Efficacy and safety of Qingda granule versus valsartan capsule in Chinese grade 1 hypertensive patients with low-moderate risk: A randomized, double-blind, double dummy, non-inferiority, multi-center trial.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of Qingda granule (QDG) in managing blood pressure (BP) among grade 1 hypertensive patients with low-moderate risk remain uncertain. METHODS: In the randomized, double-blind, double dummy, non-inferiority and multicenter trial, 552 patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-moderate risk were assigned at a ratio of 1:1 to receive either QDG or valsartan for 4 weeks, followed up by a subsequent 4 weeks. RESULTS: Post-treatment, clinic systolic/diastolic BPs (SBP/DBP) were reduced by a mean change of 9.18/4.04 mm Hg in the QDG group and 9.85/5.05 mm Hg in the valsartan group (SBP P = 0.47, DBP P = 0.16). Similarly, 24-hour, daytime and nighttime BPs were proportional in both groups (P > 0.05) after 4 weeks treatment. After discontinuing medications for 4 weeks, the mean reduction of clinic SBP/DBP were 0.29/0.57 mm Hg in the QDG group compared to -1.59/-0.48 mm Hg in the valsartan group (SBP P = 0.04, DBP P = 0.04). Simultaneously, the 24-hour SBP/DBP were reduced by 0.9/0.31 mm Hg in the QDG group and -1.66/-1.08 mm Hg in the valsartan group (SBP P = 0.006, DBP P = 0.02). And similar results were observed regarding the outcomes of daytime and nighttime BPs. There was no difference in occurrence of adverse events between two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: QDG proves to be efficacious for grade 1 hypertension at a low-to-medium risk, even after discontinuation of the medication for 4 weeks. These findings provide a promising option for managing grade 1 hypertension and suggest the potential for maintaining stable BP through intermittent administration of QDG. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000033890.

Essential oils for treating anxiety: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and network meta-analysis.

Background and purpose: The findings of clinical studies exploring essential oils (EOs) for anxiety remain disputed, and no studies have yet clarified the differences in the efficacy of EOs. The purpose of the study was to directly or indirectly compare the efficacy of different types of EOs on anxiety by pooling the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were searched from inception to November 2022. Only full texts of RCTs that investigated the effects of EOs on anxiety were included. The trial data were extracted and the risk of bias was assessed by two reviewers independently. Pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed by Stata 15.1 or R 4.1.2 software. Results: Forty-four RCTs (fifty study arms) involving 10 kinds of EOs and 3419 anxiety patients (1815 patients in EOs group and 1604 patients in control group) were included. Pairwise meta-analyses showed that EOs were effective in reducing State Anxiety Inventory scores (SAIS) [WMD = -6.63, 95% CI-8.17, -5.08] and Trait Anxiety Inventory scores (TAIS) [WMD = -4.97, 95% CI-6.73, -3.20]. Additionally, EOs could decrease systolic blood pressure (SBP) [WMD = -6.83, (95% CI -10.53, -3.12), P < 0.001] and heart rate (HR) [WMD = -3.43, (95% CI -5.51, -1.36), P < 0.001]. Network meta-analyses demonstrated that regarding the outcome of SAIS, Jasminum sambac (L.)Ait. (jasmine) was the most effective with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of-13.61 (95% CrI-24.79, -2.48). Followed by Citrus (citrus aurantium L.), which had a WMD of-9.62 (95% CrI-13.32, -5.93). Moderate effect sizes were observed for Rosa rugosa Thunb. (damask rose) (WMD = -6.78, 95% CrI-10.14, -3.49) and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender) (WMD = -5.41, 95% CrI-7.86, -2.98). Regarding the results of TAIS, citrus aurantium L. was the best ranked intervention with a WMD of-9.62 (95% CrI-15.62, -3.7). Moderate-to-large effect sizes were observed for Citrus limon (L.) Burm. F. (lemon) (WMD:-8.48; 95% CrI-16.67, -0.33) and lavender (WMD:-5.5; 95% CrI-8.7, -2.46). Conclusion: According to the comprehensive analysis, EOs are effective in reducing both state anxiety and trait anxiety, and citrus aurantium L. essential oil seems to be the most recommended type of EO for treating anxiety because of its significant effects in reducing SAIS and TAIS. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42022331319.

