Association between cardiovascular risk factors and atrial fibrillation.

Background: The most prevalent sustained arrhythmia in medical practice, atrial fibrillation (AF) is closely associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, the risk of AF associated with cardiovascular risk factors has not been well elucidated. We pooled all published studies to provide a better depiction of the relationship among cardiovascular risk factors with AF. Methods: Studies were searched in the MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases since initiation until January 15, 2022. Prospective cohort studies assessing the relationship a minimum of single cardiovascular risk factors to AF incidence were included if they contained adequate data for obtaining relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Random-effects models were utilized to perform independent meta-analyses on each cardiovascular risk factor. PROSPERO registry number: CRD42022310882. Results: A total of 17,098,955 individuals and 738,843 incident cases were reported for data from 101 studies included in the analysis. In all, the risk of AF was 1.39 (95% CI, 1.30-1.49) for obesity, 1.27 (95% CI, 1.22-1.32) per 5 kg/m2 for increase in body mass index, 1.19 (95% CI, 1.10-1.28) for former smokers, 1.23 (95% CI, 1.09-1.38) for current smokers, 1.31 (95% CI, 1.23-1.39) for diabetes mellitus, 1.68 (95% CI, 1.51-1.87) for hypertension, and 1.12 (95% CI, 0.95-1.32) for dyslipidemia. Interpretation: Adverse cardiovascular risk factors correlate with an increased risk of AF, yet dyslipidemia does not increase the risk of AF in the general population, potentially providing new insights for AF screening strategies among patients with these risk factors. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, PROSPERO identifier (CRD42022310882).

The role of glucocorticoids in increasing cardiovascular risk.

Introduction: Different studies provide conflicting evidence regarding the potential for glucocorticoids (GCs) to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the correlation between GCs and cardiovascular risk, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), death from any cause, coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure (HF), and stroke. Methods: We performed a comprehensive search in PubMed and Embase (from inception to June 1, 2022). Studies that reported relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of interest were included. Results: A total of 43 studies with 15,572,512 subjects were included. Patients taking GCs had a higher risk of MACE (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.15-1.40), CHD (RR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.11-1.41), and HF (RR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.51-2.45). The MACE risk increased by 10% (95% CI: 6%-15%) for each additional gram of GCs cumulative dose or by 63% (95% CI: 46%-83%) for an additional 10 µg daily dose. The subgroup analysis suggested that not inhaled GCs and current GCs use were associated with increasing MACE risk. Similarly, GCs were linked to an increase in absolute MACE risk of 13.94 (95% CI: 10.29-17.58) cases per 1,000 person-years. Conclusions: Administration of GCs is possibly related with increased risk for MACE, CHD, and HF but not increased all-cause death or stroke. Furthermore, it seems that the risk of MACE increased with increasing cumulative or daily dose of GCs.

Systolic Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk in Normotensive Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cardiovascular risk in normotensive adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study analyzed data from 7 prospective cohorts between September 29, 1948, and December 31, 2018. Complete information on history of hypertension and baseline blood pressure measurements were required for inclusion. We excluded individuals younger than 18 years old, those with a history of hypertension, and patients with baseline SBP measurements of less than 90 mm Hg or 140 mm Hg or higher. Cox proportional hazards regression and restricted cubic spline models were used to evaluate the hazards of cardiovascular outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 31,033 participants were included. The mean ± SD age was 45.3±14.8 years, 16,693 of the participants (53.8%) were female, and the mean ± SD SBP was 115.8±11.7. Over a median follow-up of 23.5 years, 7005 cardiovascular events occurred. Compared with those who had SBP levels of 90 to 99 mm Hg, participants with SBP levels of 100 to 109, 110 to 119, 120 to 129, and 130 to 139 mm Hg experienced 23% (hazard ratio [HR], 1.23; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.42), 53% (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.33 to 1.76), 87% (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.62 to 2.16), and 117% (HR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.87 to 2.52) increased risks of cardiovascular events, respectively. Compared with follow-up SBP of 90 to 99 mm Hg, the HRs for cardiovascular events were 1.25 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.54), 1.93 (95% CI, 1.58 to 2.34), 2.55 (95% CI, 2.09 to 3.10), and 3.39 (95% CI, 2.78 to 4.14), respectively, for follow-up SBP levels of 100 to 109, 110 to 119, 120 to 129, and 130 to 139 mm Hg. CONCLUSION: In adults without hypertension, there is a stepwise increase in risk of cardiovascular events, with increasing SBP starting at levels as low as 90 mm Hg.

