抑郁症首发未治疗患者情绪调控环路脑功能网络的静息态功能磁共振研究

Background  Reports on mood regulating circuit (MRC) indicated different activities between depressed patients and healthy controls. The functional networks based on MRC have not been described in major depression disorder (MDD). Both the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and thalamus are all the key regions of MRC. This study was to investigate the two functional networks related to ACC and thalamus in MDD.

Methods  Sixteen patients with MDD on first episode which never got any medication and sixteen matched health controls were scanned by 3.0 T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during resting-state. The pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) was used as seed region to construct the functional network by cortex section. The thalamus was used as seed region to construct the functional network by limbic section. Paired-t tests between-groups were performed for the seed-target correlations based on the individual fisher z-transformed correlation maps by SPM2.

Results  Depressed subjects exhibited significantly great functional connectivity (FC) between pgACC and the parahippocampus gyrus in one cluster (size 923) including left parahippocampus gyrus (–21, –49,7), left parietal lobe (–3, –46, 52) and left frontal lobe (–27, –46, 28). The one cluster (size 962) of increased FC on thalamus network overlapped the precuneus near to right parietal lobe (9, –52,46) and right cingulate gyrus (15, –43, 43) in health controls.

Conclusions  Abnormal functional networks exist in earlier manifestation of MDD related to MRC by both cortex and limbic sections. The increased functional connectivity of pgACC and decreased functional connectivity of thalamus is mainly involved in bias mood processing and cognition.

     

Functional MRI study of mild Alzheimer’s disease using amplitude of low frequency fluctuation analysis

Background  Previous studies have shown that the functional brain activity in the resting state is impaired in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. However, most studies focused on the relationship between different brain areas, rather than the amplitude or strength of the regional brain activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the functional brain changes in AD patients by measuring the amplitude of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) signals.

Methods  Twenty mild AD patients and twenty healthy elderly subjects participated in the fMRI scan. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated using REST software.

Results  Compared with the healthy elderly subjects, the mild AD patients showed decreased ALFF in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and in the bilateral dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. No brain region with increased ALFF was found in the AD group compared with the control group.

Conclusions  The reduced activity in the posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex observed in the present study suggest that the functional abnormalities of those areas are at an early stage of AD. The ALFF analysis may provide a useful tool in fMRI study of AD.

     

Interaction between maternal 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T and methionine synthase A2756G gene variants to increase the risk of fetal neural tube defects in a Shanxi Han population

Background  The 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methionine synthase (MS) are attractive candidates for screening for risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). The aim of the current study was to investigate maternal MTHFR and MS polymorphisms and the interaction between them and their influence on children with NTDs in the Shanxi Province of northern China.     

Methods  Fifty-one mothers who previously had children with NTDs constituted the case group and 51 age-matched mothers with children that were unaffected by any birth defects constituted the control group. All subjects were genotyped for MTHFR C677T and MS A2756G polymorphisms. SPSS 11.5 software package was used for all analyses.

Results  There was a significant difference for MTHFR genotype distribution for one site (C677T) between the case and control groups. The T allele frequencies were significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (55.9% vs. 35.3%, P <0.05). A lack of association was observed for the MS A2756G polymorphism. There was an interaction between the maternal MTHFR C677T genotype and MS A2756G genotype.

Conclusion  Genetic interaction between MTHFR and MS genes raises the probability of neural tube defects.

     

Proteomic analysis for detecting serum biomarkers related to smoking in humans

Background  Smoking is the leading cause of death in the world. This study focused on the difference of the serum proteomic profiling between healthy smokers and nonsmokers in order to find smoking-specific serum biomarkers.

Methods  Pattern-based proteomic profiling of 100 serum samples (from 50 Chinese male smokers and 50 matched nonsmokers) was performed through magnetic bead fractionation coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis (MALDI-TOF-MS) and resulting data were statistically analyzed by Ciphergen ProteinChip software 3.0.2.

Results  We found 72 serum peaks were significantly different between smokers and nonsmokers (P <0.05). Marker peaks of mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 3159.13, 7561.03 and 9407.32 were smoking-specific.

Conclusion  The preliminary data suggested that smoking-specific serum biomarkers could be detected in humans.

     

Increased expression of serum gelsolin in patients with osteosarcoma.

