Impact of periodontitis on chemokines in smokers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the chemokine expression profiles in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum in patients with advanced chronic periodontitis and to assess the impact of smoking on local and systemic levels of chemokines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with chronic periodontitis (CP; 20 smokers and 10 non-smokers) and 20 periodontally healthy subjects (10 smokers and 10 non-smokers) were recruited. Clinical parameters included the plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and bleeding on probing (BOP). Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1ß), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted chemokine (RANTES) were measured in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum using a multiplex immunoassay. RESULTS: MIP-1α levels were significantly lower (10.15 ± 1.48; p = 0.039) while MIP-1ß levels were significantly higher (42.05 ± 8.21; p = 0.005) in sera from non-smoker patients with CP compared to non-smoker healthy subjects. MCP-1 concentration in sera was significantly higher in smoker periodontitis patients (8.89 ± 1.65) compared to non-smoker patients with periodontitis (8.14 ± 0.97; p = 0.004). MIP-1α and RANTES were significantly higher in GCF of the patients with CP (p = 0.001) while there were no statistically significant correlations between the GCF levels of these analytes and the smoking status. CONCLUSION: Periodontal inflammation increases the chemokine concentrations in the GCF while smoking suppresses chemokine levels in serum suggesting that different local and systemic mechanisms are involved during the response to periodontitis in smokers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the local and systemic chemokine responses in smokers will enable the development of biologically-based treatment methods for chronic periodontitis.

Successful stenting of catheter-induced unprotected left main coronary artery dissection.

Catheter-induced left main coronary artery (LMCA) dissection is a dramatic, although uncommon complication of diagnostic coronary angiography and requires prompt treatment. We describe a case of iatrogenic occlusive dissection of the LMCA during coronary angiography, treated by subsequent percutaneous recanalisation.

Relation between proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokine ratios and long-term prognosis in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between serum high sensitivity (hs) C reactive protein (CRP), proinflammatory cytokine concentrations, proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokine ratios and long-term prognosis in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS). DESIGN: Prospective follow-up study for the first six months and then for the first year after admission to hospital. SETTING: Tertiary referral centre. PATIENTS: 80 patients (60 men, 20 women, mean age 60 (SD 10) years) with NSTEACS and moderate to high TIMI (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction) risk scores. INTERVENTIONS: Blood samples from patients with NSTEACS were obtained at the time of admission. Serum concentrations of hs-CRP, (hs) pro-inflammatory (interleukin (IL) -1beta, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor alpha) and (hs) anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines were analysed and proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokine ratios were calculated by dividing proinflammatory cytokine concentrations by anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary end point of the study was new coronary events (NCE) defined as the combination of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and recurrent rest angina that required hospitalisation within 12 months of follow up. RESULTS: During the one-year follow-up period, 23 patients (29%) met the NCE criteria. Concentrations of hs-CRP, IL-1beta and IL-6 and ratios of IL-1beta:IL-10 and IL-6:IL-10 were significantly higher in patients with NCE than in patients without NCE. In the logistic regression analysis, IL-6:IL-10 ratio was the most important predictor for NCE (p = 0.006) with an odds ratio of 2.24 (95% CI 1.26 to 3.97). CONCLUSIONS: Cytokine concentrations and proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokine ratios may be useful markers for predicting vascular risk in patients with NSTEACS.

Carbon monoxide poisoning - a cause of increased QT dispersion.

BACKGROUND: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is associated with direct cardiovascular toxicity. QT dispersion (QTd) of the ECG is an indirect measure of heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization, which may contribute to ventricular arrhythmias. Our aim was to study QTd in patients with acute CO poisoning. METHODS: CO intoxication was confirmed by arterial blood gas analysis. A control group consisted of age- and sex-matched individuals admitted to the hospital for unrelated clinical conditions. 12-lead ECG's were recorded on admission and repeated 1 week after discharge from the hospital. QT dispersion was defined as the difference between the greatest and the least QT intervals in any of the 12 leads. RESULTS: Seventeen intoxicated patients, aged 5-46 years, had mean carboxyhemoglobin levels of 22.5 +/- 11.1%. On admission, corrected QT intervals of the intoxicated patients were significantly increased compared to the control group (431 +/- 18 ms vs. 404 +/- 28 ms, P = 0.008), but not the QT interval (358 +/- 25 ms vs. 345 +/- 20 ms, P = 0.17). Mean QTd and cQTd values (46 +/- 15 ms and 62 +/- 13 ms) of the intoxicated patients were significantly increased compared to the control group (17 +/- 4 ms and 33 +/- 15 ms, P < 0.0001 for both). Both QTd and cQTd decreased significantly after discharge from the hospital (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Although QT dispersion increased in patients with CO poisoning, none of ECG's showed ventricular arrhythmia. Increased QTd in the absence of QT interval prolongation may have a lowered arrhythmogenic potential of CO poisoning.