Longitudinal change in lung function and subsequent risks of cardiovascular events: evidence from four prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Lung function is constantly changing over the life course. Although the relation of cross-sectional lung function measure and adverse outcomes has been reported, data on longitudinal change and subsequent cardiovascular (CV) events risks are scarce. Therefore, this study is to determine the association of longitudinal change in lung function and subsequent cardiovascular risks. METHODS: This study analyzed the data from four prospective cohorts. Subjects with at least two lung function tests were included. We calculated the rate of forced respiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) decline for each subject and categorized them into quartiles. The primary outcome was CV events, defined as a composite of coronary heart disease (CHD), chronic heart failure (CHF), stroke, and any CV death. Cox proportional hazards regression and restricted cubic spline models were applied. RESULTS: The final sample comprised 12,899 participants (mean age 48.58 years; 43.61% male). Following an average of 14.79 (10.69) years, 3950 CV events occurred. Compared with the highest FEV1 quartile (Q4), the multivariable HRs for the lowest (Q1), 2nd (Q2), and 3rd quartiles (Q3) were 1.33 (95%CI 1.19, 1.49), 1.30 (1.16, 1.46), and 1.07 (0.95, 1.21), respectively. Likewise, compared with the reference quartile (Q4), the group that experienced a faster decline in FVC had higher HRs for CV events (1.06 [95%CI 0.94-1.20] for Q3, 1.15 [1.02-1.30] for Q2, and 1.28 [1.14-1.44] for Q1). The association remained robust across a series of sensitivity analyses and nearly all subgroups but was more evident in subjects < 60 years. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a monotonic increase in risks of CV events with a faster decline in FEV1 and FVC. These findings emphasize the value of periodic evaluation of lung function and open new opportunities for disease prevention.

Body mass index trajectories during mid to late life and risks of mortality and cardiovascular outcomes: Results from four prospective cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Our understanding of the weight-outcome association mainly comes from single-time body mass index (BMI) measurement. However, data on long-term trajectories of within-person changes in BMI on diverse study outcomes are sparse. Therefore, this study is to determine the associations of individual BMI trajectories and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: The present analysis was based on data from 4 large prospective cohorts and restricted to participants aged ≥45 years with at least two BMI measurements. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals(95%CI) for each outcome according to different BMI trajectories were calculated in Cox regression models. FINDINGS: The final sample comprised 29,311 individuals (mean age 58.31 years, and 77.31% were white), with a median 4 BMI measurements used in this study. During a median follow-up of 21.16 years, there were a total of 10,192 major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and 11,589 deaths. A U-shaped relation was seen with all study outcomes. Compared with maintaining stable weight, the multivariate adjusted HR for MACE were 1.53 (95%CI 1.40-1.66), 1.26 (95%CI 1.16-1.37) and 1.08 (95%CI 1.02-1.15) respectively for rapid, moderate and slow weight loss; 1.01 (95%CI 0.95-1.07), 1.13 (95%CI 1.05-1.21) and 1.29 (95%CI 1.20-1.40) respectively for slow, moderate and rapid weight gain. Identical patterns of association were observed for all other outcomes. The development of BMI differed markedly between the outcome-free individuals and those who went on to experience adverse events, generally beginning to diverge 10 years before the occurrence of the events. INTERPRETATION: Our findings may signal an underlying high-risk population and inspire future studies on weight management. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Natural Science Foundation.