Background  Identification of potential serum biomarkers of osteosarcoma to aid in its early diagnosis and in the discovery of possible therapeutic targets is an area of increasing interest.

Methods  Two-dimensional difference-in-gel electrophoresis was used to assess multiple serum samples in patients with osteosarcoma. In addition, differential expression of protein biomarkers was characterized in osteosarcoma serum by using matrix-assisted desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry coupled with database interrogation. Serum samples from four individuals with osteosarcoma and four age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were compared.

Results  Fifty-eight significant protein spot features in the osteosarcoma sera were found. These spot features were excised, digested with trypsin, and analyzed with mass spectrometry. Gelsolin was down-regulated only in osteosarcoma. Furthermore, Western blotting and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed decreased levels of gelsolin in the osteosarcoma serum samples.

Conclusions  These results indicated that gelsolin might have great potential as a biomarker of osteosarcoma and as a potential target for gene therapy.

     

Effect of periodontal treatment on glycosylated hemoglobin levels in elderly patients with periodontal disease and type 2 diabetes

Background  Periodontal disease is closely related to type 2 diabetes and is an important complication of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of periodontal treatment on levels of blood glucose (Glu) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and periodontal disease.

Methods  A total of 107 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and periodontal disease were selected and divided into two groups according to their HbA1c levels. Group A was a well-controlled diabetic group and group B was uncontrolled. Their probing depth (PD), attachment loss (AL), the value of Glu and HbA1c were analyzed before periodontal treatment and 4 months later.

Results  There was a significant difference in periodontal condition between groups A and B (P <0.01). The periodontal condition for both groups was significantly (P <0.01) improved after periodontal therapy. The effect of treatment in group A was more pronounced than group B, and the difference was significant (P <0.01). After the periodontal treatment, Glu and HbA1c were reduced significantly in both groups (P <0.05).

Conclusions  Periodontal condition is related to the control of Glu level among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and periodontal disease. Periodontal treatment can effectively reduce the level of Glu and HbA1c as well as improve the periodontal condition in elderly type-2 diabetes patients with periodontal disease.

     

Curative effect of radiotherapy at various doses on subcutaneous alveolar echinococcosis in rats

Background  Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a disease in human and animals, and the cure rate is unsatisfactory. This study aimed to investigate the curative efficacy of different doses of locally applied radiotherapy on alveolar echinococcosis in rats.

Methods  Rats infected with Echinococcus multilocularis were randomly divided into 4 groups of 15 rats each: low-, middle-, and high-irradiation groups and a control group. Rats in the control group underwent no treatment, while rats in the irradiation groups received 6-MeV radiotherapy at 20 Gy/8 f, 40 Gy/8 f, and 60 Gy/8 f respectively, once every 3 days for a total of 8 times. One month after radiotherapy, wet weight and AE vesicle inhibitory rate were detected in rats of each group. Histopathologic and ultrastructural observations of tissues with AE lesions were performed.

Results  In the treatment groups, an obvious inhibitory effect was found in AE rats; the inhibitory rates were 50%, 72%, and 82%, respectively. There were also statistical differences in pathological changes and average wet weight of the lesions compared with the control group (P <0.05). In the treatment groups, injuries of various degrees were found in the ultrastructure of the laminated and germinal layers in the capsular wall of AE, and injury was most severe in the high-dose group.

Conclusion  Radiotherapy has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of AE.

     

Altered regional homogeneity in spontaneous cluster headache attacks: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Background  Functional neuroimaging study has opened an avenue for exploring the pathophysiology of cluster headache (CH). The aim of our study was to assess the changes in brain activity in CH patients by the regional homogeneity method using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging technique.

Methods  The functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained for 12 male CH patients with spontaneous right-sided headache attacks during “in attack” and “out of attack” periods and 12 age- and sex-matched normal controls. The data were analyzed to detect the altered brain activity by the regional homogeneity method using statistical parametric mapping software.

Results  Altered regional homogeneity was detected in the anterior cingulate cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex, the prefrontal cortex, insular cortex, and other brain regions involved in pain processing and modulation among different groups.

Conclusion  It is referred that these brain regions with altered regional homogeneity might be related to the pain processing and modulation of CH.

