Coronary Heart Disease and Depression or Anxiety: A Bibliometric Analysis.

This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of published studies on the association between coronary heart disease (CHD) and depression or anxiety. The study also aimed to identify leading authors, institutions, and countries to determine research hotspots and obtain some hints from the speculated future frontiers. Publications about CHD and depression or anxiety between 2004 and 2020 were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. Bibliographic information, such as authorship, country, citation frequency, and interactive visualization, was generated using VOSviewer1.6.16 and CiteSpace5.6.R5. In total, 8,073 articles were identified in the WOSCC database. The United States (2,953 publications), Duke University and Harvard University (214 publications), Psychosomatic Medicine (297 publications), and Denollet Johan. (99 publications) were the most productive country, institutions, journal, and author, respectively. The three hotspots of the research were "The relationship between depression and CHD," "depression and myocardial infarction," and "The characteristic of women suffering depression after MI." The four future research frontiers are predicted to be "treating depression in CHD patients with multimorbidity," "psychometric properties of instruments for assessing depression and anxiety in CHD patients," "depression or anxiety in post-PCI patients," and "other mental diseases in CHD patients." Bibliometric analysis of the association between CHD and depressive disorders might identify new directions for future research.

Network Pharmacology Analysis of the Therapeutic Mechanisms Underlying Beimu-Gualou Formula Activity against Bronchiectasis with In Silico Molecular Docking Validation.

BACKGROUND: The classical Chinese herbal prescription Beimu-Gualou formula (BMGLF) has been diffusely applied to the treatment of respiratory diseases, including bronchiectasis. Although concerning bronchiectasis the effects and mechanisms of action of the BMGLF constituents have been partially elucidated, it remains to be determined how the formula in its entirety exerts therapeutic effects. METHODS: In this study, the multitarget mechanisms of BMGLF against bronchiectasis were predicted with network pharmacology analysis. Using prepared data, a drug-target interaction network was established and subsequently the core therapeutic targets of BMGLF were identified. Furthermore, the biological function and pathway enrichment of potential targets were analyzed to evaluate the therapeutic effects and pivotal signaling pathways of BMGLF. Finally, virtual molecular docking was performed to assess the affinities of compounds for the candidate targets. RESULTS: The therapeutic action of BMGLF against bronchiectasis involves 18 core target proteins, including the aforementioned candidates (i.e., ALB, ICAM1, IL10, and MAPK1), which are assumed to be related to biological processes such as drug response, cellular response to lipopolysaccharide, immune response, and positive regulation of NF-κB activity in bronchiectasis. Among the top 20 signaling pathways identified, mechanisms of action appear to be primarily related to Chagas disease, allograft rejection, hepatitis B, and inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSION: In summary, using a network pharmacology approach, we initially predicted the complex regulatory profile of BMGLF against bronchiectasis in which multilink suppression of immune/inflammatory responses plays an essential role. These results may provide a basis for novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches for bronchiectasis.

Prospective multicenter clinical trial of Chinese herbal formula JZQG (Jiangzhuoqinggan) for hypertension.

A prospective multicenter clinical trial was conducted to compare the beneficial effects of a Chinese herbal medicine formula Jiangzhuoqinggan (JZQG) and western antihypertension drug irbesartan. JZQG is mainly composed of rhubarb, coptis, cassia, and uncaria. A total of 240 patients with mild to moderate hypertension were enrolled in the trial. Patients were assigned into two groups after screening: JZQG group and the irbesartan group. After four weeks of treatment, we compared the changes in routine blood pressure, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure, and waist circumference. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the JZQG group (both p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the two treatment groups. From the 24 h ambulatory blood pressure measurement, the JZQG group showed a greater reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures (in both daytime and nighttime) than the irbesartan group. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in waist circumference in the JZQG group (1.51 cm reduction; P < 0.05) but not the irbesartan group (0.42 cm). Thus, the JZQG formula may have therapeutic value in patients with both hypertension and metabolic syndrome.

