title: Mitral valve restenosis after percutaneous transmitral valvuloplasty, role of continuous inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High sensitive C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) is increased in acute and chronic rheumatic fever (RF), but is unknown whether serum levels of hs-CRP is correlated with late restenosis of mitral valve (MV) after Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC). The aim of this study is to determine relationship between hs-CRP and MV restenosis 48-36 months after performing PTMC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 50 patients who had undergone PTMC due to rheumatic etiology (41 female, 9 male; mean age 46 ± 11, range 27-71), all followed up on an out patients basis 36 months after PTMC, were included in the study. The hs-CRP was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No association was found between hs-CRP level and mean transmitral valve gradient 36 months after PTMC, MV area by planimetry, pulmonary artery systolic pressure, mitral regurgitation grade, left atrial diameter, atrial fibrillation (AF) rhythm and Wilkins score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study have shown that there is no association between hs-CRP and MV restenosis in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) who underwent PTMC. Therefore, it has been postulated that inflammation is not a cause of post PTMC restenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ostovan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aslani
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abounajmi
authors.affiliation: School of Management and Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Vida
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Razazi
keywords: C-Reactive Protein (CRP); Inflammation; PTMC