Aim: We aimed to identify metabolic characteristics of early-stage heart failure (HF) and related biomarkers. Patients & methods: One hundred and forty-three patients with New York Heart Association class I–IV HF and 34 healthy controls were recruited. Serum metabolic characteristics of class I HF were analyzed and compared with those of class II–IV HF. Potential biomarkers of class I HF with normal N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level were screened and validated in additional 72 subjects (46 class I patients and 26 controls). Results & conclusion: Eleven metabolites were found disturbed in class I HF, and five of which were also disturbed in class II–IV HF. Glutamine and tyrosine showed high value to identify class I HF with normal NT-proBNP level. The diagnostic potential of glutamine was partially confirmed in the validate set, holding a promise to detect early HF with normal NT-proBNP level.

Objective: To determine the relationship between vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder and thymus-dependent lymphyocyte levels and lipid peroxidation. Materials and Methods: the authors measured the levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+ T cell, and the concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the blood of 62 patients with vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder. A control group consisted of 30 normal women from the present hospitals. Results: The level of CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocytes and SOD in the blood of the patients with vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder was significantly lower than that in control subjects, but the level of MDA was higher as compared with normal women. Conclusion: There is increased immune activation and lipid peroxidation in patients with vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder, which could contribute to destruction of vulvar tissue.