Effects of Qingda granule on patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk: study protocol for a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Numerous pre-clinical studies showed that Qingda granule (QDG) was effective in treating hypertension. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of QDG in reducing blood pressure among patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk. METHODS: The study is designed as a randomized, multi-center, double-blinded, non-inferiority clinical trial. Five hundred fifty-two patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk from 13 hospitals will be recruited and randomly assigned to the QDG group (n = 276, treated with valsartan capsule simulation agent and QDG) or control group (n = 276, treated with valsartan capsule and QDG simulation agent). The treatment period will be 4 weeks and the follow-up period will last 4 weeks after treatment. Primary outcome will be a decreased value of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure after treatment. And second outcome will include the decreased value of diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure at the end of follow-up, the percentage of participants achieving normal blood pressure at the end of treatment and follow-up, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and TCM syndrome scores at the end of treatment and follow-up, and levels of hypertensive hormones at end of treatment and follow-up. DISCUSSION: This study will provide initial evidence regarding the clinical efficacy and safety of QDG in treating grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2000033890 . Registered on 15 June 2020.

Growth factor for therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic heart disease: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Aim: This study was designed to systematically evaluate the effects of growth factor (GF) for therapeutic angiogenesis on ischemic heart disease (IHD) by pooling the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods and Results: PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception to October 2022. RCTs, investigating the effects of GF therapy on IHD, were included. The risk bias of included study was assessed according to Cochrane tool. Weighted mean difference (WMD), calculated with fixed effect model or random effect model, was used to evaluate the effects of GF therapy on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina class. Relative risk (RR) was used to evaluate the effects of GF therapy on all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and revascularization. Meta-analysis, meta-regression analysis and publication bias analysis were performed by RevMan 5.3 or Stata 15.1 software. Twenty-nine studies involving 2899 IHD patients (1,577 patients in GF group and 1,322 patients in control group) were included. Compared with the control group, GF therapy did not reduce all-cause mortality (RR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.54-1.24; p = 0.341), MACE [(RR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.61-1.12; p = 0.227), revascularization (RR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.82-1.96, p = 0.290) and CCS angina class (WMD: -0.08, 95% CI: -0.36 to 0.20, p = 0.560). However, GF therapy could increase LVEF during short-term follow-up (<1 year). Conclusion: GF for therapeutic angiogenesis was beneficial for increasing LVEF during short-term follow-up (<1 year), however, the therapy was not efficacious in decreasing all-cause mortality, MACE and revascularization.

Triglyceride-glucose index and estimated 10-year risk of a first hard cardiovascular event.

Background: Whether Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is associated with 10-year risk of a first hard atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event in the United States remains unclear. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the participants, ranged from 40 to 79 years old, were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018. TyG index was the independent variable and 10-year risk of a first hard ASCVD was the dependent variable. The other variables, such as age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), hypertension treatment states, smoking states and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) et al. were considered as the potential confounding factors. Multivariate linear regression models and smooth curve fittings were used to evaluate the association between TyG index and 10-year risk of a first hard ASCVD event. Results: A total of 2,142 participants were included in the analysis. The results showed that TyG index was associated with an increased 10-year risk of a first hard ASCVD event [ß = 2.208, 95% (1.716, 2.700), P < 0.00001]. The association had statistical significance in both men [ß = 3.862 95% CI (3.274, 4.450), P < 0.00001] and women [ß = 1.067, 95% CI (0.286, 1.849), P = 0.00756)] according to subgroup analysis. Smooth curve fittings revealed that TyG index was linearly associated with 10-year risk of ASCVD in both male and female. Conclusion: Triglyceride-glucose index was associated with an increased 10-year risk of a first hard ASCVD event in the United States, suggesting it is necessary to monitor and control an appropriate range of TyG index.

Association of body mass index trajectory and hypertension risk: A systematic review of cohort studies and network meta-analysis of 89,094 participants.

