Angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D gene polymorphism affects early cardiac response to professional training in young footballers.

BACKGROUND: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays a role in physiological and pathological responses of the heart to both static and dynamic exercise. Previous studies showed that the level of angiotensin II is determined by the angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) polymorphism. AIM: We aimed in this study to determine the effect of ACE I/D gene polymorphism on the extent of functional and structural cardiac changes in response to one year of professional football training in young footballers. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 68 young male football players and a comparable control group. Besides medical history and clinical examination, 12 lead ECG and transthoracic 2D echocardiography examination were performed. Genotyping of ACE was analyzed using PCR-based technique. There was no statistically significant difference in distribution of genotypes among athletes compared with control subjects. D allele showed a graded effect on both EF (73.55, 67.5 and 60.2%, p=0.03) and PASP (37.6, 26.1 and 21.39 mmHg, p=0.02) in DD, ID and II subjects, respectively. CONCLUSION: Early cardiac changes in young footballers can be affected by ACE I/D polymorphism. There is a summative effect of the D allele in increasing EF and PASP in response to professional football training.

Guidewires used in first intentional single wiring strategy for chronic total occlusions of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the left anterior descending (LAD) specifically is associated with improved long-term 5 year survival as compared to PCI failure. The procedure is associated with usage of different types of dedicated guidewires by simple or complex techniques aiming to reopen the occluded artery. AIM: To describe types and outcome of guidewires used in LAD-CTO utilizing a first intentional single wiring simple strategy. METHODS: A single center prospective registry for all consecutive patients with a PCI attempt to a native LAD CTO. The initial strategy for lesion crossing was Single wiring. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients with LAD CTO lesions (100%), were recorded. Mean age was 71.6 + 15 years, 77% were Males, risk factors Hypertension in 63%, Diabetes 27%, Dyslipidemia 57%, smoking 40%, hereditary in 13% of patients. Isolated guidewire (GW) success rate was very high 93%. Single wiring was the prevailing technique used in 97% of successfull lesions (83% of total cases) while only 3% were by multiple wiring techniques. Successful single antegrade wiring represented 63% with a GW success rate of 92% of cases. Successful single retrograde wiring represented 13% with a GW success rate of 67%. Successful Crossing GW types in our patients were 44% Soft Tapered GWs; fielder XT (44%), 36% were Soft Non Tapered Pilot 50 (28%), whisper (8%), while 16% were Stiff Non tapered GWs; Miracle 12 (8%), Miracle 6 (4%), Miracle 3 (4%), and 4% were Stiff Tapered GWs; Progress 200 (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Single wiring as an initial strategy in PCI for LAD-CTO lesions has a high success rate and is associated with a 44% majority of Soft Tapered GWs, 36% Soft Non Tapered, 16% Stiff Non tapered GWs, and 4% Stiff Tapered GWs.