Interaction between microRNA expression and classical risk factors in the risk of coronary heart disease.

The aim of this study was to identify the synergistic effect of microRNA expression with classical risk factors of coronary heart disease (CHD) and to explore their diagnostic value for coronary stenotic lesions in subjects with CHD. Plasma samples were obtained from 66 subjects with CHD and from 58 control individuals. A quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assay was conducted to confirm the relative expressions of the known CHD-related miRNAs. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was based on the Gensini scoring system. The expression of miR-125b in plasma of the CHD group was lower than that of the non-CHD group (0.14 ± 0.09 vs. 0.18 ± 0.10, p = 0.055), and the miR-125b levels significantly decreased following an increasing Gensini score (P = 0.037). Spearman correlation analyses indicated the Gensini score was negatively associated with miR-125b (r = -0.215, p = 0.017). Of all the miRNAs, miR-125b showed the lowest AUC (0.405; 95% CI: 0.305 ~ 0.506, p = 0.070). We found several synergistic effects between miR-125b and classical risk factors, such as age, sex, CR, FBG and HDL-C; the proportion of CHD attributable to the interaction of miR-125b and age was as high as 80%. Therefore, miR-125b was shown to play an important role in individual's susceptibility to developing CHD.

Hemoglobin A1c risk score for the prediction of coronary artery disease in subjects with angiographically diagnosed coronary atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a risk score by incorporating Hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) with traditional risk factors for the prediction of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Chinese subjects. METHODS: A total of 196 consecutive subjects (131 males and 65 females) aged 38-89 years who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in this study. HbA1c risk score sheets for the prediction of CAD were developed using age, gender and HbA1c. A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the optimum cut-off levels of the HbA1c risk score for predicting CAD. RESULTS: In the ROC curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of the HbA1c score for predicting CAD was 5.1, with a sensitivity of 72.0% and a specificity of 75.5% (area under the curve 0.781, 95% confidence interval 0.709 to 0.854, p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The HbA1c score system is a simple and feasible method that can be used for the prediction of CAD. Large-scale studies are needed to further substantiate these results.

Reduced difference in left ventricular mass at end diastole and peak systole is a predictor of major stenosis of the left coronary artery territory.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility of using the difference in left ventricular (LV) mass at end diastole and peak systole as determined by area-length calculation methods to detect major stenosis of the left coronary artery territory by 2-dimensional echocardiography. METHODS: The LV mass at end diastole, LV mass at peak systole, and LV mass difference between end diastole and peak systole were measured and compared between 39 healthy participants and 40 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) referred for coronary angiography. The mass difference was compared to the mean percent stenosis diameter by linear correlation analysis, and its performance in discrimination between the patients with CAD and the healthy participants was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to the healthy participants, the patients with CAD had significantly higher LV mass at peak systole (mean ± SD, 101.97 ± 30.34 versus 89.87 ± 28.71 g; P< .05) and a lower mass difference between end diastole and peak systole (21.36 ± 17.55 versus 40.12 ± 14.37 g; P < .01). The mass difference correlated significantly with the mean percent stenosis diameter (r = -0.71; P < .001) in patients with CAD . With the use of the mass difference as the criterion to distinguish patients with CAD from healthy participants, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.81 (P < .05). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the prediction of major stenosis (>70%) of the left coronary artery were 82.35%, 70.37%, and 75% respectively for a mass difference of less than 30.2 g. CONCLUSIONS: The LV mass difference between end diastole and peak systole can effectively reflect the diameter changes of the left coronary artery, and a reduced mass difference is a sensitive and specific predictor of major stenosis of the left coronary artery territory.