Poly(D, L-lactide/epsilon-caprolactone)/hydroxyapatite composites as bone filler: an in vivo study in rats.

In this study, a novel composite bone substitute was implanted in animal models (rats) and their in vivo characteristics were examined. A D,L-lactide and E-caprolactone copolymer (Mw: 80,000; Mn:40,000, and PI:2.00) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of the respective dimers using stannous octoate as the catalyst. The final ratio of D,L-lactide to epsilon-caprolactone obtained by 1NMR was 60/40. Hydroxyapatite (HA) powder was loaded in the copolymer. The HA/copolymer ratio was 60/40 (w/w). These composites were easily shaped by hand. Animal tests were performed on mature wistar rats (n=30). Defects were created on the proximal, the thickest part of the femur. The bone defects of the first group were filled with polymer/HA composite, the second group filled with only HA and the third group was left empty. Histologic examination of bone tissues showed new bone formation around the yellow-green polymer/HA composite material in the first group of animals whereas no evidence of new bone growth was observed in other groups.

Effect of the Valsalva manoeuver on diastolic filling indices in patients with essential hypertension.

In some hypertensive patients, echocardiographic examination does not reveal any pathologic finding in spite of a documented blood pressure elevation. In our study, we investigated the effect of preload reduction with Valsalva manoeuver on transmitral flow velocities in hypertensive patients with normal mitral flow pattern and compared the results with a healthy control group. Sixty-eight patients without evidence of coronary artery disease or heart failure (28 female, 40 male, age 50 +/- 7) were divided in two groups according to their E/A ratio as those with diastolic dysfunction (n = 36) and without diastolic dysfunction (DD(-): n = 32). DD(-) patients and the control group (n = 20) performed Valsalva manoeuver and their pulsed-Doppler mitral flow measurements were repeated at the strain phase. During Valsalva manoeuver, E wave velocity decreased in all subjects. In the controls, peak A velocity showed a similar decline and E/A ratio remained over 1.0. However, in 72% of DD(-) patients A velocity did not change or increased and their E/A ratio fell below 1.0. In 47% of the patients with an E/A ratio reversal after Valsalva manoeuver, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy revealed reversible defects whereas none of the patients whose E/A ratio remained over 1.0 had perfusion defects. It is concluded that: (1) in hypertensive patients with normal E/A ratio Valsalva manoeuver should be performed in order to unmask a probable false normal finding, (2) an important percent of hypertensive individuals have left ventricular relaxation abnormalities, and (3) diastolic dysfunction develops together with a decrease in coronary reserve.

Poly(D,L-lactide/epsilon-caprolactone)/hydroxyapatite composites.

In this study, elastomeric D,L-lactide and epsilon-caprolactone copolymers with two different molecular weights (Mn: 108.000 and 40.000) were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of the respective dimers by using stannous octoate as the catalyst, as a potential bone-filling material. The final ratio of D,L-lactide to epsilon-caprolactone obtained by 1NMR was 60/40 (comparing to the initial ratio of 50/50). Both copolymers were amorphous having Tg at around -21 degrees C. Different amounts of hydroxyapatite (HA) powder were loaded within the copolymers. These composites were easily shaped by hand. Mechanical properties of the composites changed with the HA loading and the molecular weight of the copolymer. The percent elongation decreased, while both the Young's modulus and yield point (stress) increased with the HA content. The copolymers were degraded within the Ringer solutions in about 6 weeks. The molecular weight distribution became broader during degradation. Incorporation of HA reduced the degradation rate.

Ruptured aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva into the left ventricle: a case report and review of the literature.

This report describes a case of right coronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm which ruptured into the left ventricle. The diagnosis was made with two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography which showed an abnormal structure extending from the aortic root into the left ventricle adjacent to the interventricular septum. Subsequent examinations with transesophageal echocardiography and aortic root angiography and surgical findings confirmed the diagnosis of transthoracic echocardiography. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement. At follow-up 12 months later, the patient was without symptoms and repeated echocardiographic examinations showed no recurrence.