Effects of supplementing a healthy diet with pecan nuts or extra-virgin olive oil on inflammatory profile of patients with stable coronary artery disease: a randomised clinical trial.

The consumption of nuts and extra-virgin olive oil has been associated with suppression of inflammatory pathways that contribute to atherosclerosis, but its role on the modulation of the inflammatory profile in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding pecan nuts or extra-virgin olive oil to a healthy diet on inflammatory markers in patients with stable CAD. In this randomised clinical trial, 204 patients were enrolled to three study groups: sixty seven to control group (CG: healthy diet), sixty eight to pecan nuts group (PNG: 30 g/d of pecans + healthy diet) and sixty nine to extra-virgin olive oil group (OOG: 30 ml/d of extra-virgin olive oil + healthy diet). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, in mg/l), fibrinogen (mg/dl), IL 2, 4, 6, 10 (pg/ml) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ, in pg/ml), IL-6/IL-10, IL-2/IL-4 and IFN-/γIL-4 ratios were evaluated at baseline and after the follow-up (12 weeks). As main results, after adjustment for sex, statin used and relative body weight variation, there were no differences between groups regarding inflammatory markers at the end of the study. IL-6 levels (primary outcome) were reduced in 12 weeks when compared with baseline in all study groups (CG: difference: -0·593 (se = 0·159) pg/dL; PNG: difference: -0·335 (se = 0·143) pg/dl; OOG: IL-6 difference: -0·325 (se = 0·143) pg/dl). In conclusion, there was no significant effect of including pecan nuts or extra virgin olive oil to a healthy diet on inflammatory markers in individuals with CAD.

Use of drug-eluting stents in Brazil: the CENIC (National Registry of Cardiovascular Interventions) registry / Perfil de uso dos stents farmacológicos no Brasil: dados da Central Nacional de Intervenções Cardiovasculares (CENIC)

FUNDAMENTO: Os stents farmacológicos (SF) foram um grande avanço no tratamento da cardiopatia isquêmica, mas críticas têm sido feitas à extrapolação dos resultados favoráveis de ensaios clínicos para a prática clínica diária. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o uso dos stents farmacológicos (SF) no Brasil, entre os anos de 2000 e 2005. MÉTODOS: Por meio do banco de dados da Central Nacional de Intervenções Cardiovasculares (CENIC), da Sociedade Brasileira de Hemodinâmica e Cardiologia Intervencionista, foram analisados todos os procedimentos com uso de SF entre os anos de 2000-2005. Os grupos foram divididos nos biênios (2000-2001(A), 2002-2003 (B) e 2004-2005(C)), e as características clínicas, angiográficas e os desfechos foram comparados. Análise estatística foi realizada com teste quiquadrado ou ANOVA, sendo significativo p<0,05. RESULTADOS: No período estudado foram avaliados 154.406 procedimentos, e os SF foram utilizados em 10.426 intervenções (7 por cento do total). Observou-se progressivo e estatisticamente significativo aumento uso dos SF no período analisado: 0,14 por cento em 2000-2001, 5 por cento em 2002-2003, e 14 por cento em 2004-2005 (p<0,0001). Após 2001, observou-se aumento dos índices de sucesso (96,58 por cento em 2000-2001 (A), 99,69 por cento em 2002-2003 (B) e 99,56 em 2004-2005 (C), A x B com p<0,001; B x C com p=0,015) e redução nas taxas de óbito hospitalar (1,59 por cento no grupo A, 0,38 por cento no grupo B, 0,66 por cento no grupo C, p=0,59 para A x B; e p<0,0001 para B x C). CONCLUSÃO: O uso dos SF no Brasil cresceu significativamente nos últimos anos, com melhora dos índices de sucesso e diminuição do óbito hospitalar.

BACKGROUND: Drug-eluting stents (DES) represent a major advance in the management of ischemic heart disease, but the extrapolation of favorable results from clinical trials to the real-world practice has been criticized. OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of DES in Brazil between 2000 and 2005. METHODS: Using the database of the National Registry of Cardiovascular Interventions (CENIC - Central Nacional de Intervenções Cardiovasculares) of the Brazilian Society of Hemodynamics and Interventional Cardiology (SBHCI - Sociedade Brasileira de Hemodinâmica e Cardiologia Intervencionista), all PCI procedures with DES implantation performed between 2000 and 2005 were analyzed. The groups were divided into the following biennia: 2000-2001(A), 2002-2003 (B), and 2004-2005 (C), and patient's clinical and angiographic characteristics were compared, as well as their short-term clinical outcome. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi-square test or ANOVA, and p values of less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 154,406 PCI procedures were studied, and DES was used in 10,426 (7 percent) interventions. A progressive and statistically significant increase was found in the use of DES during the period studied: 0.14 percent from 2000 to 2001, 5 percent from 2002 to 2003, and 14 percent from 2004 to 2005 (p < 0.0001). After 2001, there was an increase in success rates (96.58 percent in 2000-2001 (A), 99.69 percent in 2002-2003 (B), and 99.56 percent in 2004-2005 (C), A x B with p < 0.001; B x C with p = 0.015) and a decrease in hospital mortality rates (1.59 percent in group A, 0.38 percent in group B, and 0.66 percent in group C, with p = 0.59 for A x B and p < 0.0001 for B x C). CONCLUSION: In Brazil, the use of drug-eluting stents increased significantly during recent years, resulting in higher success rates and lower hospital mortality.