Coalition of DNA polymorphisms of ApoB and ApoAI genes is related with coronary artery disease in Kazaks.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between polymorphisms of XbaI and MspI loci of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) gene and -75 bp, +83 bp loci of apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI) gene and coronary heart disease (CHD) in Kazaks of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. METHODS: These loci were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-PFLP). Two hundred and five patients with CHD and two hundred and thirty six controls were involved. RESULTS: There were significant distinctions among low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG) and the ApoAI/ApoB ratio between the two groups, but no significant distinction among the polymorphism frequencies of the four sites between the two groups. The polymorphism coalition frequency of X(--)/Ms(++)/M(1) (+-)/M(2) (++) (named Coalition 11) was significantly higher in CHD compared to the control group (14.6% vs. 7.2%, P < 0.05). The level of total cholesterol (TC) in Coalition 11 was significantly higher and the level of the ApoAI/ApoB ratio in Coalition 11 was significantly lower than Coalition 1∼10 in CHD patients. The level of the ApoAI/ApoB ratio of Coalition 11 was significantly lower than the Coalition 1∼10 in control group. The levels of ApoAI/ApoB ratio of Coalition 3 were significantly higher compared to Coalition 11 in the two groups, respectively. The level of LDL-C of Coalition 3 was significantly lower than in the Coalition 11 in control group. The level of TC of Coalition 5 was significantly higher than Coalition 3 in the CHD group. The level of the ApoAI/ApoB ratio of Coalition 5 was significantly lower than in Coalition 3 or Coalition 1∼10 of the two groups, respectively. The level of LDL-C of Coalition 5 was significantly higher than in Coalition 3 in control group. The ratio of ApoAI/ApoB was negatively related to TC, LDL-C and was positively related to HDL-C, both in CHD and control groups. CONCLUSION: Coalition 11 of the 4 loci polymorphisms of the ApoB and ApoAI genes was correlated with CHD in Kazaks, and perhaps the ratio of ApoAI/ApoB was the most diagnostic parameter related with CHD among all lipid parameters. CHD may also be associated with Coalition 5, and, perhaps, Coalition 3 may have been confirmed as a protection factor against CHD, if more samples were enrolled.

Relationship between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and cardiovascular risk factors: a multi-ethnic study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present multi-ethnic study was to explore whether an association exists between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and cardiovascular risk factors in China. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-four adult subjects (152 subjects were of Han nationality, 70 subjects were from Uygur, 19 subjects were from Kazakh, 15 subjects were from Hui, and 8 subjects were of other nationalities.) aged 30-82 years were enrolled in the present study. The subjects' anthropometric, baPWV and laboratory measurements were recorded. RESULTS: Age (p=0.000), systolic blood pressure (p=0.000), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.002), fasting blood glucose (p=0.000), and hemoglobin (p=0.019) differed significantly among the subjects in the baPWV quartile. Spearman correlation analyses indicated that baPWV was significantly and positively associated with age (r=0.584, p=0.000), systolic blood pressure (r=0.396, p=0.000), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.217, p=0.000), and fasting blood glucose (r=0.231, p=0.000). baPWV was significantly and negatively associated with erythrocyte number (r=-0.181, p=0.003) and hemoglobin (r=-0.192, p=0.002) levels. Multiple regression analyses suggested that age (ß=0.573, p=0.000), systolic blood pressure (ß=0.181, p=0.003), triglycerides (ß=0.160, p=0.008), and cholesterol (ß=0.132, p=0.020) were independently associated with baPWV. CONCLUSION: Age, SBP, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels are independently and positively associated with baPWV.

A novel approach to assessing changes in prostate stiffness with age using virtual touch tissue quantification.

OBJECTIVES: Virtual touch tissue quantification is a promising new implementation of the acoustic radiation force impulse ultrasound technique. The purposes of this study were to describe the normal shear wave velocity values of the prostate by virtual touch tissue quantification and to examine the clinical usefulness of this procedure in evaluation of age-related shear wave velocity changes in the prostate. METHODS: One hundred twenty healthy volunteers were involved in this study. They were divided into 3 groups (40 participants per group): young (<30 years), middle aged (30-60 years), and old (>60 years). The shear wave velocity was measured at the inner and outer glands of the prostate at the maximum depth (~5.5 cm) in each participant. RESULTS: The mean shear wave velocities ± SD at the inner gland of the prostate in the young, middle-aged, and old groups were 0.86 ± 0.21, 1.17 ± 0.42, and 1.82 ± 0.61 m/s, respectively, whereas the velocities at the outer gland in the respective groups were 0.85 ± 0.32, 1.15 ± 0.49, and 1.87 ± 0.75 m/s. The shear wave velocities did not differ between the inner and outer glands in any age group. They were all significantly greater in the old group than in the young and middle-aged groups (P < .05). Moreover, the shear wave velocities at the inner and outer glands all correlated significantly with age. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual touch tissue quantification can provide numerical measurements of prostate stiffness and can effectively and objectively indicate age-related changes in prostate stiffness by measuring shear wave velocity values.