Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2025
In Vivo Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Structure, Function, Perfusion and Viability Using Cardiac Micro-computed Tomography
Published on: February 16, 2016
Serum myostatin level is associated with myocardial scar burden by SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging
Jiun-Yang Chiang1, Lin Lin2, Chih-Cheng Wu2
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Insights
Serum myostatin levels correlate with myocardial scar burden in heart failure patients. This finding suggests myostatin may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing cardiac damage.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biochemistry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Myostatin negatively regulates skeletal muscle and myocardial mass.
- The link between myocardial ischemia, scar burden, and myostatin levels remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between serum myostatin levels and myocardial scar burden in patients with heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Serum myostatin levels were measured in 96 heart failure patients (LVEF < 45%) and 103 controls (LVEF ≥ 45%).
- Myocardial scar burden was assessed using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging, calculating summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS), and summed difference score (SDS).
Main Results:
- Myostatin levels were significantly higher in the heart failure group compared to controls.
- Serum myostatin levels showed a positive correlation with SSS and SRS, indicating a relationship with scar extent.
- Myostatin levels demonstrated predictive value for significant myocardial scarring (SSS ≥ 8 and SSS ≥ 13) based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.
Conclusions:
- Serum myostatin levels are associated with the extent of myocardial scarring.
- Myostatin may represent a novel biomarker for predicting myocardial scar burden in heart failure.
Background:
Myostatin is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle and myocardial mass. The relationship between myocardial ischemia and scar burden and levels of myostatin has not been established.
Methods:
We enrolled symptomatic patients with heart failure (HF) with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 45 % and controls (LVEF ≥ 45 %). Serum levels of myostatin were measured. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging was interpreted, and summed scores of 17 stress and rest image segments in 5-point scale produced the summed stress score (SSS) and summed rest score (SRS), respectively. The summed difference score (SDS) was calculated as the difference between the SSS and SRS.
Results:
Ninety-six patients with HF and 103 controls were enrolled. The levels of myostatin were higher in the HF group. In linear regression analysis, myostatin level was positively correlated with SSS (β coefficient = 6.840, p = 0.013) and SRS (β coefficient = 5.557, p = 0.026), but not correlated with SDS. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of myostatin levels for SSS ≥ 8 and SSS ≥ 13 were 0.6813 ± 0.04854 (p < 0.001) and 0.7498 ± 0.04402 (p < 0.001), respectively.
Conclusion:
Serum levels of myostatin were correlated with the extent of myocardial scarring as defined by SPECT imaging. Serum levels of myostatin may be a predictor of myocardial scar burden.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies