Anti-heat shock protein 27 titers and oxidative stress levels are elevated in patients with valvular heart disease.

We studied the immune responses to heat shock protein (Hsp)-27 and pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) values in patients with valvular heart disease, but free of angiographically evident coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients who were candidates for valvuloplasty surgery and 30 healthy matched controls were recruited. The anti-Hsp-27 antibody titers were 0.35 ± 0.04 absorbency units (AU) in the valvuloplasty group, being significantly higher than for the controls (0.11 ± 0.02 AU; P < .05). The PAB values were significantly higher in cases (134.67 ± 13.69 Hamidi-Koliakos(HK) unit) when compared with controls (49.78 ± 6.75 HK unit; P < .05). In cases, the ejection fraction was inversely correlated with anti-Hsp-27 antibody (P < .05) but was not significantly related to PAB values (P > .05). Based on the echocardiographic findings, the patients had no evident heart failure, but the high levels of anti-Hsp-27 and PAB values in patients with valvular heart disease may indicate that these variables can be used as markers of heart failure. However, a longitudinal study is required to confirm this hypothesis.