Diagonal earlobe crease and coronary artery disease in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Many reports have claimed associations between diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) and coronary artery disease (CAD), but data in Chinese populations are limited. METHODS: This cohort study investigated 449 consecutive Chinese, 250 cases with CAD and 199 without CAD, who were certified by coronary artery angiography in our center. Characteristic differences and the relation of DELC to CAD were assessed by Chi-square and t tests. The multivariate regression was performed to adjust for confounders and ROCs mode were used to detect its predicting performance for CAD. RESULTS: The prevalence of DELC was 46.2% in those without CAD and 75.2% in those with CAD (P < .001). Subjects with DELC had more stenostic vessels and higher prevalence of both any and significant coronary artery stenosis than those without DELC (P < .001). The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for DELC to diagnose CAD in the whole population were 0.752, 0.538, 0.671 and 0.633. The higher sensitivity and positive predictive values (ppv) were found in male, the lowest sensitivity and the highest ppv in the <45 years old group, and the lowest specificity and ppv in the >75 years old group. After adjusting for other variables including age, gender and traditional risk factors, DELC remained a positive predictor for CAD (OR, 3.408; 95% CI 2.235-5.196; P < 0.001), but not for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. ROC analysis showed the area under the curve was 0.645 (95% CI 0.593-0.697, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed a significant association between DELC and CAD independent of established risk factors in Chinese.

The ratio of second to fourth digit length (2D:4D) and coronary artery disease in a Han Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: The association between index finger to ring finger length ratio (2D:4D) and cardiac disorders has been reported, however it has not been discussed in terms of coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated whether 2D:4D could be used as a marker for predisposition to CAD as assessed by coronary angiography in Chinese men and women. METHODS: This study included 1764 persons divided into 4 groups, 441 cases with CAD and 441 persons without CAD as control in each sex of the same age. Finger lengths were measured twice for both hands using electronic calipers. Student t test was used to detect the difference of 2D:4D among groups. The receiver operator characteristic curves (ROCs) were used to detect the diagnostic effect of 2D:4D for CAD. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age among the four groups. A significant difference of 2D:4D ratios between right and left hand were observed only in men in both control and CAD groups. On the right hand in the control group and on both hands in the CAD group, the 2D:4D ratios were higher in women than in men (all, P < 0.001). In men with CAD, mean 2D:4D was higher than mean 2D:4D in control men (right hand 0.962±0.042:0.927±0.038; left hand 0.950±0.044:0.934±0.048; both hands, P < 0.001), but this was not observed in women. No relationship was found between 2D:4D and age (all, P >0.05). The area under the curve of right hand 2D:4D in male was 0.72 (95% CI 0.683-0.753, p<0.001), while it was 0.602 (95% CI 0.565-0.639, p<0.001) in left hand. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed an association between high 2D:4D ratio and CAD in both hands in men. There were no significant differences in mean 2D:4D between women with CAD and controls.

[Safety and efficacy comparison between rapamycin-eluting stent with biodegradable polymer or permanent polymer in patients with coronary artery disease].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of rapamycin-eluting stent with biodegradable polymer (EXCEL) or permanent polymer (Cypher) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: In this prospective, non-random and comparative study, 60 patients with CAD were divided into EXCEL group (n = 32) and Cypher group (n = 28). The coronary angiography (CAG) and stenting procedure were identical. The safety and efficacy of EXCEL stent was evaluated by major adverse cardiac events (MACE), restenosis rate and percent diameter stenosis rate as well as late luminal loss (LLL) at six months post stenting. RESULTS: During follow-up (mean: 6.04 +/- 2.12 months), there was no MACE in the two groups. Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) data at 6.0 +/- 2.1 months post stenting were available in 27 patients (84.38%) in EXCEL group and 10 patients (35.71%) in Cypher group. Restenosis rate was zero in both groups. Percent diameter stenosis rate (5.98% +/- 5.52% vs. 5.21% +/- 6.3%) and LLL (-0.02 +/- 0.09 mm vs. -0.01 +/- 0.07 mm) were similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: EXCEL stent was safe for the treatment of CAD and comparable as Cypher stent in preventing MACE and restenosis at 6 months post stenting.

