The clinical impact of circulating caspase-3 p17 level: a potential new biomarker for myocardial injury and cardiovascular disease.

摘要

Cardiac biomarkers have revolutionized the care of cardiovascular patients in numerous arenas, including prediction and detection of preclini-cal disease, improved detection of cardiac injury including non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, prognostication in both acute and chronic disease presentations, and monitoring the response to treatment [1]. Most markers of cardiac injury focus on markers of necrosis. However, using a novel assay for caspase activity, we were able to document that patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have elevated levels of this marker of apoptosis both prior to and especially following reperfusion during acute STEMI in humans [2]. Thus, for the first time, there is an opportunity to elucidate the importance of apoptotic cell death in patients with acute ischemic heart disease. This article will discuss some of the ongoing hypotheses that are now testable with this novel marker.