Introduction: Body mass index (BMI) trajectories, such as non-linear time trends and nonlinear changes in BMI with age, can provide information on the underlying temporal health patterns. The relationship between BMI trajectories and the risk of hypertension remains controversial. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from their inception to January 31, 2022. We categorized BMI trajectories as "Stable high," "table normal," "Stable low," "Fluctuated (sharp increase)," and "Fluctuated (elevated-decrease)." The main outcome was the relative risk for the prevalence of hypertension in the different BMI trajectories. Potential sources of heterogeneity were examined using meta-regression and subgroup analysis. A publication bias test and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach were also used. Results: The 18 cohort studies included 89,094 participants. Compared with the "Stable normal" trajectory, "Stable high," "Fluctuated (sharp increase)," and "Fluctuated (elevated-decrease)" trajectories were associated with an increased relative risk of hypertension: [RR (95% CI)]: 1.80 (1.29 2.50), p < 0.001; 1.53 (1.27 1.83), p < 0.001; 1.30 (1.24 1.37), p = 0.001, respectively. The "Stable low" trajectory was associated with a reduced risk of hypertension [0.83 (0.79 0.83), p < 0.001]. The "Stable high" trajectory (surface under the cumulative ranking curve = 88.1%) had the highest probability of developing hypertension in the population. The certainty of the evidence for direct comparisons of the incidence of hypertension between various BMI trajectories was generally very low. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that "Stable high," "Fluctuated (sharp increase)," and "Fluctuated (elevated-decrease)" trajectories were associated with an increased relative risk of hypertension, with the "Stable high" trajectory most likely associated with hypertension. Systematic review registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=308575], identifier [CRD42022308575].

Revealing the Common Mechanisms of Scutellarin in Angina Pectoris and Ischemic Stroke Treatment via a Network Pharmacology Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the shared mechanisms of scutellarin in angina pectoris (AP) and ischemic stroke (IS) treatment. METHODS: A network pharmacology approach was used to detect the potential mechanisms of scutellarin in AP and IS treatment by target prediction, protein-protein interaction (PPI) data collection, network construction, network analysis, and enrichment analysis. Furthermore, molecular docking simulation was employed to analyze the interaction between scutellarin and core targets. RESULTS: Two networks were established, including a disease-target network and a PPI network of scutellarin targets against AP and IS. Network analysis showed that 14 targets, namely, AKT1, VEGFA, JUN, ALB, MTOR, ESR1, MAPK8, HSP90AA1, NOS3, SERPINE1, FGA, F2, FOXO3, and STAT1, might be the therapeutic targets of scutellarin in AP and IS. Among them, NOS3 and F2 were recognized as the core targets. Additionally, molecular docking simulation confifirmed that scutellarin exhibited a relatively high potential for binding to the active sites of NOS3 and F2. Furthermore, enrichment analysis indicated that scutellarin might exert a therapeutic role in both AP and IS by regulating several important pathways, such as coagulation cascades, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway, forkhead box O (FoxO) signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, adipocytokine signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, insulin resistance, and estrogen signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: The shared underlying mechanisms of scutellarin on AP and IS treatment might be strongly associated with its vasorelaxant, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects as well as its effect on improving lipid metabolism.

Efficacy and Safety of Guilingji Capsules () for Treating Mild-to-Moderate Cognitive Impairment: Study Protocol for A Randomized, Double-Blind, Positive-Controlled, Multicenter and Noninferiority Trial.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cognitive impairment (CI) is gradually increasing, which has attracted more attention from medical researchers worldwide. Definitive mechanisms of pathogenesis remain elusive, and there are few medications that have been proven effective for CI. The utilization of Chinese herbal medicine has shown positive therapeutic effects for a broad spectrum of diseases, including CI. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Guilingji Capsules (GLJC, ) in treating mild-to-moderate CI with Shen (Kidney) and marrow deficiency syndrome. METHODS: This is a randomized, double-blind, positive-controlled, multicenter clinical trial with a noninferiority design that included 348 participants randomly divided into an experimental arm and an active comparator arm. Individuals in the experimental arm (174 cases) took 0.6 g of GLJC once a day and 19.2 mg of Gingko biloba extract mimetic 3 times a day. Individuals in the active comparator arm (174 cases) took 0.6 g of GLJC mimetic once a day and 19.2 mg of Gingko biloba extract in tablet form 3 times a day. The intervention period included two sessions over 24 weeks. The primary outcome be the effectiveness of GLJC on cognitive improvement after 24 weeks of treatment, which was defined as an increase in the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Scale. The secondary outcomes were improvement in independence, daily living ability, and Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome, which were measured with the Alzheimer's disease Rating Scale-Cognitive Project (ADAS-Cog), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Total Score, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Total Score and the Chinese Medicine Symptom Scale (CM-SS), respectively. Serum acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase, bax and bcl-2 were monitored to explore the mechanism of GLJC on CI. In addition, safety measures, including vital signs, electrocardiography, laboratory indicators (full blood count, kidney and liver function tests, routine urine test and routine stool test) and adverse events, were also recorded. DISCUSSION: The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of GLJC in patients with mild-to-moderate CI with kidney and marrow deficiency syndrome. If successful, the results would provide a viable treatment for patients with mild-to-moderate CI. (Clinical Trials.gov. ID: NCT03647384. Registered on 23 August 2018).

