[In vitro study of endothelium-dependent relaxation and contraction of human atherosclerotic femoral artery].

According to present knowledge, altered arterial reactivity associated with hypertension, atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia is related to impaired release of endothelial derived relaxing factor (EDRF). Impaired relaxation followed by enhanced vasoconstriction leads to a well known clinical entities such as unstable angina, acut myocardial infarction. Impairment of EDRF may also account for smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration.

Neutrophils obtained from obliterative atherosclerotic patients exhibit enhanced resting respiratory burst and increased degranulation in response to various stimuli.

Tissue destruction in atherosclerosis is partly due to uncontrolled protease and oxygen radical release. In this study we investigated the release of elastase and myeloperoxidase, as well as the production of reactive oxygen species by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) obtained from patients with obliterative atherosclerotic of the lower legs. In addition we measured the plasma concentration of xanthine oxidase.

[Serum elastin peptide concentration and human leukocyte elastase/antiproteinase balance in peripheral obstructive atherosclerosis].

In some pathological states such as therosclerosis tissue destruction may be accelerated due to uncontrolled protease release of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and other events such as decreased concentration and/or the inactivation of main protease inhibitor molecules in the serum. In this study, the authors measured the elastase release of polymorphonuclear leukocytes which increased in atherosclerosis independently of the patients aged compared to healthy young subjects. These findings were similar to the response of polymorphonuclear leukocytes separated from healthy elderly subjects.

[Clinical and biochemical parameters of patients with vascular stenosis in the lower extremities in the stage of intermittent claudication].

Clinical and biochemical parameters obtained by complex investigation of 100 patients suffering from intermittent claudication are presented by the authors. After taking the family and case history, we examined the patients and took laboratory tests including several lipid components, blood clotting factors and parameters influencing blood viscosity. The severity of peripheral vascular disease was defined by ankle/arm ratio, carotid arteries were studied by duplex sonography, coronary circulation was examined by ECG, exercise ECG and Thallium-201 isotopic myocardium scintigraphy.

[Estimation of perioperative cardiac risk by means of dipyridamole myocardial scintigraphy in patients undergoing vascular surgery on the lower limbs].

Unlabelled: The vascular surgery of lower limbs has an increased cardiac risk that is related to the special surgical procedure and the high risk patient population. The myocardium scintigraphy after the administration of dipyridamole is a reliable stress testing, even despite claudication complaints. The authors performed dipyridamole stressed quantitative MIBI scintigraphy in 35 patients with peripheral arterial disease for the assessment of prognostic importance of the test.