Several epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that females with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have a higher mortality than males following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Many analyses of sex-based differences following STEMI have revealed conflicting results. Currently, more and more elderly patients with STEMI have undergone emergency interventional therapy. From January 2014 to December 2016, a total of 337 elderly patients with STEMI were enrolled in this study from two chest pain centers, and all patients underwent PPCI. Patients were divided into two groups: elderly females (n=117, mean age 73.4±9.6 years) and elderly males (n=220, mean age 71.7±8.6 years). The prevalence of diabetes was higher in females than in males (29.1% vs. 19.6%,P<0. 01). Typical ischemic chest pain was lower in females than in males (45.3% vs 57.3%, P<0.01). The number of nonsmokers was also significantly higher in females than in males (5.1% vs. 52.3%,P<0. 01). Serum creatinine (sCr) levels (87.6±17.4 umol/L vs 99.5±20.2 umol/L,P<0.01) and body mass index (23.8±2.7 vs 27.3±3.1, P<0.01) were lower in females than in males. The incidences of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in-hospital showed no significantly difference (P>0.05) between the two groups. However, the cumulative MACE showed a significant difference between the two groups in the 12-month follow-up (16.8% in male vs 12.8% in female, P = 0.04). Our results suggest that the PPCI is safe and effective in elderly female STEMI patients. The cumulative MACE in females are not higher than in males. PPCI are helpful in elderly STEMI patients.

Background: Kidney is the main site for the removal of Chromogranin A (CgA). Previous studies have found that patients with renal impairment displayed elevated concentrations of CgA in plasma and the CgA concentrations reflect deterioration of renal function. In this study, we aimed to estimate the serum CgA levels and to evaluate the role of serum CgA in early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN).Methods: A total of 219 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were included in this cross-sectional study. They were classified into normoalbuminuria (n = 121), microalbuminuria (n = 73), or macroalbuminuria (n = 25) groups based on their urine albumin to creatinine ratios (UACR). A control group consisted of 45 healthy subjects. The serum CgA levels were measured by ELISA and other key parameters were assayed.Results: The serum CgA levels were higher in patients with T2DM compared to control subjects and a statistically significant difference among studied subgroups regarding CgA was found (P<0.05). Levels of serum CgA were increasing gradually with the degree of DN (P<0.001). Serum CgA levels were moderate intensity positively correlated with UACR (P<0.001). A cut-off level of 3.46 ng/ml CgA showed 69.86% sensitivity and 66.12% specificity to detect DN in early stage.Conclusions: Levels of serum CgA increased gradually with the degree of DN, and can be used as a biomarker in early detection of DN.