Asymmetric dimethylarginine and the risk of cardiovascular events and death in patients with coronary artery disease: results from the AtheroGene Study.

As a competitive inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) has been related to atherosclerotic disease. Little is known about the prognostic impact of baseline ADMA determination. In a prospective cohort of 1908 patients with coronary artery disease, we assessed baseline serum concentration of ADMA in 1874 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease.

Genetic analysis of the interleukin-18 system highlights the role of the interleukin-18 gene in cardiovascular disease.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-18 plays a key role in atherosclerosis and its complications. The present study investigated the genetic variability of 4 genes of the IL-18 system-IL18, IL18R1, IL18RAP, and IL18BP-in relation to circulating IL-18 levels and cardiovascular mortality.

Methods And Results: Twenty-two polymorphisms were genotyped in 1288 patients with coronary artery disease prospectively followed up during a median period of 5.

Prognostic value of lipoproteins and their relation to inflammatory markers among patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Lipoproteins and their subfractions are associated with the incidence of atherosclerotic diseases. In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), low serum concentrations of high density lipoprotein (HDL) and high low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are correlated to myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death. There is growing evidence indicating that those lipoprotein factors are related to the inflammatory process in atherogenesis.

Glutathione peroxidase-1 and homocysteine for cardiovascular risk prediction: results from the AtheroGene study.

Objectives: This prospective study was designed to evaluate the effect of joint determination of two important contrary biomarkers--homocysteine and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-1--on cardiovascular risk stratification.

Background: Homocysteine plasma levels have been associated with cardiovascular risk. Experimental data suggest that antioxidative GPx-1 activity modulates cardiovascular risk associated with homocysteine.

Analysis of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide and C-reactive protein for risk stratification in stable and unstable coronary artery disease: results from the AtheroGene study.

Aims: N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) is a reliable risk predictor in acute coronary artery disease (CAD). Little is known about patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP). We aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of Nt-proBNP in a population with CAD especially focussing on patients with SAP.

Serum sphingomyelin levels are related to the clearance of postprandial remnant-like particles.

It is known that sphingomyelin (SM) content is higher in apolipoprotein B-containing particles (BLps) than in high density lipoproteins and that BLp levels, including chylomicrons and their remnant particles, are positively related to atherosclerosis. To evaluate the relationship between serum SM and postprandial remnant particle levels, we determined SM, triglyceride (TG), and cholesterol levels in serum and in remnant-like particles (RLPs) before and 3, 5, 7, and 10 h after a high-fat meal in 31 healthy subjects. We found that serum SM, like serum TG, was increased to its maximum 3 h after fat loading and then gradually decreased to basal levels after 10 h.

CD14+CD16+ monocytes in coronary artery disease and their relationship to serum TNF-alpha levels.

Monocytes play a central role in the inflammatory disease atherosclerosis. CD14+CD16+ monocytes are considered proinflammatory monocytes, as they have an increased capacity to produce proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, and are elevated in various inflammatory diseases. We hypothesized that patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have increased levels of CD14+CD16+ monocytes, and that CD14+CD16+ monocytes are associated with inflammation markers.

Platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase and PAF-receptor gene haplotypes in relation to future cardiovascular event in patients with coronary artery disease.

Oxidation of low density lipoproteins is an initial step of atherogenesis that generates pro-inflammatory phospholipids, including platelet-activating factor (PAF) and its analogs. PAF is degraded by PAF-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), a circulating enzyme having both pro- and anti-inflammatory activities. PAF-AH activity has been postulated to be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD); however, whether PAF-AH has a causal role or is simply a marker of risk is unclear.

[Genet(h)ics: the philosophical concept of the discourse ethics and consequences for the research community].

The research community is increasingly confronted with the problem of ethic responsibility. Ethic reflection might be integrated as a part of one's own research projects. This question is discussed against the background of Jürgen Habermas' discourse ethics, which considers the diverse state of being in the modern age as the basis.

[Influence of impaired fasting glucose on the incidence and prognosis of atherosclerosis in various vascular regions].

Unlabelled: Patients with cardiovascular disease have a poorer diagnosis if they are diabetic. The risk for cardiovascular events is already increased in individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) and IFG on the incidence of atherosclerotic manifestations and on the long-term prognosis of patients with atherosclerosis in various vascular regions.

[Immunactivation in chronic heart failure. Inflammatory mediators].

Inflammatory cytokines are thought to contribute to the development and progression of chronic heart failure (CHF). It has been shown that especially tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is activated in patients with CHF and exerts detrimental effects on the myocardium. Recent studies have demonstrated that circulating levels of TNF, soluble TNF receptors 1 and 2 and interleukin-6 are strong prognostic markers.

[Genetic variation of the cholesterol ester transfer protein gene and the prevalence of coronary artery disease. The AtheroGene case control study].

Background: Various functional polymorphisms of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein ( CETP) gene influence CETP activity and the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Beside other functional variants mainly the promoter polymorphism CETP/C-629A is currently discussed as a risk factor of coronary artery disease (CAD). We evaluated in a large case-control study the impact of various CETP genotypes and haplotypes on HDL concentration and the prevalence of CAD.