Association Between Silent Myocardial Infarction and Long-Term Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death.

Background Although silent myocardial infarction (SMI) is prognostically important, the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) among patients with incident SMI is not well established. Methods and Results We examined 2 community-based cohorts: the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study (n=13 725) and the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study) (n=5207). Incident SMI was defined as electrocardiographic evidence of new myocardial infarction during follow-up visits that was not present at the baseline. The primary study end point was physician-adjudicated SCD. In the ARIC study, 513 SMIs, 441 clinically recognized myocardial infarctions (CMIs), and 527 SCD events occurred during a median follow-up of 25.4 years. The multivariable hazard ratios of SMI and CMI for SCD were 5.20 (95% CI, 3.81-7.10) and 3.80 (95% CI, 2.76-5.23), respectively. In the CHS, 1070 SMIs, 632 CMIs, and 526 SCD events occurred during a median follow-up of 12.1 years. The multivariable hazard ratios of SMI and CMI for SCD were 1.70 (95% CI, 1.32-2.19) and 4.08 (95% CI, 3.29-5.06), respectively. The pooled hazard ratios of SMI and CMI for SCD were 2.65 (2.18-3.23) and 3.99 (3.34-4.77), respectively. The risk of SCD associated with SMI is stronger with White individuals, men, and younger age. The population-attributable fraction of SCD was 11.1% for SMI, and SMI was associated with an absolute risk increase of 8.9 SCDs per 1000 person-years. Addition of SMI significantly improved the predictive power for both SCD and non-SCD. Conclusions Incident SMI is independently associated with an increased risk of SCD in the general population. Additional research should address screening for SMI and the role of standard post-myocardial infarction therapy.

Exploring the causal pathway from body mass index to coronary heart disease: a network Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: We applied a network Mendelian randomization (MR) framework to determine the causal association between body mass index (BMI) and coronary heart disease (CHD) and explored whether glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid parameters (total cholesterol, TC; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL; triglycerides, TG) serve as causal mediators from BMI to CHD by integrating summary-level genome-wide association study data. METHODS: Network MR analysis, an approach using genetic variants as the instrumental variables for both the exposure and mediator to infer causality was performed. Summary statistics from the GIANT consortium were used (n = 152,893) for BMI, CARDIoGRAMplusC4D consortium data were used (n = 184,305) for CHD, Global Lipids Genetics Consortium data were used (n = 108,363) for TC, LDL, HDL and TG, and MAGIC consortia data were used (n = 108,363) for HbA1c. RESULTS: The inverse-variance-weighted-method estimate indicated that the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for CHD was 1.562 (1.391-1.753) per 1 standard deviation (kg/m2) increase in BMI. Results were consistent in MR Egger method and weighted-median methods. MR estimate indicated that BMI was positively associated with HbA1c and TG, and negatively associated with HDL, but was not associated with TC or LDL. Moreover, HbA1c, TC, LDL, and TG were positively associated with CHD, yet there was no causal association between HDL and CHD. HbA1c was positively associated with TC, LDL, and HDL, but was not associated with TG. CONCLUSIONS: Higher BMI conferred an increased risk of CHD, which was partially mediated by HbA1c and lipid parameters. HbA1c and TG might be the main mediators in the link from BMI to CHD.

Additional Value of Early Repolarization Pattern in Prediction of Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease as Assessed by Coronary Angiography.

Recent reports show that an early repolarization pattern (ERP) is associated with a higher incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Sporadic case studies have pointed out that ERP might be related to obstructive CAD.In consecutive patients who had undergone coronary angiography, we investigated the relationship between ERP and obstructive CAD by evaluating its association with coronary artery stenosis.The study population consisted of 3785 patients (59.9% men; mean age 63.1 years) with or without obstructive CAD. Adjusting for major cardiovascular risk factors, ERP was significantly associated with obstructive CAD (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.24 [95% CI 1.70-2.95]) with an incremental predictive value (ROC AUC 0.76 versus 0.71, P = 0.02; NRI 55.3%, P < 0.001; IDI = 0.05, P = 0.008), specifically in subjects with low risk and intermediate risk. ERP also significantly improved the predictive value for multi-vessel disease (AUC: 0.77 versus 0.72, P = 0.02 for two-vessel disease; 0.79 versus 0.73, P = 0.04 for three-vessel disease). ERP was consistently associated with stenoses of 3 main coronary arteries.ERP is associated with significant increased risk for obstructive CAD.Further studies are warranted to confirm our results and to elucidate the specific pathogenic mechanisms.

