BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Spontaneous progression of severe congestive heart failure is structurally characterized by cellular degeneration and multiple foci of myocardial cell death. The cardiac troponin I (cTnI), one of the subunits of the troponin regulatory complex, binds to actin and inhibits interaction between actin and myosin. cTnI is uniquely expressed in the adult human myocardium, and an increase in its circulating levels is highly indicative of myocardial injury. In this study, we addressed the usefulness of cTnI as a sensitive and specific molecular marker for severity in patients with congestive heart failure. MethodscTnI, creatinin kinase-MB (CK-MB), and myoglobin were assessed in 59 patients with severe congestive heart failure diagnosed by the echo-cardiography and gated equilibrium blood pool heart scan. Also we assesed cTnI, creatinin kinase-MB (CK-MB), and myoglobin in 25 persons without cardiac disease in echocardiography. RESULTS: 1) The cTnI con-centration was 89.6+/-69.3 pg/mL in patients with congestive heart failure and its level was greater than that of the control group (22.4+/-17.1, p=0.001). 2) The cTnI level differed significantly according to left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), 117.3+/-73.8 pg/mL in patients with EF\<40% (28 patients), 66.3+/-44.5 pg/mL in patients with EF> or =40% (31 patients), 22.4+/-17.1 pg/mL in the control group (25 persons) (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: cTnI was useful as a specific and sensitive serum molecular marker in patients of congestive heart failure. And its level reflected the severity of congestive heart failure.
Actins ; Adult ; Cell Death ; Echocardiography ; Equidae ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure* ; Humans ; Myocardium ; Myoglobin ; Myosins ; Stroke Volume ; Troponin I* ; Troponin*

To provide the basic for assessment of renal dysfunction related to silicosis, urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) activity known as a sensitive markers for early renal damage were measured in 58 silicosis patients, and control subjects of 40 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 51 official workers. The results were summarized as follows. 1. The values of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine in all subjects were within reference limits. But the mean value of urinary NAG activity(7.25+/-7.31 U/g creatinine) was beyond reference value and more sensitive test than others. 2. The mean value of urinary NAG activity in silicosis group was 11.98+/-9.05 U/g creatinine and significantly higher than in tuberculosis and healthy group(p<0.01), but the mean values of NAG activity in tuberculosis and healthy group were not different(p>0.05). 3. The value of NAG activity in tuberculosis had a tendency to be increased according to severity of disease, but that was not significant(p>0.05). The value of NAG activity was increased significantly by use of nephrotoxic antituberculosis drugs(p<0.05). 4. The value of NAG activity in silicosis had a tendency to be increased according to the size of nodule, use of nephrotoxic antituberculosis drugs and shortness of onset duration, but the increase was not significant(p>0.05). 5. After excluding the users of nephrotoxic antituberculosis drugs, the mean values of NAG activity in healthy control and in tuberculosis control were same as 3.63 U/g creatinine and 3.60 U/g creatinine, respectively. But the mean value of NAG activity in silicosis group was remarkably increased as 10.90 U/g creatinine(p<0.01). As above results, even though there are no abnormal findings in screening renal function test, silicosis can be related with renal dysfunction. And it will be very useful to apply urinary NAG activity in health management of workers exposed to dust.
Acetylglucosaminidase* ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Dust ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Reference Values ; Silicosis* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary