Inflammation Behind Heart Valve Disease
STOCKHOLM,Sweden, March 15, 2011--Research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows, that a specific inflammatory factor may be important in the development of the heart valve disease aortic stenosis. The results suggest that anti-inflammatory medication could be a possible new treatment.
Magnus Bäck
Photo: Ulf SirbornAortic stenosis is the most common heart valve
disease, which is caused by calcium deposits and a narrowing of the
aortic valve. This is typically seen in the elderly, but can also
be caused by a congenital defect. Aortic stenosis is currently
treated by surgical replacement of the diseased valve, but research
is on-going for identifying medicines which can delay the progress
of the disease.
In a new study presented in the scientific journal Circulation,
researchers from Karolinska Institutet show that specific pathways
of inflammation are important underlying factors in the development
of aortic stenosis.
By studying heart valves from patients undergoing surgery for
various valve diseases, the researchers have shown that immune
cells and a group of inflammatory substances called leukotrienes
can be found in calcified heart valves. The most significant
inflammation was seen in patients with the narrowest valves on
ultrasound examination. The researchers have also shown in cell
cultures that leukotrienes stimulate the calcification of heart
valve cells.
There are similarities between atherosclerosis (calcification of
the arteries) and aortic stenosis. However, lipid-lowering
medicines known as statins which are capable of preventing
atherosclerosis have proved ineffective in preventing calcification
of the aortic valve.
"The results suggest that anti-inflammatory medication could be a
future treatment for aortic stenosis, and it would mean a lot to
these patients, most of whom are elderly, if we could slow the
disease to the extent that they do not need surgery", says
associate professor and cardiologist Magnus Bäck, one of the
researchers behind the study.
Publication:
Nagy E, Andersson DC, Caidahl K, Eriksson MJ, Eriksson P,
Franco-Cereceda A, Hansson GK and Bäck M
Upregulation of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in human aortic
valves correlates with severity of stenosis and leads to
leukotriene-induced effects on valvular myofibroblasts
Circulation 14 mars 2011
Journal website
For further information, please contact:
Associate Professor
Magnus Bäck
Work: +46 (0)8 517 70780
Mobile: +46 (0)70 767 7470
Posted: March 2011
