Objective To evaluate the cardiac function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) by using echocardiography.Methods Three hundred and twenty eight COPD patients and 60 age and gender-matched healthy subjects ( control group ) were enrolled in the study. According to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease ( GOLD ) criteria, patients were as classified as mild (n=102), moderate (n=85), severe (n=80) and very severe (61).All participants underwent conventional echocardiography and two dimensional-speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) to assess cardiac function.Results The LVEF was reduced significantly, while the PASP was increased in severe and very severe COPD patients [(60.9 ±2.0)% and (59.4 ±2.8)%, t value:3.358, 4.859 to normal controls, 5.247, 6.641 to mild, 3.280, 4.863 to moderate, respectively, all P<0.001].The LA size was dilated in very severe COPD patients [(3.9 ±0.5) cm, t value: -2.407, -2.625, -2.071,-2.186, P<0.05 ] , and the RVEF was significantly less than those of the other patients [ ( 42.8 ± 7.3)%,t value: 6.357, 6.832, 5.581, 4.639, P<0.05 ] .The right ventricular FAC of moderate or severe COPD patients and the segmental and global LS of left and right ventricular in COPD patients were significantly lower than those in the normal controls, and which were gradually decreased as GOLD classification rising [ RVFAC, moderate: ( 37.7 ±2.0 )%, severe: ( 35.5 ±3.2 ) %, very severe:(34.0 ±3.1) %, t value: -4.616, -5.982, -7.195, respectively; LSLVg, moderate: ( -18.62 ± 1.76) %, severe: ( -17.15 ±0.73 ) %, very severe: ( -16.51 ±0.89 ) %, t value: -9.389,-15.494, -16.873, respectively;LSRVg, moderate:(-20.52 ±2.27) %, severe:(-18.84 ±1.38)%, very severe:(-16.82 ±1.10) %, t value:-8.555, -13.595, -18.499, respectively, all P<0.001].Besides, the FAC of COPD patients was positively correlated with the RVEF (r =0.676,P <0.05), while the RVLSg was negatively correlated with the FAC and RVEF (r=-0.677, -0.591,all P<0.05) .Conclusions There were left and right ventricular dysfunction in COPD patients, which decreased as GOLD classification upgraded. The FAC and 2D-STE can effectively detect the subtle abnormalities of regional and global ventricular function.

Objective:To investigate whether short chain fatty acid(SCFAs) intervention has an antidepressant effect by improving gut microbiota dysregulation and regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB inflammatory pathway in depression model mice.Methods:Totally 60 SPF grade male C57BL/6 J mice aged 6-8 weeks were randomly divided into three groups: control group, depression model group, and SCFAs group, with 20 mice in each group.The mice in depression model group and SCFAs group were given the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) stimulations for 8 weeks to establish the depression model.From the 6th week, SCFAs group mice were given a mixed solution of short chain fatty acid salts for drinking, until modeling was completed, meanwhile mice in the model group were given 0.78% NaCl solution for drinking.The depression-like behavior was assessed using the sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swimming test (FST) following modeling, and the open field test (OFT) was employed to evaluate the anxiety-like behavior of mice.16S rRNA gene sequence was used to analyze the gut microbiota of mice.The activation of astrocytes and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB inflammatory pathway in hippocampus was determined by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical analysis, one-way ANOVA was used for comparison among the three groups, and LSD- t test was used for further pairwise comparisons. Results:There were statistically significant differences in the sugar water preference rate, the immobility time in FST, and the percentage of activity time in OFT among the three groups ( F=10.554, 10.912, 12.599, all P<0.05).The the sugar water preference rate and the percentage of activity time in OFT of the depression model group were both lower than those of the control group (both P<0.05), and the immobility time in FST was higher than that of the control group ( P<0.05).The sugar water preference rate in SCFAs group((84.7±3.5)%, (75.3±6.0)%)and the percentage of activity time in OFT((7.4±1.4)%, (3.2±0.9)%) were both higher than those in the depression model group(both P<0.05 ), while the immobility time in FST was shorter than that in the depression model group((110.5±21.5) s, (148.0±20.1) s, P<0.05).There was a statistical difference in the β diversity of gut microbiota among three groups ( P=0.001).At the family level, compared with the depression model group, the relative abundance of Rikenellaceaee and Bacteroidaceae increased in the SCFAs group, while the relative abundance of Clostridia_UCG-014 decreased.At the genus level, the relative abundance of Clostridia_UCG-014 and Prevotella decreased, while the relative abundance of Alistipes increased (all P<0.05).The immunofluorescence results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in GFAP expression levels among the three groups of mice ( F=16.565, P=0.004).The GFAP expression in the depression model group was higher than that in the control group and SCFAs group (both P<0.05).The Western blot results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the expression levels of TLR4, MYD88, and NF-κB ptoteins in the hippocampal tissue of the three groups ( F=70.59, 174.39, 14.40, all P<0.05).The protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in the depression model group were all higher than those in the control group and SCFAs group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:SCFAs can ameliorate the depressive-like behavior in depression model mice and reduce the activation of astrocytes in the hippocampus, which may be associated with the improvement of dysregulated gut microbiota and down-regulation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway protein.