Brightsurf Science News and Current Science News Events
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Jefferson researchers find potential biomarket for heart failure

Jefferson researchers find potential biomarket for heart failure

September 12, 2006

(PHILADELPHIA) A team of cardiology researchers at Thomas Jefferson University has determined that GRK2, a protein that plays an important regulatory role in heart failure, is elevated in patients with failing hearts when compared to patients with normal heart function.

"These findings add to the growing evidence that GRK2 is a biomarker for heart failure," says Walter Koch, Ph.D., director of the Center for Translational Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Dr. Koch previously demonstrated that GRK2 is critically important in heart function. It is increased in failing human hearts and contributes to the loss of the heart's contractile strength during the development of heart failure.




In the current study, to be reported September 11, 2006 at the 10th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America in Seattle, Amit Mittal, M.D., heart failure research fellow in the Department of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College, and his co-workers recruited patients at either Thomas Jefferson University Hospital when they were being treated, or during outpatient visits to their physicians. Heart failure patients who often have poor left ventricular function were compared to patients with normal left ventricular function who were taking no heart medications.

White blood cells from 20 heart failure patients were compared with white blood cells from 30 patients who didn't have heart disease to determine the presence of the GRK2 protein. "We have confirmed that GRK2 in white blood cells is elevated in human patients with failing hearts when compared to subjects with normal left ventricular function," Dr. Mittal said. "The GRK2 levels in heart failure patients were three to four times higher."

"Future studies will compare GRK2 levels in heart failure patients treated with standard prescription drug and device therapy to test our hypothesis that GRK2 can be a surrogate marker for determination of a given patient's response to treatment," Dr. Koch explains.

Thomas Jefferson University



Related Heart Failure News Articles Heart Failure News and Current Heart Failure Events RSS Heart Failure News and Current Heart Failure Events RSS
Computed tomography provides anatomy -- we need ischemia!
Cardiac computed tomography has revolutionized cardiac imaging in recent years by providing exquisitely detailed cardiac anatomy, including, but not limited to, coronary anatomy.

Class of diabetes drugs carries significant cardiovascular risks
A class of oral drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes may make heart failure worse, according to an editorial published online in Heart Wednesday by two Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty members.

Air pollution damages more than lungs: Heart and blood vessels suffer too
As athletes from around the world compete in the Beijing Olympics, many are on alert for respiratory problems caused by air pollution. They should also be concerned about its toxic effects on the heart and cardiovascular system, mounting research shows.

Large reservoir of mitochondrial DNA mutations identified in humans
Researchers at the University of Newcastle, England, and the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech in the United States have revealed a large reservoir of mitochondrial DNA mutations present in the general population.

Cardiac resynchromization: Race, age, geography matter, study shows
Race, age, and geography appear to play important roles in who receives cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), a proven treatment for some patients with heart failure, say researchers at Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI).

Want a reason to love your lower belly fat? It's rich in stem cells
Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of the body.

Exercise could be the heart's fountain of youth
Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but endurance exercise seems to make it younger. According to a study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, older people who did endurance exercise training for about a year ended up with metabolically much younger hearts.

New Guidelines for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
Proven combinations of medicines and the introduction of new anti-arthritis drugs have significantly improved the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to guidelines issued by the American College of Rheumatology and co-authored by physicians at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Certain anticancer agents could be harmful to patients with heart disease
A set of promising new anticancer agents could have unforeseen risks in individuals with heart disease, suggests research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

New source of heart stem cells discovered
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston are continuing to document the heart's earliest origins. Now, they have pinpointed a new, previously unrecognized group of stem cells that give rise to cardiomyocytes, or heart muscle cells.
More Heart Failure News Articles


Miracle Stem Cell Heart Repair: (For Heart Attack, Heart Failure and Bypass Patients)
by Christian Wilde



Success With Heart Failure: Help and Hope for Those with Congestive Heart Failure
by Marc Silver

This new and improved edition of Success With Heart Failure gives readers enlightened and compassionate insight and important tips for treating this prevalent disease, including information on:--The similarities and differences between heart failure and heart attack--The role of heart transplantation to treat heart failure--State-of-the-art implantation treatments--The psychological effect of a...



Death by Deception: Unmasking Heart Failure
by Dick Quinn, Shannon Quinn, Colin Quinn, Al Watson



Diastology: Clinical Approach to Diastolic Heart Failure
by Allan L. Klein, Mario J. Garcia

This reference thoroughly equips you to successfully diagnose and manage even the most complex incidences of diastolic heart failure and their comorbidities. It examines the basic mechanisms of this condition through discussions of both cellular and anatomic causes; guides you through non-invasive techniques for diagnosis, including echocardiography, cardiac CT, and MRI; and provides expert...



Heart Failure: A Cleveland Clinic Guide (Cleveland Clinic Guides)
by Randall Starling, M D Starling

Fifteen to 20 years ago, physicians more or less treated everybody the same way with two or three pills, and that's all they had to offer. The clock was ticking while doctors waited until patients were so sick they needed heart transplants. The medical landscape is completely different today. Now doctors methodically dissect cases of heart failure; they figure out the underlying issues. It's...



100 Questions & Answers About Congestive Heart Failure (100 Questions & Answers about . . .)
by Campion Quinn

This book provides readers with authoritative, practical answers to questions about congestive heart failure, including causes, diagnosis, treatment options, quality of life, care giving, sources of support, and much...



MemoCharts Pharmacology: Drug Therapy for Congestive Heart Failure (Review chart)
by Howard Shen



Comprehensive Intraaortic Balloon Counterpulsation
by Susan J. Quaal

The only book of its kind on the market, COMPREHENSIVE INTRA-AORTIC BALLOON PUMPING covers the basic principles, indications, and contraindications of intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) for the critical care nurse. This comprehensive text provides a complete reference on all aspects of balloon pumping and patient care, offering an in-depth overview of this method of circulatory assistance as...



The Nuts and Bolts of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (Nuts and Bolts Series)
by Tom Kenny

The Nuts and Bolts of Cardiac Resynchronization TherapyBy Tom Kenny, RNVice President, Clinical Education and Training, St. Jude Medical, Austin, TX, USACardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an exciting new option for a growing number of heart failure patients, but CRT systems present special challenges to clinicians, even those accustomed to working with pacemakers. Now, Tom Kenny...



Resynchronization and Defibrillation for Heart Failure: A Practical Approach
by David L. Hayes, Paul J. Wang, Jonathan Sackner-Bernstein, Samuel J. Asirvatham

Resynchronization and Defibrillation for Heart Failure: A Practical Approach is one of the first texts to provide caregivers with information about the background and application of this new and rapidly expanding discipline. Its four authors are cardiologists who have expertise in device management, electrophysiology, and heart failure management. The text integrates the approach and management...

© 2008 BrightSurf.com