The role of pentraxin 3 as diagnostic value in classification of patients with heart failure.

Objective: Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a new inflammatory marker that is the prototype of the long pentraxin group, while C-reactive protein (CRP) is the short pentraxin group. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of plasma PTX3 and CRP levels in heart failure (HF).

Materials And Methods: The study included 22 male and 37 female patients with HF, and 23 healthy volunteers as the control group.

Dual activity of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) yielding positive and inverse associations with cardiometabolic risk.

Background: The clinical relevance of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) in populations prone to cardiometabolic risk needs exploration. We determined major covariates of Lp-PLA(2) mass, and its associations with cardiometabolic disorders.

Methods: In 736 Turkish adults, serum total Lp-PLA(2) mass was determined by immunoassay.

Effects of growth hormone replacement therapy on lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins: is the increased apolipoprotein A-1/B ratio the only benefit?

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the controversial role of growth hormone (GH) therapy in lipid regulation.

Methods: We studied serum levels of cholesterol and subgroups, triglyceride and apolipoprotein A-1 and B in 41 GH-deficient children (with subgroups of untreated and short- and long-term treated subjects) and 20 healthy controls.

Results: Cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (in mmol/L) were found to be 4.