[Serum proteomic study on hypertension patients with Gan-Dan damp-heat syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study the serum proteomics in hypertension patients with Gan-Dan damp-heat syndrome (GDDH) for tentatively find special proteins associated with the syndrome. METHODS: Study was performed in 60 hypertensive patients and 39 healthy persons as control. In the patients enrolled, 40 were differentiated as GDDH syndrome and the other 20 as non-GDDH syndrome. Their serum proteins were captured by weak cation nano-magnetic beads, and proteomic fingerprint was made by matrix assistant laser demodulation ionizing time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) through mapping with protein chip reader type PBS II-C. After all the proteomic fingerprints being analyzed by Biomarker Wizard 3.1, the special expressed proteins for GDDH syndrome were identified by Biomarker Patterns Software 5.0 to create the syndrome decision model. RESULTS: Totally, 182 difference protein peaks between patients of GDDH and healthy persons (P<0.05); and 132 difference protein peaks between patients of GDDH and non-GDDH were detected (P<0.05). A decision model consisted 5 screened out protein peaks with mass-to-charge ratio of 2761.555, 6624.362, 2487.192, 2461.610 and 2744.318 was created, which could well differentiate the GDDH syndrome, with the sensitivity of 96.55%, specificity of 90%, false positive rate of 10% and false negative rate of 3.45%. Further blind test for prospective check showed its sensitivity being 81.82%, specificity 89.66%, false positive rate 10.34% and false negative rate 18.18%. CONCLUSION: The differently expressed protein is the material foundation of GDDH syndrome; molecular biological decision model established on the basis of this foundation can offer a tool for making Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation more objectively and accurately.

[Relationship between Chinese medicine syndrome and peripheral blood stem cells in patients with ischemic heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of Chinese medicine syndromes with heart function and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) count in patients with ischemic heart failure (IHF). METHODS: Clinical materials of 208 inpatients with IHF were collected and the characteristics of their Chinese medicine syndromes were summarized, the number of PBSC was counted with flow cytometer, and the differences of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and PBSC count related to various syndrome factors and syndrome types were compared using One-way ANOVA. RESULTS: LVEF >50% was found in patients with syndromes of qi-deficiency, yin-deficiency, turbid-phlegm and blood-stasis, while <50% in those of yang-deficiency and fluid-retention, showing significant differences between the former four syndromes and the latter two syndromes. Compared them with syndromes of qi-deficiency, yin-deficiency, turbid-phlegm and blood-stasis, NT-proBNP in the yang deficiency group and water retention group was higher (P<0.01); the PBSC count in patients with yang-deficiency syndrome factor was the least, which was significantly different to that in patients with the former four syndromes (P<0.01, P<0.05), but it was insignificantly different to that with water-retention; LVEF >50% in syndrome types of Xin-Fei qi-deficiency, deficiency of qi and yin, qi-deficiency with blood-stasis and phlegm accumulation in Fei, but <50% in syndrome types of Xin-Shen yang-deficiency and yang-deficiency with water-retention. Compared them with syndrome types of Xin-Fei qi-deficiency, deficiency of qi and yin, qi-deficiency with blood-stasis and phlegm accumulation in Fei, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05, P<0.01); The highest level of NT-proBNP was shown in syndrome type of yang-deficiency with water-retention, the secondary was in Xin-Shen yang-deficiency, and all showed significant differences as compared with that in other syndrome types (P<0.05); while difference of PBSC count in patients with various syndrome types showed insignificance (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Chinese medicine syndrome is correlated with heart function and PBSC count in patients with IHF, and the PBSC count in patients with characteristics of yang-deficiency syndrome is lower.

Serum proteomes of hypertension patients with abundant phlegm-dampness.