[Clinical features and treatment of cardiogenic shock complicated with acute myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical features and the outcome of patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: One hundred and eight consecutive patients with AMI were included in this retrospective analysis. The characteristics, management, and outcome of patients with AMI were compared between patients with cardiogenic shock (group A, n=11) and without cardiogenic shock (group B, n=9). RESULTS: There was no difference in the age and other characteristics including proportion of women, diabetics, prior myocardial infarction and the position of myocardial infarction. The levels of peak creatine kinase and troponin I were (31979.7+/-22271.1)nmol x s(-1) x L(-1) and (90.7+/-61.1) microg/L respectively in group A, they were higher than those in group B (17795.2+/-14979.7)nmol.s-1.L-1 and (39.9+/-52.1) microg/L, respectively (both P<0.05). The left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly lower in group A than that in group B (0.46+/-0.12 vs. 0.55+/-0.12, P<0.05). Patients in group A had a higher proportion of pump failure, arrhythmia and pneumonia (64% vs. 14%, P<0.001; 55% vs. 21 %, P<0.05; and 46% vs. 12%, P<0.01, respectively) than those in group B. In addition, in group A patients often underwent thrombolysis of urokinase, coronary angiography and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (46% vs. 18%, 73% vs. 26% and 36% vs. 4%, all P<0.05, respectively). There was no difference in in-hospital mortality between group A and group B (0 vs. 4%, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Shock patients more likely have pump failure, arrhythmia, and pneumonia and more often underwent intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation. If cardiogenic shock complicating AMI is managed with rapid evaluation and prompt initiation of supportive measures and definitive therapy, outcomes can be improved.

[A clinical study on manshuailing oral liquid in treating elder patients with congestive heart failure of type heart and kidney yang deficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of manshuailing oral liquid on patients with congestive heart failure of type heart and kidney Yang deficiency. METHOD: 90 patients of heart failure were randomly divided into 2 groups. 45 cases in the routine treatment group (RT) received general therapy including diuretics and digitalis, and 45 cases in the Chinese herb medicine group (CH) were treated basically with the above medicine, with additional manshuailing oral liquid. The clinical effect was summarized 6 weeks after treatment. RESULT: Total effect rate was 82.2% and 62.2% in CH and RTgroup respectively. Compared with pretreatment, heart function including stroke volume (SV), stroke volume index (SVI), cardiac index (CI), shorten rate of left ventricular short axe (deltaD%), distance of inter-ventricular septal to mitral valve (EPSS) were all improved significantly in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and with even better effects in the CH group than the RT group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), except the SV. CONCLUSION: Manshuailing oral liquid can alleviate clinical symptom, decreased EPSS, increase deltaD% and improve heart function.

Inhibitory effect of atorvastatin on the cell growth of cardiac myxomas via the PTEN and PHLPP2 phosphatase signaling pathway.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a molecule with strong proliferative effects, and statins have been reported to exhibit antitumor effects based on clinical and experimental studies. However, their effects on cardiac myxoma (CM) cells and the underlying signaling mechanism(s) are largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether the protein/lipid phosphatases and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and pleckstrin homology domain leucine-rich repeat phosphatase 1 and 2 (PHLPP1 and 2) are involved in the proliferative effect of IGF-1 on CM cells and the pharmacological impact of atorvastatin. The activity of PTEN and PHLPPs was determined using specific substrate diC16PIP3 and pNPP. We found that IGF-1 enhanced CM cell proliferation and inhibited both PTEN and PHLPP2 activity in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Atorvastatin acted counter to IGF-1 and reversed the above effects mediated by IGF-1. Both IGF-1 and atorvastatin did not affect the activity of PHLPP1 and the protein expression of the three phosphatases. The results suggest that IGF-1 may exert its proliferative effects by negatively regulating the PTEN/PHLPP2 signaling pathway in CM cells, and atorvastatin may be a potential drug for the treatment of CM by enhancing the activity of PTEN and PHLPP2.

