Stable measurement of chemistry, immunochemistry, and hematology analytes in a heparin-based anticoagulant with iloprost additive: A promising candidate for the polyvalent blood collection tube.

Introduction: A polyvalent blood collection tube could potentially reduce the number and volume of blood samples drawn from patients and reduce the risk of tube mix-ups in a point-of-care setting in the emergency department and the intensive care unit.

Methods: Four different concentrations of our experimental heparin anticoagulant with iloprost additive (HEP-ILOP 50 nM, 150 nM, 1000 nM, and 10 μM, respectively) were tested for significant differences and bias performance specifications against EDTA for 29 hematology analytes, and the highest concentration (HEP-ILOP 10 μM) against lithium heparin for 14 chemistry and immunochemistry analytes. Samples were drawn from 79 consenting subjects from the Oncology Department (n = 38) and the Intensive and Intermediary Care Unit (n = 41).

The effect of chronic heart failure and type 2 diabetes on insulin-stimulated endothelial function is similar and additive.

Aim: Chronic heart failure is associated with endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance. The aim of this investigation was to study insulin-stimulated endothelial function and glucose uptake in skeletal muscles in patients with heart failure in comparison to patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Twenty-three patients with systolic heart failure and no history of diabetes, seven patients with both systolic heart failure and type 2 diabetes, 19 patients with type 2 diabetes, and ten healthy controls were included in the study.

Endothelial function is unaffected by changing between carvedilol and metoprolol in patients with heart failure--a randomized study.

Background: Carvedilol has been shown to be superior to metoprolol tartrate to improve clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF), yet the mechanisms responsible for these differences remain unclear. We examined if there were differences in endothelial function, insulin stimulated endothelial function, 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate during treatment with carvedilol, metoprolol tartrate and metoprolol succinate in patients with HF.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients with mild HF, all initially treated with carvedilol, were randomized to a two-month treatment with carvedilol, metoprolol tartrate or metoprolol succinate.

Ingestion of broccoli sprouts does not improve endothelial function in humans with hypertension.

Unlabelled: Ingestion of glucosinolates has previously been reported to improve endothelial function in spontaneously hypertensive rats, possibly because of an increase in NO availability in the endothelium due to an attenuation of oxidative stress; in our study we tried to see if this also would be the case in humans suffering from essential hypertension.

Methods: 40 hypertensive individuals without diabetes and with normal levels of cholesterol were examined. The participants were randomized either to ingest 10 g dried broccoli sprouts, a natural donor of glucosinolates with high in vitro antioxidative potential, for a 4 week period or to continue their ordinary diet and act as controls.

Genetically determined serum levels of mannose-binding lectin correlate negatively with common carotid intima-media thickness in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality due to accelerated atherosclerosis that cannot be attributed to traditional cardiovascular risk factors alone. Variant alleles of the mannose-binding lectin gene (MBL2) causing low serum concentrations of functional mannose-binding lectin (MBL) are associated with SLE and development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies show that these variant alleles are associated with increased risk of arterial thrombosis and cardiovascular disease in patients with SLE.

Metoprolol compared to carvedilol deteriorates insulin-stimulated endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes - a randomized study.

Aim: Studies of beta blockade in patients with type 2 diabetes have shown inferiority of metoprolol treatment compared to carvedilol on indices of insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of metoprolol versus carvedilol on endothelial function and insulin-stimulated endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Method: 24 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either 200 mg metoprolol succinate or 50 mg carvedilol daily.

Double role of mannose-binding lectin in relation to carotid intima-media thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) that cannot be explained by excess of traditional risk factors. Several studies indicate that mannose-binding lectin (MBL) may modify the development of atherosclerosis; both high and low serum levels of MBL are reported to be associated with CVD. Intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (ccIMT) is a validated non-invasive anatomic measure of subclinical CVD.

Carvedilol in the treatment of chronic heart failure: lessons from the Carvedilol Or Metoprolol European Trial.

Beta-blockers have been shown to improve survival in patients with chronic heart failure. The effect of different generations of beta blockers has been debated. Both metoprolol and carvedilol have demonstrated beneficial effects in placebo-controlled trials.

Metabolic effects of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists with special emphasis on carvedilol.

Although beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (beta-blockers) have effects on metabolism via their mechanism as blockers of adrenergic stimulation, most interest in the metabolic effects of beta-blockers is caused by their effect on glucose metabolism. Strict metabolic control and management of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with diabetes mellitus has proven to be of great importance in the improvement of prognosis. Beta-blockers are necessary tools for the treatment of heart failure and hypertension.