Long-term prognosis associated with early repolarisation pattern in Chinese population with atherosclerotic risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence has linked early repolarisation pattern (ERP) to sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients without structural heart disease. However, no studies have clarified the prognostic value of ERP in people at high risk for atherosclerotic heart disease. METHODS: We prospectively assessed the prognostic significance of ERP on ECGs in a community-based population of 18 231 subjects with atherosclerotic risk factors (49.3% men, mean age 64.0 years). Mean follow-up was 7.6 years. Cox models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for possible confounding factors. RESULTS: Compared with those without ERP, subjects with ERP had a significantly increased risk of developing SCD (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.82), death from coronary heart disease (CHD) (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.22) and death from any cause (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.50). ERP was not associated with an increased risk of non-sudden CHD death and non-CHD death. ERP with J wave pattern in inferior leads, high amplitude of J wave pattern, notching configuration and horizontal or descending ST segment indicated a higher risk for SCD. ERP was associated with an absolute risk increase of 52.3 additional SCDs per 100 000 person-years in the population at high risk for atherosclerotic heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: ERP is associated with a significantly increased risk for SCD, CHD death and death from any cause in people with atherosclerotic risk factors. The observed association between ERP and all-cause mortality appears to be driven by an association with CHD death, in particular SCD.

Angiotensin-(1-7) protects cardiomyocytes against high glucose-induced injuries through inhibiting reactive oxygen species-activated leptin-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 pathways, but not the leptin-c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway in vitro.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-[1-7]), recognized as a new bioactive peptide in the renin-angiotensin system, shows biological and pharmacological properties in diabetic cardiovascular diseases. The leptin-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has been reported to contribute to high glucose (HG)-induced injury. In the present study, we showed the mechanism of how Ang-(1-7) can protect against HG-stimulated injuries in H9c2 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: H9c2 cells were treated with 35 mmol/L glucose (HG) for 24 h to establish a model of HG-induced damage. Apoptotic cells were observed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Cell viability was analyzed by cell counter kit-8. The expression of protein was detected by western blot. Reactive oxygen species was tested by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by 5,5',6,6'-Tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-imidacarbocyanine iodide staining. RESULTS: The present results showed that treating H9c2 cells with HG obviously enhanced the expressions of both the leptin and phosphorylated (p)-MAPK pathway. However, the overexpression levels of leptin and p-p38 MAPK/p-extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), but not p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase, were significantly suppressed by treatment of the cells with Ang-(1-7). Additionally, leptin antagonist also markedly suppressed the overexpressions of p38 and ERK1/2 induced by HG, whereas leptin antagonist had no influence on the overexpression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase. More remarkable, Ang-(1-7), leptin antagonist, SB203580 or SP600125, respectively, significantly inhibited the injuries induced by HG, such as the increased cell viability, decreased apoptotic rate, reduction of ROS production and increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, the overexpressions of p38 MAPK, ERK1/2 and leptin were suppressed by N-actyl-L-cystine. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings show that Ang-(1-7) protects from HG-stimulated damage as an inhibitor of the reactive oxygen species-leptin-p38 MAPK/ERK1/2 pathways, but not the leptin-c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway in vitro.

The Role of Macrolide Antibiotics in Increasing Cardiovascular Risk.