[Comparison between Ye Tianshi and Wu Jutong in treatment of summer-heat disease].

Through the traditional Chinese medicine inheritance platform system, with the help of medical records, Ye Tianshi and Wu Jutong's medication characteristics for summer heat sickness were analyzed, the laws of the two people's medication were summarized, and the similarities and differences between the two were explored to explore the relationship. As a result, it was found that both of them recognized the relationship between summer heat and wetness, and Wu Jutong believed that "wind" was also an important pathogenic factor. Both of the patients were treated with cold medicine and warm medicine. They used mostly bitter, sweet, pungent taste and lungs, spleen, stomach, and heart meridian are the main components; two are commonly used Armeniacae Semen Amarum, Talcum, Rehmanniae Radix, Ophiopogonis Radix, Pinelliae Rhizoma and other drugs, Ye Tianshi use Scrophulariae Radix, Tetrapanacis Medulla, Coicis Semen and other drugs more, Wu Jutong use Gypsum Fibrosum, Sojae Semen Praeparatum, Menthae Haplocalycis Herba and other drugs more; at the same time, a combination of two high-frequency medicines used by two people has been excavated, and a new prescription has been deduced to provide a reference for further understanding and treatment of summer diseases.

Long-term follow-up of Chinese herbal medicines combined with conventional treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognosis effect of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation adjunctive to conventional treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A total of 702 patients with ACS who underwent PCI were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive conventional treatment plus CHMs for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation (treatment group, 351 cases) or conventional treatment alone (control group, 351 cases) for 6 months. Six months later, all patients received conventional treatment alone. Follow-ups were scheduled at 6th, 12th, 18th, 24th month after enrollment in April 2008, and the final follow-up visit was during September 2011 and November 2011. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or revascularization (PCI or coronary artery bypass grafting); and the secondary endpoint was the composite of re-admission for ACS, congestive heart failure, nonfatal stroke or other thrombus events. RESULTS: A total of 621 (88.59%) patients completed 35.4±3.8 months follow-up, while 80 (11.41%) patients withdrew from the trial (41 in the treatment group and 39 in the control group). The incidence of primary endpoint was 5.7% (20 patients) in the treatment group versus 10.86% (38 patients) in the control group [relative risk (RR): 0.53; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.30, 0.88; P=0.013; absolute risk reduction (ARR):-0.052, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.01]. The incidence of secondary endpoint was 5.98% (21 patients) in the treatment group versus 10.28% (36 patients) in control group (RR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.33, 0.97, P=0.037; ARR: -0.043, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.01). Most of the primary and secondary endpoints were occurred in 18 months (84.50% in the treatment group versus 78.10% in the control group). CONCLUSION: CHMs for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation adjunctive to conventional treatment improved clinical outcomes for patients with ACS after PCI in long-term follow-up.

Resting heart rate associates with one-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention.