     

Preliminary characterization of acute aortic dissection in the mainland of China

Objective  To explore the differences in the characteristics of acute aortic dissection (AAD) among less and more economically developed countries with various cultures and races.

Data sources  Reports from the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection (IRAD) and the mainland of China (MC) were collected by searching the PubMed Database and the Chinese Journal Full-text Database from January 2000 to March 2009.

Study selection  Those reports from IRAD and MC containing larger numbers of cases and complete patients’ information were selected, which focused on concrete issues of diagnosing or managing AAD were excluded if they were not able to reflect the overall characteristics of this condition. And the data from the article containing the largest number patients reported by the same medical center in MC were taken into statistics.

Results  AAD patients from MC were significantly younger than IRAD countries and the percentage of male patients in the Chinese group was higher than IRAD countries (80.7% vs. 68.6%, P <0.001). Patients in MC were less likely to present with typical symptoms and signs except for any focal neurological deficits. Different from the IRAD group, Chinese patients were prone to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to make the diagnosis of AAD (45.5% vs. 11.6%, P <0.001). The in-hospital mortality was similar between 2 groups but only smaller proportion of AAD patients in MC underwent surgical or medical treatment.

Conclusions  The general characteristics of AAD patients in MC were shown and differences in some clinical variables between MC and IRAD groups still existed.

     

创伤骨科患者创伤严重程度和血浆D二聚体水平的相关分析

Background  The correlation between the plasma D-dimer level and deep vein thrombosis has not been conclusive in various studies. The aim of this research was to study the relationship between plasma D-dimer levels and the severity of orthopedic trauma by retrospective examination of orthopedic trauma cases.

Methods  Clinically acute trauma and non-acute trauma patients were selected and their plasma D-dimer levels were measured. Plasma D-dimer levels in patients of these two groups were compared. The relationship between the plasma D-dimer level and the severity of the trauma was also studied.

Results  There were 548 cases in the acute trauma group and 501 cases in the non-acute trauma group. The levels of plasma D-dimer were significantly higher in the acute trauma group than in the non-acute trauma group (P <0.01). In the acute trauma group, the correlation between the D-dimer level and the number of fractures was a positive linear correlation (r=0.9532).

Conclusions  Elevated plasma D-dimer is common in trauma patients. The D-dimer level and the number of fractures in the trauma patients are closely correlated. D-dimer is not only an indicator for the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus, but also an indicator of the severity of trauma in acute trauma patients.

     

脑老化的异质性：词汇流畅性作业下老年人默认模式网络的功能连接变化

背景 成功老龄与轻度认知功能损害是老龄化的异质性群体。本文利用功能连接去探索其异质性。 方法 对8例成功老龄、8例常态老龄和8例轻度认知功能损害患者进行词汇流畅性作业的功能连通性磁共振成像检查,通过统计检验对比研究默认模式网络的表现。 结果 相比于成功老龄与常态老龄组,轻度认知障碍组在顶下小叶与左侧角回表现出功能连接的降低(t value=3.53, P<0.001)。相比于常态老龄和轻度认知障碍组,成功老龄组在楔前叶表现出功能连接的增强(t value=3.53, P<0.001)。 结论 研究结果表明,老龄化中默认模式网络的功能连接异常可能与语义记忆障碍有关。左侧角回和楔前叶可能是区分老龄异质性过程的基于成像的生物标志。     

脑老化的异质性:功能磁共振成像的初步对照研究

目的探索脑功能老化异质性的相关机制。方法10例成功老龄（SA）、10例常态老龄（UA）和9例轻度认知功能损害（MCI）患者进行词汇流畅性作业（VFT）的fMRI检查,比较脑激活表现。结果SA与UA均明显激活顶叶、额叶、扣带前回及枕叶,MCI除右侧额叶外激活普遍低下;SA激活强度大于UA,但差异无统计学意义,二者激活强度均高于MCI,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.01）。SA左前额叶（尤其左侧前额叶背外侧皮质）激活显著,UA与MCI激活相对减弱,差异有统计学意义（P=0．01）。SA脑激活呈一致优势侧偏（偏侧化指数LIs=0．46）,UA和MCI脑激活总体无偏侧性（LIs分别为-0．12和-0．06）;（4）SA与UA均有显著枕叶激活,MCI激活不明显。结论脑老化过程中存在着异质性,涉及了复杂的脑功能机制;左侧前额叶背外侧皮质激活程度和偏侧化指数可作为衡量脑功能老化水平的参考指标。     

