Objective: To assess the clinical value of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP) values in elder patients with heart failure (HF).
Methods: According to NYHA classiifcation, a total of 384 HF patients were divided into 4 groups as NYHA I group, n=35, NYHA II group, n=89, NYHA III group, n=163, NYHA IV group, n=97;and Control group, n=69 normal subjects. The NT-ProBNP and troponin (cTn1) levels were examined in systolic HF and diastolic HF patients, the relationship between NT-ProBNP and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) were studied.
Results: For NT-ProBNP levels, Control group and NYHA I group were similar, P>0.05; while it was different among each HF groups, P<0.05. For cTn1 levels, Control group, NYHA I group and NYHA II group were similar, P>0.05;while NYHA III group and NYHA IV group were different from other groups, P<0.05. The patients with systolic HF had the higher NT-ProBNP and LVEDD, the patients with diastolic HF had the higher LVEF. In elder HF patients, NT-ProBNP level was negatively related to LVEF (r=-0.687, P<0.05) and positively correlated to LVEDD (r=0.735, P<0.05).
Conclusion: NT-ProBNP may better reflect the cardiac structural and functional changes in HF patients, it is important for HF early diagnosis and prognosis in clinical practice.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of transcatheter renal sympathetic denervation(RDN)in the treatment of resistant hypertension.Methods Clinical data of 10 patients with resistant hypertension treated by transcatheter renal sympa-thetic denervation were retrospectively analyzed.The blood pressure and complications were analyzed.Results In all of the 10 pa-tients,systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly after two weeks compared with preoperative,and further de-creased after 3 months (P <0.05 ).There were no statistical difference of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between 3 and 6 months(P >0.05).Before the RDN,the mean number of antihypertensive drugs was 5.3±0.9.After 6 months which was 3.2±0. 6,and which was decreased significantly compared with the preoperative (P <0.05).No adverse reactions were found.Conclusion The RDN can be quickly and sustained decrease the blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension.

Objective To assess the association between early adiposity rebound (AR) and indices of obesity and metabolic risk in 5-year-old children. Methods Based on Ma’anshan Birth Cohort Study (MABC), single live births born in Ma'anshan of Anhui province from October 2013 to April 2015 were followed for up to 5 years consecutively. As of August 2019, 720 children with continuous measurements (≥8 times) and metabolic indicators were obtained. Physical examination and laboratory tests were used to obtain information on the birth status, length/height, weight, waist circumference, body composition and metabolic indicators of children. The 2 test, F test, t-test, non-parametric test, general linear model and logistic regression model were used for statistical analysis. Results 43.5% of the children had AR≤4 years. After controlling for gender, it was found that earlier AR was associated with overweight/obesity (OR=2.71, 95%CI: 1.81~4.05), larger waist circumference (OR=1.88, 95%CI: 1.25~2.82), and body fat percentage ≥90th percentile (OR=2.09, 95%CI: 1.26~3.48). In the earlier AR group, the insulin resistance and metabolic score were higher, but the difference was not statistically significant. At 5 years of age, the prevalence of obesity and overweight was 6.0% and 12.8%, respectively. Children with overweight/obesity, larger waist circumference, higher waist-to-weight ratio and body fat percentage ≥ 90th percentile were associated with higher insulin resistance and metabolic score, and all the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001). Conclusion Earlier AR increased the risk of overweight/obesity, larger waist circumference, and body fat percentage ≥90th percentile at age of 5 years. Each index of the commonly used measures of childhood obesity was closely related with insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors at 5 years old.