OBJECTIVE: To study the serum proteomes of essential hypertension (EH) patients with abundant phlegm-dampness, and try to find special proteins associated with abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome. METHODS: Fifty-nine hypertension patients were included, and the patients were divided into abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome group (39 cases) and non-phlegm-dampness syndrome group (20 cases). To find the special proteins associated with abundant phlegm-dampness, the EH patients with non-phlegm-dampness and another 30 healthy persons were regarded as control. Weak cation nano-magnetic beads were used to capture proteins in serum, and proteomic fingerprint was made by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). All the proteomic fingerprints were analyzed by Biomarker Wizard 3.1 Software. Then Biomarker Patterns Software (BPS) 5.0 was used to identify the differentiated proteins, which could induce phlegm-dampness. RESULTS: There were 102 differentiated protein peaks between abundant phlegm-dampness and the control group. The best markers of abundant phlegm-dampness were protein peaks with the mass to charge ratio (m/z) of 9,334.958 m/z (the expression increased), 9,280.191 m/z (the expression decreased), 8,030.794 m/z (the expression increased), and 2,941.551 m/z (the expression increased). These four protein peaks found by BPS could induce abundant phlegm-dampness. They could be used to separate the abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome from the healthy persons and the hypertension patients with non-phlegm-dampness. The sensitivity of the model was 93.103% (27/29), specificity was 92% (23/25), false positive rate was 8% (2/25), false negative rate was 6.897% (2/29) and Youden's index was 85.103%. Blind test data indicated a sensitivity of 90% (9/10) and a specificity of 88% (22/25), and the false positive rate was 12% (3/25), false negative rate was 10% (1/10), and Youden's index was 78%. CONCLUSION: The differentiated proteins between the abundant phlegm-dampness group and the control group are the material foundation of abundant phlegm-dampness. The selected differentiated proteins can be used to distinguish the EH patients with abundant phlegm-dampness from the healthy persons and the EH patients with non-phlegm-dampness. The molecular biology diagnosis model can offer an objective and accurate way for TCM syndrome differentiation.

[Influence of shenfu injection on heart function and bone marrow stem cell mobilization in patients with chronic heart failure of coronary heart disease].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of Shenfu Injection (SFI) on heart function and bone marrow stem cell mobilization in patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS: Sixty-three patients of coronary heart disease (CHD) with chronic heart failure were randomly assigned to the control group (32 cases) and the treatment group (31 cases). Western medical conventional treatment was given to all patients, but SFI was given once a day to patients in the treatment group additionally at the dose of 40 mL by dripping after dilution. After one week of treatment, the cardiac function indexes, including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO), as well as the number of CD34+ stem cells in the peripheral blood were detected and compared. RESULTS: After treatment, all the three cardiac function indexes were improved obviously in both groups (P < 0.01), but the improvement in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P < 0.05). CD34+ stem cells were insignificantly changed in the control group after treatment, while it significantly increased in the treatment group (P < 0.01), showing significant difference between groups. CONCLUSION: SFI can significantly enhance the systolic function of heart, increase the number of CD34+ stem cells in the peripheral blood, and promote the mobilization of bone marrow stem cells, which is possibly one of its acting mechanisms for improving the cardiac function.

[Relationship between plasma protein expression profiles and states of Zang-Fu organs in patients with phlegm or blood stagnation syndromes due to hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the plasma biomarker proteins and the states of Zang-Fu organs in patients with phlegm or blood stagnation syndromes due to hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. METHODS: The states of Zang-Fu organs in 146 patients with hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis were diagnosed by syndrome differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine. The plasma proteins from these patients were separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Differential protein profiling was established by Image Master 6.0 software, and the differential proteins were analyzed by quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS). The association between the plasma biomarker proteins and the states of Zang-Fu organs was analyzed by graphical models. RESULTS: The biomarker proteins such as fibrinogen gamma chain, albumin and apolipoprotein AI (precursor) in discrimination of the patients with phlegm syndrome from phlegm accumulating with stagnation syndrome were correlated with the deficiency of kidney-qi, heart-qi and spleen-qi. Among the four biomarker proteins in discrimination of the patients with phlegm syndrome from blood stagnation syndrome, albumin, adrenomedullin binding protein (precursor) and haptoglobin (precursor) were correlated with the deficiency of kidney-qi and heart-qi, but complement component C4 was independent of the deficient Zang-Fu organs. The biomarker albumin was associated with the deficiency of kidney-qi, heart-qi and spleen-qi, and adrenomedullin binding protein (precursor) was correlated with the deficiency of spleen-qi in discrimination of the patients with blood stagnation syndrome from phlegm accumulating with stagnation syndrome. As the potential biomarker proteins in discrimination of the patients with non-phlegm and non-stagnation syndrome from phlegm accumulating with stagnation syndrome, the fibrinogen beta chain was related with the deficiency of kidney-qi, and apolipoprotein AI (precursor) was correlated with both the deficiency of kidney-qi and heart-qi. CONCLUSION: There exists inherent correlation between the states of Zang-Fu organs and the plasma probable biomarker proteins in the patients with different phlegm or blood stagnation syndromes due to hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.