基于fMRI技术观察中西医结合治疗对急性缺血性脑卒中默认网络的影响

目的  采用静息态功能磁共振成像(fMRI)技术, 观察疏血通注射液联合常规治疗(中西医结合治疗)对急性缺血性脑卒中患者的临床疗效, 并探讨默认网络(DMN)内功能连接的改变, 揭示潜在的疗效机制。方法  纳入20例急性缺血性脑卒中患者在中西医结合治疗前后行fMRI, 同时选取20例健康受试者作对照, 比较患者和健康受试DMN内功能连接差异, 观察治疗前后患者临床量表评分和DMN内功能连接差异, 并进一步分析差异脑区与临床量表评分的相关关系。结果  ① 治疗后患者NIHSS、mRS评分显著降低, BI评分显著升高(P＜0.01), 中医病类诊断评分显著改善(P＜0.01)。②与健康受试相比, 治疗前患者DMN内右侧颞上回和右侧楔前叶的功能连接显著降低(P＜0.05), 治疗后患者DMN内无显著差异(P>0.05)。治疗前后比较, 患者DMN内右侧后扣带回和右侧楔前叶的功能连接显著增强(P＜0.05)。③右侧楔前叶功能连接的改变与NIHSS、BI评分显著相关(P＜0.01)。结论  中西医结合治疗缺血性脑卒中可能通过调节DMN内右侧楔前叶功能连接从而改善神经功能缺损和提高生活质量。      

抑郁状态对认知影响的脑功能网络特征研究

目的 用功能磁共振构建功能脑网络,检测伴有抑郁的MCI（MCI-d）患者的脑功能连接强度（FCS）的变化,并进一步探测抑郁与AD之间的关系。方法 共纳入27例不伴有抑郁的MCI患者（MCI-nd）,19例伴有抑郁的MCI患者（MCI-d）及32例年龄、性别和受教育程度相匹配的健康对照者（HC）。采集所有受试的功能磁共振（fMRI）数据,对数据进行常规预处理,构建基于脑图谱AAL-1024模板分区的脑功能网络,计算各脑区的FCS及核心节点（hub）,比较3组在FCS上的差异,然后确定差异脑区及其功能连接特征。结果 HC与MCI-nd之间有差异的脑区（P<0.005）：左脑背外侧额上回（FCS增强）、右脑楔前叶（FCS减弱）;HC与MCI-d之间有差异的脑区（P<0.005）：右脑颞下回（FCS减弱）、右脑背外侧额上回（FCS减弱）、左脑颞中回（FCS减弱）、右脑角回（FCS减弱）;MCI-nd与MCI-d之间有差异的脑区（P<0.005）：左脑额中回（FCS减弱）、右脑额中回（FCS减弱）、左脑角回（FCS减弱）、右脑角回（FCS减弱）。其中左脑颞中回、右脑角回为核心节点。结论 情感网络和默认网络在MCI-d中可能同时受损,提示抑郁有可能是临床前期AD的一个潜在的临床标志,可用于识别最有可能进展为AD的MCI。     

镜像同伦功能连接在轻度认知障碍脑功能检查中的应用

目的：利用静息态功能磁共振成像（rs-fMRI）基于体素的镜像同伦连接（VMHC）及基于种子的功能连接（FC）的方法探讨轻度认知障碍（MCI）患者脑网络异常改变。方法：收集MCI患者29 例纳入MCI组，收集性别、年龄和文化程度匹配的健康对照者29 例纳入HC组。两组受试对象均接受相关精神量表分析及3.0T磁共振扫描。利用VMHC方法分析两组受试对象全脑镜像同伦连接差异，采用独立样本t 检验比较两组VMHC值差异，然后以VMHC差异脑区作为种子分析其与全脑功能连接差异。结果：MCI组双侧颞上回VMHC值较HC组增加（差异体素41个，t =4.264，P ＜0.05），MCI组左侧颞上回与右侧梭状回、左侧额中回、右侧额中回的功能连接较HC组增强（P ＜0.05），右侧颞上回与左侧梭状回、左侧颞中回、右侧额下回、左侧楔叶、左侧枕中回的功能连接增强（P ＜0.05）。结论：MCI患者静息状态下双侧颞上回镜像同伦功能连接增强，提示MCI可能存在感觉语言中枢损害并伴有对侧中枢代偿性功能增强。     

海洛因成瘾者后扣带回皮层在静息态及毒品线索诱导任务中的功能异常

Background Previous animal and neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that brain function in heroin addicted users is impaired.However,the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) has not received much attenti...     

