Abstract: Objective To explore the serum levels of microRNA-222 (miR-222), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and their clinical value in the patients with calcified valvular heart disease (CVHD) and pulmonaryarterial hypertension(PH). Methods A total of 158 patients with CVHD were divided into CVHD group (n=86) and CVHD combined with PH group(n=72). Thirty healthy people were selected as the control group. The serum levels of miR-222, IL-6, NT-proBNP and hs-CRP were detected and compared among the three groups, and the correlation between miR-222 and IL-6, NT-proBNP, hs-CRP was analyzed. Results The serum levels of miR-222, IL-6, NT-proBNP and hs-CRP in CVHD group increased significantly, especially in CVHD combined with PH group(P<0.05 or P＜0.01). In the patients with CVHD, the serum levels of IL-6, NT-proBNP, hs-CRP, miR-222 were all positively correlated with the level of miR-222 (r=0.507,0.390,0.509, P＜0.01). Conclusions Serum inflammatory factors such as miR-222 and IL-6 are involved in the occurrence and progression of CVHD and the development of PH.

Key words: calcified valvular heart disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, microRNAs, interleukin-6