BACKGROUND: Large cohort studies provide conflicting evidence regarding the potential for oral macrolide antibiotics to increase the risk of serious cardiac events. OBJECTIVES: This study performed a meta-analysis to examine the link between macrolides and risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) or ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTA), cardiovascular death, and death from any cause. METHODS: We performed a search of published reports by using MEDLINE (January 1, 1966, to April 30, 2015) and EMBASE (January 1, 1980, to April 30, 2015) with no restrictions. Studies that reported relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of interest were included. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies involving 20,779,963 participants were identified. Patients taking macrolides, compared with those who took no macrolides, experienced an increased risk of developing SCD or VTA (RR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.61 to 3.63), SCD (RR: 2.52; 95% CI: 1.91 to 3.31), and cardiovascular death (RR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.62). No association was found between macrolides use and all-cause death or any cardiovascular events. The RRs associated with SCD or VTA were 3.40 for azithromycin, 2.16 for clarithromycin, and 3.61 for erythromycin, respectively. RRs for cardiovascular death were 1.54 for azithromycin and 1.48 for clarithromycin. No association was noted between roxithromycin and adverse cardiac outcomes. Treatment with macrolides is associated with an absolute risk increase of 118.1 additional SCDs or VTA, and 38.2 additional cardiovascular deaths per 1 million treatment courses. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of macrolide antibiotics is associated with increased risk for SCD or VTA and cardiovascular death but not increased all-cause mortality.

Alzheimer's disease treated with combined therapy based on nourishing marrow and reinforcing Qi.

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy and safety of combined Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy based on nourishing marrow to improve intellect and reinforcing Qi to activate bloodon mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Sixty-six patients with AD, whose Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score were from 10-24, were randomized equally into an intervention group and a control group. The control group was given Aricept (5 mg, once daily). The intervention group was further divided into Yang-Qi deficiency (n = 18) and of Yin-Qi deficiency (n = 15) subgroups. Patients in the Yang-Qi deficiency group were intravenously administered shenfu injection, 60 mL, and deproteinized calf blood injection (DCBI), 1.2 g, once daily. The Yin-Qi deficiency group was given shenmai injection, 60 mL, and DCBI, 1.2 g, once daily. Each course lasted 21 days. RESULTS: Compared with the control group and with pre-treatment in the same group, MMSE, clinical dementia rating, and activities of daily living scale scores in the intervention group were significantly improved (all P < 0.05). These metrics mildly improved in the control group compared with before treatment (P > 0.05). No adverse effects were observed in any group during treatment. CONCLUSION: We found that combined TCM therapy is effective and safe for managing mild to moderate AD.

Risk of thromboembolic events in atrial fibrillation with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic kidney disease may increase the risk for ischemic stroke or systemic embolism in patients with nonvalular atrial fibrillation (AF). We conducted a meta-analysis to summarize all published studies to investigate the link between chronic kidney disease and risk of thromboembolic events in AF. METHODS: We performed a literature search using MEDLINE (source PubMed, 1966 to July, 2014) and EMBASE (1980 to July 2014) with no restrictions. Pooled effect estimates were obtained by using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen studies involving 538 479 patients and 41 719 incident thromboembolic events were identified. From the pooled analysis, AF patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min compared with those with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL/min experienced a significantly increased risk for developing thromboembolic events (relative risk, 1.62 [95% confidence interval, 1.40-1.87; P<0.001]). The annual rate of thromboembolic events increased by 0.41% (95% confidence interval, 0.17%-0.65%) for a 10 mL/min decrease in renal function. Addition of renal impairment to CHADS2 slightly improved the stroke risk stratification. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired renal function is an independent predictor of stroke or systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular AF. Consideration of renal function may improve stroke risk stratification in patients with AF.

