[Efficacy of shock-wave therapy in the treatment of chronic ischemic heart failure].

INTRODUCTION: Shock-wave therapy (SWT) has proved its efficacy and safety in a number of studies in stable effort angina. METHODS: Twenty-four patients (20 men, 4 women; mean age 63.3 +/- 6.1 years) with chronic heart failure (CHF) of ischemic origin (>6 months after AMI) and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) <40% received SWT in addition to their stable treatment. SWT was performed in 9 sessions with 100 shocks per spot in viable segments detected by low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography. Patients were examined at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after SWT. Troponin T level was measured after each week of treatment. RESULTS: Class of CHF significantly decrease from 2.2 +/- 0.8 to 1.7 +/- 0.7 at 3 and at 6 months after SWT (p<0.01). Six-minute walk test improved from 414 +/- 141 to 509 +/- 141 and 538 +/- 116 m (p<0.01) at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Significant augmentation of LVEF at rest was noted at 3 and 6 months after SWT (from 32.2 +/- 6.0 to 34.8 +/- 9.6 and 37.7 +/- 9.5, respectively p=0.03). Troponin T was negative in all cases. Significant increase of LV longitudinal deformation was registered at 6 months (from -8.84 +/- 0.38 to -9.72 +/- -0.44%, p<0.01) what evidenced for improvement of LV contractility. The latter was a result of restored hibernating segments function (longitudinal deformation of these segments rose from initial -7.52 +/- -0.5 to -9.18 +/- 0.53 and -9.63 +/- 0.59% at 3 and 6 months after SWT, respectively, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CHF SWT caused significant clinical improvement as well as increases in LV EF and distance walked during 6-min walk test. These results justify conduct of a placebo controlled study.

[Ferritin and other acute phase proteins in various forms of coronary heart disease].

The purpose of the study was to determine clinical importance of high serum levels of ferritin, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with various forms of coronary heart disease (CHD) such as stable angina, painless myocardial ischemia (PMI) and instable angina (IA). The subjects of the study were 60 patients with CHD, whose clinical variant (stable angina, PMI or IA) had been determined by stress echocardiography. The control group consisted of 20 patients, not suffering from CHD, but having cardiovascular risk factors (arterial hypertension, dyslipoproteinemia, male gender, obesity, elderly age). All patients underwent routine clinical examination and biochemical blood tests. Serum levels of CRP, fibrinogen and ferritin were highest in the patients with IA and significantly differed from those in the control group. The difference in serum iron levels and total iron-binding capacity in serum (TIBC) between the groups were insignificant. Correlations between serum level of iron, TIBC and ferritin level were found neither in CHD patients (r = 0.1) nor in the control group (r = 0.15). No correlation between serum level of ferritin and CRP level was observed in the control group, but in all CHD groups this correlation was significant. The strongest correlation between these values was observed in the patients with IA. Besides, correlations between serum levels of ferritin and CRP (r = 0.46, p < 0.02) and between ferritin and fibrinogen levels (r = 0.39, p < 0.05) were found in the patients with IA. In patients with CHD, especially those who have IA, serum ferritin should be considered among acute phase proteins, reflecting destabilization of atherosclerotic plaque.

[Hyperhomocysteinemia and acute phase proteins in various forms of ischemic heart disease]. / Gipergomotsisteinemiia i belki ostroi fazy pri razlichnykh formakh ishemicheskoi bolezni serdtsa.

AIM: To determine clinical significance of high concentrations of homocystein, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen in various forms of ischemic heart disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Enzyme immunoassay was made to measure serum concentrations of homocystein, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen in 60 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) in the form of stable effort angina (n = 20), painless myocardial ischemia (n = 19), unstable angina pectoris (n = 21) and 20 control patients free of IHD. Myocardial ischemia was confirmed at dobutamine stress echocardiography. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of homocysteine, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen were higher in patients with unstable angina than in the other examinees with IHD. A statistically significant correlation exists between homocysteine serum levels and acute phase proteins (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen) in patients with unstable angina. In the other groups it was absent. CONCLUSION: Correlation between serum levels of homocysteine and acute phase proteins in patients with unstable angina suggests a direct participation of this amino acid in destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques and development of acute coronary syndromes.