The study was to access the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and one-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients with ACS after PCI (n = 808) were prospectively followed-up for MACE. RHR was obtained from electrocardiogram. MACE was defined as a composite of cardiac death, nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarction, ischemic-driven revascularization, and ischemic stroke. The association between RHR and one-year risk of MACE was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression model. Compared with patients with RHR >76 bpm, the adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) was 0.51 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.23-1.14; P = 0.100) for patients with RHR < 61 bpm, and 0.44 (95%CI: 0.23-0.85; P = 0.014) for those with RHR 61-76 bpm. For patients with RHR ≥ 61 bpm, an increase of 10 bpm in RHR was associated with an increase by 38.0% in the risk of MACE (AHR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.04-1.83; P = 0.026). ACS patients after PCI with RHR >76 bpm were at higher risk of MACE during one-year follow-up compared with patients with RHR 61-76 bpm. An elevated RHR ≥ 61 bpm was associated with increased risk of one-year MACE in ACS patients.

[Application of qualitative interviews in inheritance research of famous old traditional Chinese medicine doctors: ideas and experience].

The inheritance of famous old traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors plays an essential role in the fields of TCM research. Qualitative interviews allow for subjectivity and individuality within clinical experience as well as academic ideas of doctors, making it a potential appropriate research method for inheritance of famous old TCM doctors. We summarized current situations of inheritance research on famous old TCM doctors, and then discussed the feasibility of applying qualitative interviews in inheritance of famous old TCM doctors. By combining our experience in research on inheritance of famous old TCM doctors, we gave some advice on study design, interview implementation, data transcription and analyses , and report writing, providing a reference for further relevant research.

Multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis of the correlation of Chinese medicine syndrome evolvement and cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation of Chinese medicine syndrome evolvement and cardiovascular: events in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: This prospective cohort study investigated and: collected the clinical information of patients with stable CHD and observed the syndrome type at the baseline and 6-month at follow-up, as well as the cardiovascular events during the 6-month and 12-month follow-up. The patients were divided into the event group and the non-event group. The interaction and the impact of syndrome evolvement on cardiovascular events were examined through multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis and the results were verified by Chi-square test. RESULTS: Totally 1,333 of 1,503 stable CHD patients enrolled met the inclusion criteria: of MDR analysis. Among them, 959 (71.9%) cases were males and 374 (28.1%) cases were females. Thirty seven cases had cardiovascular events during 6 to 12 months after the study began. The results of the MDR analysis and verification using Chi-square test showed that the development of cardiovascular events was positively correlated with interaction between blood stasis and toxic syndrome at the baseline, blood stasis at the baseline and qi deficiency at the 6-month follow-up, toxic syndrome at the baseline and qi deficiency at the 6-month follow-up, toxic syndrome at the base line and blood stasis at the 6-month follow-up, qi deficiency and blood stasis at the 6-month follow-up (P<0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Blood stasis, toxic syndrome and qi deficiency are important factors of stable CHD. There: are positive correlation between cardiovascular events and syndrome evolution from blood stasis to qi deficiency, from toxic syndrome to qi deficiency and from toxic syndrome to blood stasis, indicating the pathogenesis of toxin consuming qi, toxin leading to blood-stasis in stable CHD patients prone to recurrent cardiovascular events.

[Ginkgo preparations of Chinese medicine and treatment of diabetes: mechanisms and clinical applications].

Ginkgo is one of the most successful cases of botanical drugs developed by modern science and technology during the past fifty years all over the world. At present ginkgo has been applied to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease widely, and has good clinical efficacy. Type 2 diabetes has been proved to be the risk equivalents of cardiovascular disease, therefore it has an important scientific significance for looking for more effective drugs of prevention and control of diabetes. To seek more efficient and safe drug from the plant medicine which has the function of regulate blood sugar and improve insulin resistance becomes a hotspot at home and abroad. Basic and clinical studies have shown the ginkgo preparations of Chinese medicine have certain regulation effect on blood sugar and insulin resistance. In this paper, we review the mechanisms and clinical applications of ginkgo preparations on diabetes and its applications during the past 10 years.

Combination of Chinese Herbal Medicines and Conventional Treatment versus Conventional Treatment Alone in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (5C Trial): An Open-Label Randomized Controlled, Multicenter Study.