The role of red blood cell distribution width in mortality and cardiovascular risk among patients with coronary artery diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Red cell distribution width (RDW) might be a novel biomarker that reflects multiple physiological impairments related to atherosclerosis and coronary artery diseases (CAD). We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association of RDW between all-cause mortality and fatal/non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in CAD patients. METHODS: Relevant studies were searched and identified in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. English-language prospective studies that reported risk estimates for RDW and mortality/CVD events were included. Data were extracted regarding the characteristics and clinical outcomes, and a quality assessment was conducted. Results were extracted for the highest versus lowest RDW level, and meta-analyses were carried out using random effects models. RESULTS: We identified 22 studies enrolling 80,216 participants. The study duration ranged between 1 month and 23 years. Of the 15 studies that were included in the meta-analysis, higher RDW indicated a significant increased risk for all-cause mortality in CAD patients: pooled risk ratio (RR) 2.20 (95% CI, 1.42-3.39; P<0.0004). The results for fatal, non-fatal and fatal/non-fatal events were: pooled RR 1.80 (95% CI, 1.35-2.41; P<0.0001), RR 1.86 (95% CI, 1.50-2.31; P<0.00001) and RR 2.13 (95% CI, 1.20-3.77; P=0.01). Heterogeneity was moderately present; however, sensitivity analyses for follow-up duration, CAD subtype, or RDW as dichotomous values showed similar results. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis indicates that higher RDW levels are associated with increased risk of mortality and CVD events in patients with established CAD.

Relationship between mean platelet volume and coronary blood flow in patients with atrial fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with impaired coronary flow by means of Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC). Mean platelet volume (MPV) is elevated in patients with AF. In the present study we aimed to investigate the relationship between MPV and TFC in patients with AF in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: This observational study enrolled 185 AF patients and 189 control subjects, all with angiographically documented normal coronary arteries. MPV was measured at baseline and mean TFC was assessed after diagnostic coronary angiography. RESULTS: The MPV was 9.95±1.32 in the AF group and 9.02±1.16 in the control group (p<0.001). In AF patients, MPV was significantly correlated with mean TFC (r=0.419, p<0.001), AF duration (r=0.407, p<0.001), AF classification (r=0.378, p<0.001), systemic hypertension (r=0.165, p=0.024), diabetes mellitus (r=0.233, p=0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction (r=-0.347, p<0.001), and baseline use of diuretics (r=0.177, p=0.016). In linear regression analysis, mean TFC, left ventricular ejection fraction and diabetes mellitus were found to be independently associated with MPV (p<0.001, p=0.028 and p=0.045 respectively). CONCLUSION: Mean platelet volume seems to be independently associated with coronary blood flow in patients with atrial fibrillation in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease.

Clinical study of western medicine combined with Chinese medicine based on syndrome differentiation in the patients with polarized hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects and safety of Western medicine combined with Chinese medicine (CM) based on syndrome differentiation in the treatment of elderly polarized hypertension (PHPT), or isolated systolic hypertension with low diastolic blood pressure (DBP). METHODS: A total of 125 elderly patients with PHPT were randomly assigned to two groups: 59 in the control group treated by Western medicine and 66 in the intervention group treated by Western medicine combined with CM treatment. Based on syndrome differentiation, the patients in the intervention group were further divided into subgroups of yang-qi deficiency and yin-qi deficiency. All subjects were treated with Western medicine of Amlodipine Besylate Tablets and Irbesartan Tablets (or Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets), to decrease their systolic blood pressure (SBP) slowly to 125-135 mm Hg in 2-6 weeks. In the intervention group, Shiyiwei Shenqi Capsule was given additionally to the subgroup of yang-qi deficiency at the dosage of 3-5 capsules, thrice a day, while Dengzhan Shengmai Capsule was given additionally to the subgroup of yin-qi deficiency at the dosage of 2 capsules, 2-3 times per day. For all subjects, SBP, pulse pressure (PP), and DBP were measured before treatment and at the terminal of a 6-week treatment. For subjects in the intervention group, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was also recorded. RESULTS: After a 6-week treatment, the SBP in the two groups and the PP in the intervention group decreased significantly compared to those before treatment (P<0.05), while the PP in the control group showed no significant difference between prior and post-treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the DBP in the control group decreased (P>0.05), while the DBP and LVEF in the intervention group showed an increase tendency although it had no statistical significance (P>0.05). When subjects in the intervention group were classified further by the course of disease, the DBP and LVEF of subjects whose course of disease were less than 2 years, increased significantly after treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Western medicine combined with CM treatment based on syndrome differentiation was safer and more effective than Western medicine alone in the treatment of elderly PHPT, because it not only reduced SBP but also improved DBP, which might lower the incidence of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Heat shock protein 90 mediates cytoprotection by H2S against chemical hypoxia-induced injury in PC12 cells.