蒙特利尔认知评估表在老年轻度认知障碍评估中的应用

目的 在我国老年人群中初步使用蒙特利尔认知评估表(the Montreal Cognitive Assessment,MOCA),探讨老年认知功能改变的特点,评价蒙特利尔认知评估表的筛查可行性.方法 采用MOCA对275例60岁以上老年人进行测试,其中正常组(NC组)85例、轻度认知功能损害组(MCI组)117例,痴呆组(AD组)73例.结果 3组人群的MOCA总体差异有显著性(F=258.66,P＜0.01);各项分测验得分在控制文化、年龄、性别、职业等影响因素后,仍差异有显著性(视空间F=54.86,P＜0.01;命名F=17.30,P＜0.01;注意F=82.50,P＜0.01;语言F=25,88,P＜0.01;抽象思维F=15.00,P＜0.01;延迟记忆F=130.49,P＜0.01;定向力F=176.09,P＜0.01);两两比较,MCI组与NC组和AD组间均有显著性差异(除AD与MCI组的抽象思维项 (P＜0.05,其余各项均为P＜0.01);其中三组的定向力、延迟记忆分项测试得分差异最大(F=176.09,P＜0.01;F=130.49,P＜0.01.)以26分为截断点,MOCA筛查MCI的结果与临床诊断的观察符合率为0.93,机遇符合率0.61,Kappa指数0.85.结论 MOCA能很好地鉴别MCI与NC和AD ,具有很好的区分效度.其筛查MCI结果与临床诊断完全符合,具有很高的筛查价值.老年认知损害是以记忆、定向力为明显改变的认知损害.     

失眠症患者静息态功能磁共振脑默认网络功能连接分析

目的探讨失眠症(insomnia disorder,ID)患者静息状态下大脑默认网络功能连接(functional connectivity,FC)的变化。方法2019年7月至2020年1月纳入失眠症患者56例,同期招募50例健康对照。采用匹兹堡睡眠指数量表(Pittsburgh sleep quality index,PSQI)、失眠严重指数(insomnia severity index,ISI)、Epworth嗜睡程度评价表(Epworth sleepiness score,ESS)、汉密尔顿抑郁量表17项(Hamilton depression scale,HAMD-17)对所有被试进行神经心理评估。对所有被试进行静息态功能磁共振成像(resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging,rs-fMRI)扫描,在MATLAB(R2013b)上应用SPM12及CONN18b对rs-fMRI数据进行预处理,以双侧楔前叶、内侧额上回定义为种子点,比较两组研究对象功能连接强度的差异。并将差异有统计学意义脑区的FC值与PSQI、ISI评分进行Pearson相关性分析。结果(1)FC分析发现,与对照组相比,失眠症患者存在默认网络(default mode network,DMN)连接异常,具体如下:左内侧额上回与左中央前回(MNI:x,y,z=-30,-15,51)及前扣带回间(MNI:x,y,z=-6,24,36)FC、右内侧额上回与左中央前回间(MNI:x,y,z=-48,-6,48)FC、左楔前叶与左中央后回(MNI:x,y,z=-54,-18,54)及左枕上回间(MNI:x,y,z=-21,-69,30)FC、右楔前叶与左中央后回间(MNI:x,y,z=-60,-21,48)FC增强。而左楔前叶与右额中回(MNI:x,y,z=42,33,42)及右角回间(MNI:x,y,z=54,-51,45)FC、右楔前叶与左颞下回间(MNI:x,y,z=-51,-12,-42)FC减弱。(2)以左内侧额上回为种子点,前扣带回(r=0.451,0.338,均P<0.01)和左中央前回(r=0.324,0.402,均P<0.05)FC值与PSQI、ISI评分呈正相关;以右楔前叶为种子点,左中央后回FC值与PSQI、ISI评分呈正相关(r=0.333,P=0.013;r=0.418,P=0.008),左颞下回FC值与PSQI、ISI评分呈负相关(r=-0.662,P=0.001;r=-0.402,P<0.01)。以左楔前叶为种子点,左枕上回FC值与PSQI、ISI评分呈正相关(r=0.438,P=0.001;r=0.495,P=0.011)。结论失眠症患者可能存在多个网络的功能连接改变,DMN内FC减弱可能是失眠症的潜在病因之一,DMN与视空间注意网络间FC增强可能是失眠症大脑功能网络受损机制中的核心环节。     

