Association between ApoE4 allele and deep venous thrombosis: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a multifactorial disease with genetic and acquired risk factors playing in concert in its pathogenesis. ApoE gene polymorphisms seem to have some impact among patients with cardiovascular disease; however, association between DVT and ApoE gene polymorphism has not been evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We aimed to search the relative frequencies ApoE alleles among patients with DVT and healthy participants. We enrolled 59 consecutive patients with DVT and 59 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: In the DVT group, E3/E4 gene polymorphism was detected in 20 patients (33.9%), in the control group E3/E4 polymorphism was detected in six patients (10.2%; P = .002). In the multivariable regression analysis, E3/E4 was independently associated with 1.31-fold increased risk of DVT (odds ratio [OR] 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-10.48). CONCLUSION: It seems there is a relationship between ApoE3/E4 gene polymorphism and DVT in the Turkish population. However, this pilot study should be supported with large-scale studies.

eNOS G894T polymorphism and abdominal aortic aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: The genetic risk factors that contribute to the risk of developing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are poorly understood. We assessed the association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism with AAA. METHODS: eNOS gene polymorphism of 61 patients with AAA and 62 control participants were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction technique. RESULTS: eNOS G894 homozygote T/T genotype polymorphism and 894T allele frequency in patients with AAA were significantly higher than those of the control participants (P = .01, P = .03). Among patients with AAA, the eNOS G894 T/T polymorphism and 894T allele frequency were associated with larger AAAs. CONCLUSION: The current study, in a small group of participants, showed a relationship between eNOS G894T polymorphism and AAA.

Protective effect of zinc aspartate on long-term ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat skeletal muscle.

The present study investigated the protective effect of zinc aspartate, in connection with reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, on long-term ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rat skeletal muscle. Following ketamine anesthesia, 24 rats were randomly assigned to four groups: groups 1 and 2, each without tourniquet application, received no drug and zinc, respectively; groups 3 and 4, each subjected to tourniquet-induced IRI (3 + 24 h), received no drug and zinc, respectively. IRI was achieved by the application of an elastic rubber band in the left hind limb of the anesthetized rats. Gastrocnemius muscle samples were obtained for biochemical measurements. Malondialdehyde levels were lower in group 2 and higher in group 3 than those seen in group 1. However, zinc aspartate (group 4) totally reversed malondialdehyde levels to control levels. Superoxide dismutase activity was increased in group 2 compared with group 1; however, there was no difference between groups 1 and 3, and Zn injection (group 4) increased superoxide dismutase activity. While catalase values were similar in groups 1 and 2, significant increments were observed in 3 and 4. A similar enhancement in glutathione levels were observed in groups 2 and 4 compared with group 1. Nitric oxide levels were lower in group 2 than 1, and no difference between groups 1 and 3 was demonstrated. In conclusion, zinc seems to be an effective treatment option against IRI.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat skeletal muscle is attenuated by zinc aspartate.

BACKGROUND: Oxygen-derived free radical-induced cell injury has been suggested to have a pivotal role in the etiology of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Thus, several lines of evidence indicate that antioxidant agents may be useful therapeutics in this condition. In this regard, the effect of zinc aspartate on ischemia-reperfusion injury was investigated in skeletal muscle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tourniquet ischemia-reperfusion injury method was applied to Sprague-Dawley rats. Experimental groups were as follows: 1) sham control, 2) rats received zinc aspartate, 3) rats received hind limb tourniquet operation (left side), and 4) rats received hind limb tourniquet operation and zinc aspartate. Viability of muscle was evaluated by triphenyltetrazolium chloride dye method by using a spectrophotometer. Malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase were measured in muscle, heart, lung, and blood via a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The viabilities of ischemic limbs, percentage of the contralateral control muscle, in group 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 114 +/- 12%, 87% +/- 5%, 20% +/- 2%, and 95 +/- 10%, respectively. In muscle, increased malondialdehyde and decreased superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione levels in group 3 were normalized by zinc aspartate in both left and right limbs. While malondialdehyde levels in heart and blood increased in group 3, the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase were lower in group 3 than those in group 1. All these alterations were prevented by zinc aspartate. Malondialdehyde level of lung in group 3 was significantly higher than group 1 and 2. However, this augmentation was halted by zinc aspartate. The decrease in superoxide dismutase levels in group 3 was statistically reversed by the administration of zinc aspartate. CONCLUSION: Zinc aspartate seems to be an effective treatment option against ischemia-reperfusion injury.

[Effects of topical applications of aprotinin and tranexamic acid on blood loss after open heart surgery]. / Topikal uygulanan aprotinin ve traneksamik asitin açik kalp cerrahisi sonrasi kan kaybina etkisi.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the effects of topical applications of aprotinin and tranexamic acid in preventing postoperative bleeding during open-heart surgery. METHODS: Thirty patients undergoing open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were randomized to three different groups. Group 1 (n = 10) received 1000000 KIU aprotinin, Group 2 (n= 10) received 1 gr tranexamic acid and Group 3 (n = 10) received placebo before closure of the sternotomy. During the first three hours and 24 hours total postoperative blood loss and amount of transfused blood products were recorded. RESULTS: In Group 1, postoperative bleeding rates were 122 ml during first 3 hours, 302 ml during 24 hours and 384 ml total. In Group 2, postoperative bleeding rates were 108 ml during first 3 hours, 305 ml during 24 hours and 393 ml total. In control group, bleeding rates were- 162, 347 and 502 ml, respectively. Needs for transfusion were 4.7 U in the aprotinin group, 5.4 U in the tranexamic acid group and 6.0 U in the control group. CONCLUSION: Topical application of aprotinin and tranexamic acid reduced postoperative bleeding, but this was not statistically significant. The differences were insignificant for effectiveness between aprotinin and tranexamic acid and for transfusion requirements.