[Acute coronary syndrome (without ST-elevation)].

Antithrombotic therapy in acute coronary syndrome without ST-segment elevation should be initiated with aspirin 100 mg/day (loading dose 250-500 mg) and Clopidogrel 75 mg/day (loading dose 300 mg). In addition, anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin or low molecular weight heparin should be started. A GP IIb/IIIa receptor blocker can be given either upfront (Eptifibatide/Tirofiban) or directly in the cathlab preceding PCI (Abciximab).

SELPLG gene polymorphisms in relation to plasma SELPLG levels and coronary artery disease.

P-selectin and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand (SELPLG, selectin P ligand) constitute a receptor/ligand complex that is likely to be involved in the development of atherosclerosis and its complications. While the genetic variability of P-selectin has already been investigated in depth, that of the SELPLG gene has not yet been extensively explored. The coding and regulatory sequences of the SELPLG were screened and nine polymorphisms were identified.

Adhesion molecules and atherosclerosis.

One early phase of atherosclerosis involves the recruitment of inflammatory cells from the circulation and their transendothelial migration. This process is predominantly mediated by cellular adhesion molecules, which are expressed on the vascular endothelium and on circulating leukocytes in response to several inflammatory stimuli. Selectins (P, E and L) and their ligands (mainly P-selectin ligand) are involved in the rolling and tethering of leukocytes on the vascular wall.

Interleukin-18 and the risk of coronary heart disease in European men: the Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction (PRIME).

Background: Interleukin (IL)-18 promotes atherosclerotic plaque growth and vulnerability. It is unknown, however, whether elevations of circulating IL-18 precede the onset of coronary events in apparently healthy individuals.

Methods And Results: We evaluated the relationship between baseline plasma levels of IL-18 and the subsequent incidence of coronary events over a 5-year follow-up in the Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction (PRIME),which included 10 600 healthy European men aged 50 to 59 years at baseline.

Glutathione peroxidase 1 activity and cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Cellular antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase 1 and superoxide dismutase have a central role in the control of reactive oxygen species. In vitro data and studies in animal models suggest that these enzymes may protect against atherosclerosis, but little is known about their relevance to human disease.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study among 636 patients with suspected coronary artery disease, with a median follow-up period of 4.

High plasma phospholipid transfer protein levels as a risk factor for coronary artery disease.

Objective: Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) mediates both net transfer and exchange of phospholipids between different lipoproteins. Animal studies have shown that it is closely related to the development of atherosclerosis. PLTP-deficient mice have demonstrated increased antioxidation potential as well as a decrease in apolipoprotein B secretion and atherosclerotic lesions.

Impact of pathogen burden in patients with coronary artery disease in relation to systemic inflammation and variation in genes encoding cytokines.

The number of infectious pathogens to which an individual has been exposed (pathogen burden) has been linked to the development and the prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). The interaction among infection, genetic host susceptibility, and CAD remains unclear. This study was aimed at evaluating the modulation of the association between CAD and pathogen burden, by serum levels of inflammatory markers and polymorphisms of the interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha genes.

Common genetic variation of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene strongly predicts future cardiovascular death in patients with coronary artery disease.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the association between cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) genotypes and the risk of future cardiovascular mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Background: Polymorphisms of the CETP gene influence CETP activity and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration and might affect the long-term prognosis and response to statin therapy in patients with CAD.

Methods: We used serum samples and deoxyribonucleic acid collected at baseline from a prospective cohort of 1,211 patients with CAD prospectively followed up (median follow-up of 4.

Plasma PAF-acetylhydrolase in patients with coronary artery disease: results of a cross-sectional analysis.

Inflammation underlies both onset and perpetuation of atherosclerosis. Plasma lipoproteins transport the platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) with potentially anti-inflammatory activities. Our aim was to determine whether PAF-AH activity was associated with inflammatory markers and with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Plasma concentrations and genetic variation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and prognosis of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 secretion by macrophages and other inflammatory cells accelerates atherosclerotic progression and destabilizes vulnerable plaque in animal models. However, epidemiological data evaluating the prognostic impact of circulating concentrations and functional genetic variations of MMP-9 are lacking.

Methods And Results: In a prospective study of 1127 patients with documented coronary artery disease, we measured baseline plasma MMP-9 levels and determined the MMP-9/C-1562T and MMP-9/R279Q genotypes.

Impact of infectious burden on progression of carotid atherosclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Recent findings suggest a causative role of infections in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The extent of atherosclerosis and the prognosis of patients with atherosclerosis seem to be increased by the number of infections to which an individual has been exposed. In a prospective study, we evaluated the effect of 8 pathogens and the aggregate pathogen burden on the progression of carotid atherosclerosis.

Annexin V does not represent a diagnostic alternative to myoglobin for early detection of myocardial infarction.

Annexin V is a calcium binding protein, which is widely present in various cells and tissues. Due to an early release reaction after myocardial injury the determination of annexin V might be useful for the rapid diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure annexin V in comparison to myoglobin in samples from healthy individuals, patients suffering from acute or chronic liver, renal, and pulmonary diseases as well as acute coronary syndromes and aortocoronary bypass surgery.