[Analysis of risk factors of cardiogenic shock secondary to acute myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore risk factors for cardiogenic shock (CS) secondary to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients arising from comorbidities so as to identify high risk patients earlier. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 5523 patients who were hospitalized with AMI in PLA General Hospital from January 1993 to December 2009. The patients were divided into two groups based on presence or absence of CS. Logistic regression analysis was used from comorbidities to evaluate the independent risk factors for CS. RESULTS: Among 5523 hospitalized AMI patients, 197 (3.57%) developed CS. The 30-day in hospital mortality rate of CS group was significantly higher than that of non-CS group [55.33% (109/197) vs. 7.49% (399/5326), P<0.001]. On the basis of logistic regression analysis, advanced age [odds ratio (OR)=1.03, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.02 - 1.05, P<0.001], previous attack of myocardial infarction (OR=1.57, 95%CI 1.13 - 2.19, P=0.007), history of stroke (OR=1.98, 95%CI 1.20 - 3.27, P=0.008), chronic renal failure (OR=1.76, 95%CI 1.23 - 2.51, P=0.002) and pneumonia (OR=1.72, 95%CI 1.17 - 2.52, P=0.006) were independent risk factors for CS. Using receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) analysis, the model was shown a good quality to judge the outcome of CS patients as the area under curve equals 0.81 (95%CI 0.75 - 0.85, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Advanced age and comorbidities including previous myocardial infarction, previous stroke, chronic renal failure and pneumonia were independent risk factors for CS.

[Effect of phosphatase PHLPP1 gene transfer on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the constituent expression of PH domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase 1 (PHLPP1) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the effect of PHLPP1 gene transfer on the proliferation of the cells in vitro. METHODS: Cultured HUVECs were transfected with pcDNA3-GFP or pcDNA3HA-PHLPP1 via lipofectamine 2000. The cell proliferation ability was determined by cell counting and MTT colorimetric assay, and Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of PHLPP1 in the cells. RESULTS: No PHLPP1 protein was detected in the non-transfected cells or pcDNA3-GFP-transfected cells. pcDNA3HA-PHLPP1 gene transfection significantly increased PHLPP1 expression in the HUVECs (P<0.01), but the cell proliferation status remained unchanged (P>0.05). The absorbance of the cells measured by MTT assay was 0.134-/+0.0152, 0133-/+0.014 and 0.137-/+0.016, with cell counts of (8.293-/+0.962)x10(5), (7.937-/+0.101)x10(5) and (8.127-/+0.112)x10(5), respectively, showing no significant differences between the 3 groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Phosphatase PHLPP1 may not be the most important signal protein in the regulation of HUVEC proliferation.

[Effect of IGF-1 on PI3K/PTEN signal pathway in vascular smooth muscle cell].

AIM: To investigate the cellular signal transduction pathway of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation stimulated by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). METHODS: Rabbit aortic VSMCs was cultured in 3 groups. Cell proliferating ability was determined by measuring cell number and mitochondrial dehydrogenase (MD) activity (MTT assay). Wortmannin (WT), the specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), was used to evaluate indirectly the possible involvement of PI3K. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of phosphatase PTEN. Diphosphate action of PTEN on its specific substrate diC16PIP3 was measured by green reagent method. RESULTS: IGF-1 (100 microg/L) increased cell number and MD activity by 2.8-3.8 fold. WT markedly inhibited VSMC proliferation and completely abolished the above effects of IGF-1. IGF-1 inhibited PTEN activity in a concentration-(10-100 microg/L) and time--(3 min-24 h) dependent manner (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: IGF-1 increases VSM proliferation by increasing PI3K activity and inhibiting PTEN activity.