Evaluation of cardiovascular risk biomarkers after moderate consumption of red wine and cachaça in a randomized crossover trial: The Wine and Cachaça Study (WICAS).

Introduction: Moderate daily consumption of alcohol (MDCA) is associated with cardiovascular risk (CVR) reduction in observational studies. Some researches have suggested that this benefit may be associated not only with red wine consumption but also with other beverages. However, there are no clinical trials evaluating the possible CVR benefit of Brazilian spirit (cachaça) in humans.

Accuracy of Myocardial Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction After Revascularization as Assessed by Cardiac Resonance: The Medicine, Angioplasty, Surgery Study V (MASS-V) Trial.

Background: The lack of a correlation between myocardial necrosis biomarkers and electrocardiographic abnormalities after revascularization procedures has resulted in a change in the myocardial infarction (MI) definition.

Methods: Patients with stable multivessel disease who underwent percutaneous or surgical revascularization were included. Electrocardiograms and concentrations of high-sensitive cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase (CK)-MB were assessed before and after procedures.

Development of a pharmacogenetic-based warfarin dosing algorithm and its performance in Brazilian patients: highlighting the importance of population-specific calibration.

Background: The main aims of the present study were to develop a pharmacogenetic-based warfarin dosing algorithm and to validate it in a highly admixed population.

Materials & Methods: We included two patient cohorts treated with warfarin (first cohort, n = 832; and second cohort, n = 133).

Results: Our algorithm achieved a determination coefficient of 40% including the variables age, gender, weight, height, self-declared race, amiodarone use, enzyme inducers use, VKORC1 genotypes and predicted phenotypes according to CYP2C9 polymorphisms.

Lipoprotein (a): structure, pathophysiology and clinical implications.

The chemical structure of lipoprotein (a) is similar to that of LDL, from which it differs due to the presence of apolipoprotein (a) bound to apo B100 via one disulfide bridge. Lipoprotein (a) is synthesized in the liver and its plasma concentration, which can be determined by use of monoclonal antibody-based methods, ranges from < 1 mg to > 1,000 mg/dL. Lipoprotein (a) levels over 20-30 mg/dL are associated with a two-fold risk of developing coronary artery disease.

Hypotheses, rationale, design, and methods for evaluation of ischemic preconditioning assessed by sequential exercise tests in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with stable coronary artery disease--a prospective study.

Background: Ischemic preconditioning is a powerful mechanism of myocardial protection and in humans it can be evaluated by sequential exercise tests. Coronary Artery Disease in the presence of diabetes mellitus may be associated with worse outcomes. In addition, some studies have shown that diabetes interferes negatively with the development of ischemic preconditioning.

Unrecognized diabetes and myocardial necrosis: predictors of hyperglycemia in myocardial infarction.

Background: Hyperglycemia in the acute phase of myocardial infarction is an important prognostic factor. However, its pathophysiology is not fully understood.

Objective: To analyze simultaneously the correlation between hyperglycemia and biochemical markers related to stress, glucose and lipid metabolism, coagulation, inflammation, and myocardial necrosis.

Hypotheses, rationale, design, and methods for prognostic evaluation of cardiac biomarker elevation after percutaneous and surgical revascularization in the absence of manifest myocardial infarction. A comparative analysis of biomarkers and cardiac magnetic resonance. The MASS-V Trial.

Background: Although the release of cardiac biomarkers after percutaneous (PCI) or surgical revascularization (CABG) is common, its prognostic significance is not known. Questions remain about the mechanisms and degree of correlation between the release, the volume of myocardial tissue loss, and the long-term significance. Delayed-enhancement of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) consistently quantifies areas of irreversible myocardial injury.

Cardiac troponin T for risk stratification in decompensated chronic heart failure.

Background: The cardiac troponins are highly sensitive and specific markers of myocardial injury. They have been detected in heart failure (HF) and are associated with a bad prognosis.

Objective: To evaluate the association of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and its ranges with prognosis in decompensated HF.

B-type natriuretic peptide assessment in the diagnosis of rejection after pediatric heart transplant.

Background: Rejection is one of the major causes of mortality following pediatric heart transplant. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been studied as a method for the diagnosis of acute rejection, especially in adult patients undergoing heart transplant.

Objective: To correlate serum BNP levels with acute rejection as diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy in patients of the pediatric heart transplant group.

Comparison of MB fraction of creatine kinase mass and troponin I serum levels with necropsy findings in acute myocardial infarction.

Serum levels of troponin and heart-related fraction of creatine kinase (CK-MB) mass are used as diagnostic and prognostic criteria in myocardial infarction, but the relation between those levels and the necropsy-determined size of necrosis has not been tested in human beings. In this retrospective study, 1-cm-thick transverse sections of the ventricles were cut from the base to the apex in the necropsy hearts of 27 patients aged 47 to 86 years (mean 66, median 69; 19 men). Total and necrotic areas were measured using a computer-linked image analysis system.

[Serum NT-proBNP levels are a prognostic predictor in patients with advanced heart failure].

Objective: To verify if the determination of NT-proBNP values would help predict the prognosis in advanced heart failure (HF) patients.

Methods: One hundred and five subjects with average age of 52.4 years were evaluated, 66.

Serial measure of cardiac troponin T levels for prediction of clinical events in decompensated heart failure.

Background: This study determined whether serial determinations of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in decompensated heart failure (HF) are predictive of clinical events (death, need for readmission for new episode of HF decompensation, or both) during 1 year of follow-up.

Methods And Results: Sixty-two patients with decompensated HF were enrolled in this cohort. The first measurement of cTnT (cTnT1) was from a blood sample drawn within 4 days of hospital admission; the second measurement (cTnT2) was on blood obtained 7 days later.

ProBNP for stratifying patients with heart failure.

Objective: To verify whether the serum levels of N-Terminal ProBNP fraction (ProBNP) allow us to identify with accuracy the clinical functional status of patients with heart failure (HF), because the clinical diagnosis of this syndrome is based basically on clinical data when the complementary tests have lower specificity.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients with a history of HF were studied. Their mean age of was 53.