiş
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013599:Systole; D054832:Urocortins / Q000097:blood*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D054832:Urocortins