Effectiveness of A Four-Week Diet Regimen, Exercise and Psychological Intervention for Weight Loss.

Introduction: Obesity is accompanied by restriction in the quality of life and an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular, orthopedic, and metabolic disorders are among the possible consequences. In the management of obesity, a combination therapy that includes dietary, exercise, and behaviour modules has proven its worth.

Changes in behavior as side effects in methylphenidate treatment: review of the literature.

Background: Our review of the scientific literature focused on an analysis of studies describing instances of methylphenidate treatment leading (or not) to behavioral changes in the pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Medline, and Google using the keywords "methylphenidate", "behavioral changes", "adverse effects", and "side effects". A total of 44 studies were identified as reporting on the effects and adverse effects of methylphenidate administration, and were included in the analysis.

The Effects of Nutritional Juice Supplementation on the Extent of Climacteric Symptoms: An Observational Study.

Objective. This study aims to evaluate the effect of daily dietary nutritional supplement on somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms in postmenopausal women. Material and Methods.

Safety, efficacy, and indications of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade to reduce heart rate prior to coronary CT angiography.

For selected indications, coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography is an established clinical technology for evaluation in patients suspected of having or known to have coronary artery disease. In coronary CT angiography, image quality is highly dependent on heart rate, with heart rate reduction to less than 60 beats per minute being important for both image quality and radiation dose reduction, especially when single-source CT scanners are used. β-Blockers are the first-line option for short-term reduction of heart rate prior to coronary CT angiography.

[Evidence-based application of cardiac magnetic resonance and cardiac computed tomography for primary diagnosis of stable coronary artery disease with special attention to disease management programs and the German National Medical Care Guidelines].

Background And Purpose: Despite all the progress made in diagnosis and treatment, cardiovascular diseases remain the no. 1 cause of death worldwide. In 2005, 27.

[The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Three case reports].

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) for the first time issued guidelines for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in spring 2005. The strengths of recommendations stated in the ESC guidelines (as in those of the AHA/ACC [American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology]) are traditionally a combination of recommendation classes (I, IIa, and IIb) and a level of evidence (A, B, or C). This paper explains and discusses selected focal points of the ESC PCI guidelines based on three representative cases from daily practice.

Turbulent flow as a cause for underestimating coronary flow reserve measured by Doppler guide wire.

Background: Doppler-tipped coronary guide-wires (FW) are well-established tools in interventional cardiology to quantitatively analyze coronary blood flow. Doppler wires are used to measure the coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR). The CFVR remains reduced in some patients despite anatomically successful coronary angioplasty.

Multislice spiral computed tomographic angiography of coronary arteries in patients with suspected coronary artery disease: an effective filter before catheter angiography?

Background: Despite impressive image quality, it is unclear if noninvasive coronary angiography with multislice spiral computed tomography (CT) is powerful enough to act as a filter before invasive angiography (INV-A) in symptomatic patients.

Methods And Results: We therefore studied 133 consecutive symptomatic patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and an indication for INV-A (chest pain and signs of ischemia in conventional stress tests). Patients with known CAD, acute coronary syndrome, or a calcium volume score >1000 were excluded.

Lack of association between Chlamydia Pneumoniae serology and endothelial dysfunction of coronary arteries.

Background: Recent publications brought up the hypothesis that an infection with Chlamydia Pneumoniae (CP) might be a major cause of coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, we investigated whether endothelial dysfunction (ED) as a precursor of atherosclerosis might be detectable in patients with previous infection with CP but without angiographic evidence of CAD.

Methods: We included 16 patients (6 male / 10 female) of 52 consecutive patients with normal coronary angiography who had typical angina pectoris and pathologic findings in the stress test.

Autologous intracoronary mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation in chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy in humans.

Background: Recent data suggest that transplantation of autologous bone marrow cells (BMC) may contribute to myocardial repair after acute myocardial infarction. We hypothesized that patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy could also benefit from autologous BMC transplantation in addition to established heart failure therapy.

Methods And Results: Five patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy caused by anterior myocardial infarction, 1.

Lack of regeneration of myocardium by autologous intracoronary mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation in humans with large anterior myocardial infarctions.

Background: Experimental and preliminary clinical data suggest that transplantation of autologous bone marrow cells (BMC) may contribute to regeneration of the myocardium after acute myocardial infarction. This approach should be tested in patients with large infarctions in whom a positive effect would be most beneficial.

Methods And Results: After successful recanalization within 5.

Gender-related differences in acute aortic dissection.

Background: Few data exist on gender-related differences in clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, management, and outcomes in acute aortic dissection (AAD).

Methods And Results: Accordingly, we evaluated 1078 patients enrolled in the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection (IRAD) to assess differences in clinical features, management, and in-hospital outcomes between men and women. Of the patients enrolled in IRAD (32.

Studies on intragastric PCO2 at rest and during exercise as a marker of intestinal perfusion in patients with chronic heart failure.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate mesenteric ischaemia by determining intragastric PCO(2) (iPCO(2)) with gastric tonometry during rest and exercise stress testing in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). In CHF inflammatory immune activation is hypothesized to result from a chronic endotoxin challenge due to bacterial translocation of hypoperfused intestinal mucosa.

Methods And Results: In 10 patients with CHF and ten healthy controls a tonometry catheter was inserted into the stomach.

Impaired acute collateral recruitment as a possible mechanism for increased cardiac adverse events in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: The mortality of coronary artery disease is increased in diabetic patients. An impaired collateral function is considered a possible explanation. This study should assess the influence of diabetes on collaterals by direct invasive assessment of collateral function.

Prolonged QTc interval and high B-type natriuretic peptide levels together predict mortality in patients with advanced heart failure.

Background: The role of QTc interval prolongation in heart failure remains poorly defined. To better understand it, we analyzed the QTc interval duration in patients with heart failure with high B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and analyzed the combined prognostic impact of prolonged QTc and elevated BNP.

Methods And Results: QTc intervals were measured in 241 patients with heart failure who had BNP levels >400 pg/mL.

Angiographic assessment of collateral connections in comparison with invasively determined collateral function in chronic coronary occlusions.

Background: The evaluation of new therapeutic modalities to induce collateral growth in coronary artery disease require improved methods of angiographic characterization of collaterals, which should be validated by quantitative assessment of collateral function.

Methods And Results: In 100 patients with total chronic occlusion of a major coronary artery (duration >2 weeks) collaterals were assessed angiographically by the Rentrop grading, by their anatomic location, and by a new grading of collateral connections (CC grade 0: no continuous connection, CC1: threadlike continuous connection, CC2: side branch-like connection). The interobserver variability was 10%.

Comparison of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and mild heart failure versus those with severe heart failure.

The pathogenesis of acute pulmonary edema in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) is not completely understood. Because pulse-wave tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) allows a direct comparison between systolic as well as diastolic wall motion velocities, we tested the hypothesis that acute pulmonary edema is caused by both systolic and diastolic failure. We prospectively studied 65 patients.

No influence of hemochromatosis-related gene mutations on restenosis rate in a retrospective study of 137 patients after coronary stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: Recent publications have shown an increased risk of coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction in patients with alteration of the hemochromatosis-related gene (HFE gene). The HFE gene mutation is associated with elevated iron uptake and serum iron overloading. Iron plays an important role in promoting the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.