精神分裂症与双相Ⅰ型躁狂患者默认网络的比较研究

目的 比较研究精神分裂症和双相Ⅰ型躁狂发作患者默认网络连接的异同.方法 对符合美国精神障碍诊断统计手册第4版（DSM-Ⅳ）诊断标准的22例精神分裂症患者、22例双相Ⅰ型躁狂发作患者和22名健康对照进行静息态功能磁共振扫描.采用种子点功能连接方法重建出三组被试的默认网络,并进行组间比较,同时对默认网络连接强度和临床量表分之间的关联进行分析.结果 （1）精神分裂症患者在大脑中线包括楔前叶和背内侧前额叶表现功能连接显著增加（校正后P＜0.05）;（2）双相Ⅰ型躁狂发作患者在内侧额叶、边缘系统包括海马和后扣带回等区域表现功能连接的显著降低（校正后P＜0.05）;（3）两组患者均表现楔前叶的连接增强和外侧颞叶的连接显著降低（校正后P＜0.05）;（4）楔前叶、后扣带回和背内侧前额叶的连接强度与阴性症状正相关（校正后P＜0.05）.结论 本研究发现精神分裂症患者和双相Ⅰ型躁狂发作患者表现部分重叠的默认网络异常模式,精神分裂症主要表现为中线结构功能连接增高,双相Ⅰ型躁狂发作主要表现为前额叶和边缘系统结构功能连接下降.     

Relationship between plasma cathepsin S and cystatin C levels and coronary plaque morphology of mild to moderate lesions: an in vivo study using intravascular ultrasound

Background Cathepsin S and its endogenous inhibitor cystatin C are implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, especially in the plaque destabilization and rupture leading to acute coronary syndrome. However, whether circulating cathepsin S and cystatin C also change in association with coronary plaque morphology is unknown yet. Methods We recruited 98 patients with unstable angina （UA, n=56） or stable angina （SA, n=-42） who had a segmental stenosis resulting in 〉20% and 〈70% diameter reduction in one major coronary artery on coronary angiography. Thirty-one healthy subjects served as controls. Intravascular ultrasound （IVUS） was used to evaluate plaque morphology. Plasma cathepsin S and cystatin C were measured as well. Results At the culprit lesion site, plaque area （（7.85±2.83） mm^2 vs （6.53±2.92） mm^2, P=0.027）, plaque burden （（60.92±11.04）% vs （53.87±17.52）%, P=0.025）, remodeling index （0.93±0.16 vs 0.86±0.10, P=0.004） and eccentricity index （0.74±0.17 vs 0.66±0.21, P=0.038） were bigger in UA group than in SA group. Plasma cathepsin S and cystatin C were significantly higher in patients than in controls （P〈0.01）. Plasma cathepsin S was higher in UA group （（0.411±0.121） nmol/L） than in SA group （（0.355±0.099） nmol/L, P=0.007）, so did the plasma cystatin C （（0.95±0.23） mg/L in UA group, （0.84±0.22） mg/L in SA group; P=0.009）. Plasma cathepsin S positively correlated with remodeling index （r=0.402, P=0.002） and eccentricity index （r=0.441, P=0.001）, and plasma cystatin C positively correlated with plaque area （r=0.467, P 〈0.001） and plaque burden （r=0.395, P=0.003） in UA group but not in SA group. Conclusions Plasma cathepsin S and cystatin C increased significantly in UA patients. In angina patients, higher plasma cathepsin S may suggest the presence of vulnerable plaque, and higher plasma cystatin C may be a clue for larger atherosclerotic coronary plaque.