Aims. To evaluate the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) plus conventional treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods and Results. Participants (n = 808) with ACS who underwent PCI from thirteen hospitals of mainland China were randomized into two groups: CHMs plus conventional treatment group (treatment group) or conventional treatment alone group (control group). All participants received conventional treatment, and participants in treatment group additionally received CHMs for six months. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiac death, nonfatal recurrent MI, and ischemia-driven revascularization. Secondary endpoint was the composite of readmission for ACS, stroke, or congestive heart failure. The safety endpoint involved occurrence of major bleeding events. The incidence of primary endpoint was 2.7% in treatment group versus 6.2% in control group (HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.87; P = 0.015). The incidence of secondary endpoint was 3.5% in treatment group versus 8.7% in control group (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.72; P = 0.002). No major bleeding events were observed in any participant. Conclusion. Treatment with CHMs plus conventional treatment further reduced the occurrence of cardiovascular events in patients with ACS after PCI without increasing risk of major bleeding.

[Progress in researches on ancient history of atherosclerosis].

Atherosclerosis has been thought to be a disease of modern society, and its occurrence was closely related to contemporary diet and lifestyle. However, a series of investigations on ancient mummies by autopsy and CT scan concluded that atherosclerosis was commonly seen in ancient times. The presence of atherosclerosis in ancient human beings suggested that aging and genetic predisposition might be essential risk factors for atherosclerosis.

[Study on the diagnostic criteria for coronary heart disease patients of blood stasis syndrome].

The diagnostic criteria of blood stasis syndrome (BBS) established by the Specialty Committee of Activating Blood Circulation and Removing Stasis, Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine 1986 has been widely used in clinical practice of Chinese medicine. But coronary heart disease (CHD) of BBS has its own features. By using clinical epidemiological methods, establishing the diagnostic criteria for CHD patients of BBS is of great significance in furthering its studies, exerting the advantages of Chinese medicine in preventing and treating CHD, and elevating the clinical efficacy.

Preliminary comparative study on the effect of different chinese drugs for strengthening Pi in antagonizing diet induced obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference in fatty degree, glucose-lipid disorder and adipose-hormones between diet induced obesity (DIO) rats and diet induced obesity resistance (DIO-R) rats, and to explore the effect and acting mechanism of Chinese drugs for strengthening Pi (CD-SP) and those for both strengthening Pi and dissolving phlegm (CD-SPDP) in inhibiting obesity. METHODS: Excepting eight rats allocated in the blank control group, the other 54 rats were fed with high-lipid forage for 12 weeks to establish models of obesity. Finally, 30 DIO rats and 8 DIO-R rats (shown by their body weight) were obtained. The DIO rats were divided into three groups, which were given gastric perfusion, respectively, with normal saline (Group A), CD-SP (Group B), and CD-SPDP (Group C). Fourteen weeks later, the animals' body weight (BW), length (BL), blood levels of fasting insulin (FIn), fasting glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (TC), leptin (LP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha), adiponectin (AN), and resistin (RS) were measured; insulin resistance index (IRI) was calculated, and the degree of obesity and lipid content in abdominal cavity of rats were estimated. Moreover, the levels of LP, CRP, TNF-alpha, AN and RS in homogenate of rats' adipose tissues (ATH) were determined. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of high-lipid diet, the BW of DIO rats was higher than that of normal or DIO-R rats. After a 14-week continuous high-lipid diet feeding, in DIO rats, BW, lipid coefficient (LC), and IRI were significantly increased (P<0.01); serum levels of TNF-alpha, LP and AN were lower, NPY was higher, while the ATH levels of LP and AN were lower and TNF-alpha was higher in DIO rats than in DIO-R rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01); blood levels of FBG and lipids in DIO rats showed an increasing trend but was statistically insignificant (P>0.05); no significant difference was found in serum levels of CRP and RS due to the overly high data dispersion. Comparisons of the 3 DIO groups showed that BW, body weight index (BWI), LC and IRI were significantly lowered after treatment (P<0.01) in Group C, while these indexes were not significantly different between Group A and B; the serum levels of TNF-alpha, LP, and AN increased, NPY decreased in Group B and C, ATH levels of LP and AN increased, and TNF-alpha decreased in the two groups; but NPY, LP, and AN in blood and ATH were higher in Group C than those in Group B (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: CD-SPDP could inhibit DIO and IR, showing that the effect is better than that of CD-SP, and its mechanism is related to promotion of LP and AN secretion and elevation of serum NPY.