Role of automated functional imaging and myocardial work in assessment of cardiac function in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Early identification of abnormal left ventricular function in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is difficult using conventional echocardiographic indices and commonly used clinical markers of myocardial damage. We sought to investigate the value of automatic function imaging and myocardial work parameters in predicting early cardiac impairment in children having OSA with preserved left heart function and thereby identifying an optimal index for assessment.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-two children who presented with symptoms of nocturnal sleep snoring and open-mouth breathing and 34 healthy controls were enrolled in this study.

CTRP6 inhibits fibrogenesis in TGF-β1-stimulated human dermal fibroblasts.

Skin fibrosis is characterized by excessive proliferation of fibroblasts and overproduction of extracellular matrix (ECM). C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 6 (CTRP6), a member of CTRPs, has been involved in the development of cardiac fibrosis. However, the function and detailed regulatory mechanism of CTRP6 in skin fibrosis remain unclear.