1. Increasing evidence indicates that hydrogen sulphide (H2S) may serve as an important biological cytoprotective agent. Heat shock protein (Hsp) 90 can attenuate stress-induced injury. However, whether Hsp90 mediates the cytoprotective effect of H2S against chemical hypoxia-induced injury in PC12 cells is not known. 2. In the present study, CoCl2 (a chemical hypoxia mimetic) was used to treat PC12 cells to create a model of chemical hypoxia. To explore the role of Hsp90 in the cytoprotection afforded by H2S against chemical hypoxia-induced injury, 2 µmol/L 17-allylaminogeldanamycin (17-AAG), a selective inhibitor of Hsp90, was administered for 30 min prior to preconditioning with 400 µmol/L NaHS, followed by chemical hypoxia. 3. Cobalt chloride reduced cell viability (by 52.7 ± 1.5%), increased PC12 cell apoptosis (by 42.1 ± 1.5%), induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 3.79% compared with control and induced the dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) by 2.56% compared with control. 4. Pretreatment of PC12 cells with 100-400 µmol/L sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS), an H2S donor, for 3 h prior to exposure to 600 µmol/L CoCl2 provided significant, concentration-dependant protection to PC12 cells against CoCl2-induced cytotoxicity. Specifically, pretreatment of PC12 cells with 400 µmol/L NaHS decreased apoptosis to 16.77 ± 1.77% and blocked the CoCl2-induced increase in ROS production and loss of MMP. 5. At 400 µmol/L, NaHS upregulated Hsp90 in a time-dependant manner (over the period 0-180 min). In addition to its effects on Hsp90 expression, NaHS pretreatment of PC12 cells augmented the overexpression of Hsp90 induced by 600 µmol/L CoCl2 by 1.38-fold (P < 0.01). 6. Treatment of PC12 cells with 2 µmol/L 17-AAG for 30 min prior to NaHS pretreatment blocked the overexpression of Hsp90 induced by NaHS preconditioning, as evidenced by decreased cell viability (by 54.2 + 1.2%; P < 0.01), increased PC12 cell apoptosis (by 36.6 ± 1.2%; P < 0.01) and increasing ROS production. 7. The findings of the present study provide novel evidence that Hsp90 mediates H2S-induced neuroprotection against chemical hypoxia-induced injury via anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein predicts outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) may play an important role in the development of acute coronary syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the levels of circulating PAPP-A and the mid-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: The circulating PAPP-A levels and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein before PCI were measured in 129 patients with single coronary artery stenosis. The end point of clinical follow-up was cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, and rehospitalization for angina. RESULTS: During the follow-up of an average of 20.3 ± 5.2 months, a cardiac event was recorded in 25 patients (19.4%). The levels of PAPP-A (29.85 ± 19.51 mIu/L vs 20.47 ± 14.33 mIu/L, P = .007) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (5.63 ± 2.13 mg/L vs 4.11 ± 1.28 mg/L, P = .014) in patients with cardiac events were higher than in those without cardiac events. PAPP-A ≥ 11.33 mIu/L has a strong predictive value for a combined end point (risk ratio = 4.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-16.2; P = .037). Patients with lower PAPP-A levels (<11.33 mIu/L) had higher event-free survivals than patients with higher PAPP-A levels (log rank = 9.334, P = .025). CONCLUSION: Circulating PAPP-A levels predict the mid-term outcomes of PCI in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome and single-vessel stenosis.