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Updated: Jun 25, 2025
Digital PCR for Quantifying Circulating MicroRNAs in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiovascular Disease
Published on: July 3, 2018
Correlation Between Serum microRNA-18a Level and Endothelial Function and Prognosis in Female Coronary Heart Disease
Huiyao Lu1, Ling Xu1, Hong Chen1
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China.
Insights
Serum microRNA-18a (miR-18a) levels are elevated in women with coronary heart disease (CHD) and linked to poor endothelial function. Higher miR-18a indicates increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Biomarkers
- Endothelial Function
Background:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) poses a significant health challenge for women.
- Understanding novel biomarkers for CHD risk and prognosis is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serum microRNA-18a (miR-18a) levels and endothelial function in female patients with CHD.
- To evaluate the predictive value of miR-18a for CHD occurrence and prognosis.
Main Methods:
- 160 female patients with chest pain were categorized into CHD and non-CHD groups via coronary angiography.
- Serum miR-18a, endothelial function markers (nitric oxide, endothelin-1, flow-mediated dilation), and clinical data were analyzed.
- Correlation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed.
Main Results:
- CHD patients exhibited significantly higher serum miR-18a and endothelin-1, with lower nitric oxide and flow-mediated dilation compared to non-CHD controls.
- Serum miR-18a positively correlated with endothelin-1 and negatively with nitric oxide and flow-mediated dilation.
- miR-18a demonstrated high predictive value for CHD occurrence (AUC = 0.878) and was associated with poorer prognosis.
Conclusions:
- Elevated serum miR-18a is prevalent in female CHD patients and is linked to impaired endothelial function.
- Increased serum miR-18a serves as a risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and can predict CHD occurrence in women.
Background:
The aim was to analyze the correlation between serum microRNA (miR)-18a level, endothelial function, and prognosis in female coronary heart disease (CHD) patients.
Methods:
One hundred sixtyfemale patients admitted to our hospital for the first occurrences of chest pain and tightness were divided into CHD and non-CHD groups based on the coronary angiography results. Clinical data, laboratory indexes, serum miR-18a level, and endothelial function [flow-mediated dilation (FMD) function, endothelin 1 (ET-1), and nitric oxide (NO)] were compared.
Results:
There were no significant differences in clinical data (except CHD family history) between 2 groups. Coronary heart disease group had significantly lower levels of NO and FMD, while significantly higher levels of miR-18a and ET-1 than non-CHD group (P <.05). Pearson correlation showed that serum miR-18a level was positively correlated with ET-1 (r = 0.492, P <.001), and negatively correlated with NO and FMD (r = -0.504, -0.307, P <.001). The receiver operating characteristic) curve showed that the area under the curve of serum miR-18a level in predicting the occurrence of CHD in women was 0.878 (95% CI: 0.828-0.928). Compared with good prognosis group, poor prognosis group had signifi-cantly lower NO, and FMD levels, while higher proportions of acute coronary syndrome, multivessel disease, miR-18a, and ET-1 levels (P <.05).
Conclusion:
The expression of serum miR-18a in female CHD patients was high, which was related to endothelial function. The increase in serum miR-18a level was a risk factor for the occurrence of MACE in female CHD patients during follow-up, and the serum miR-18a level could effectively predict the occurrence of CHD in female patients.
