Serum tenascin-C: a novel biomarker for diagnosis and predicting prognosis of rheumatic carditis?

[acute rheumatic fever]

Tenascin-C (TnC ) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that has a major role in tissue remodeling .To evaluate the serum TnC level in acute rheumatic fever (ARF ) and chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD ) during childhood .Twenty -five patients with ARF , 25 patients with CRHD and 20 control subjects were included in the study . The TnC levels were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method in the ARF group .T he TnC levels were lower in the acute carditis group compared with the control group (p < 0 .001 ). The cut-off level was estimated as 2 .08 ng /ml for diagnosing carditis with 93 .3 % sensitivity and 95 % specificity . On second analysis , prominent decrease was detected in valve insufficiency patients with markedly elevated TnC levels . In the CRHD group , TnC level was significantly lower in cases with severe valve insufficiency (p < 0 .001 ).Serum TnC level can be used as a new biochemical marker for diagnosis and predicting the prognosis of rheumatic carditis .