title: Higher Plasma Myostatin Levels in Cor Pulmonale Secondary to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze plasma myostatin levels and investigate their relationship with right ventricular (RV) function in patients with cor pulmonale secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study recruited 81 patients with advanced COPD and 40 age-matched controls. The patients were divided into two groups: those with cor pulmonale and those without. Echocardiography was used to evaluate RV function and morphology, and the value of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) less than 16 mm was considered RV dysfunction. Plasma myostatin levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were analyzed as a comparison of myostatin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data detected cor pulmonale in 39/81 patients, with the mean value of TAPSE of 14.3 mm. Plasma myostatin levels (ng/mL) were significantly higher in patients with cor pulmonale (16.68 ± 2.95) than in those without (13.56 ± 3.09), and much higher than in controls (8.79±2.79), with each p<0.01. Significant differences were also found in plasma BNP levels among the three groups (p<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis suggested that myostatin levels were significantly correlated with the values of TAPSE and RV myocardium performance index among the COPD patients, and that BNP levels were significantly correlated only with systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, with each p<0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma myostatin levels are increased in COPD patients who have cor pulmonale. Stronger correlations of plasma myostatin levels with echocardiographic indexes of the right heart suggest that myostatin might be superior to BNP in the early diagnosis of cor pulmonale in COPD.
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of the Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of the Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of the Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Heng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of the Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Ya
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of the Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Rong-Chang
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055435:Myostatin / Q000097:blood*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: C525911:MSTN protein, human; D055435:Myostatin; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain