Trace element changes in sclerotic heart valves from patients are expressed in their blood

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Trace Element Research
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Heart disease pathogenesis is linked to trace element imbalances.
• Blood trace element changes related to cardiovascular alterations are largely unknown.
• Aortic valve sclerosis patients exhibit disturbed trace element balance in valve tissue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate blood trace element levels in patients with non-rheumatic aortic valve sclerosis.
• To compare blood trace element profiles between patients and healthy controls.
• To understand the relationship between blood and valve trace element levels in this condition.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of blood trace element levels in 46 patients with aortic valve sclerosis.
• Comparison with blood trace element levels in 46 healthy controls.
• Assessment of 15 different trace elements, including cadmium (Cd), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), aluminum (Al), and silver (Ag).

Main Results:

• Significant changes in blood levels of 8 out of 15 trace elements were observed in patients compared to controls.
• Cd and Mg increased in both blood and valves; Cu and Se increased in blood but decreased in valves; Co and Zn decreased in blood but increased in valves.
• A high blood copper/zinc ratio suggests a potential infectious or inflammatory process.

Conclusions:

• Blood trace element alterations are evident in aortic valve sclerosis.
• Complex competition and exchange of elements between body compartments occur in this disease.
• The observed pattern suggests potential links to infectious or inflammatory processes.