Publications by authors named "Chien-Hsien Lo"
Background: Smoking is a strong risk factor for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Varenicline is commonly used as a smoking cessation medication, but little is known about its usage in patients with AMI, particularly in hospitalized patients.
Methods: This is a prospective observational, single-center study collected from May 2018 to July 2021.
Article Synopsis
- Fibrosis contributes to changes in atrial tissue structure, and this study aimed to explore how micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) influence fibrotic processes under low-oxygen (hypoxic) conditions.
- Researchers used various laboratory techniques to analyze the effects of specific miRNAs on fibrotic genes and markers, particularly collagen types I and III, in cardiomyocyte cells exposed to hypoxia.
- The study found that miR-let-7a, miR-let-7e, and miR-133a directly regulate collagen production and that inhibiting the JNK pathway can enhance the effects of these miRNAs, suggesting potential new treatments for atrial fibrosis.
Purpose: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant independent risk factor for 1-year mortality in patients with first acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The CHA2DS2-VASc score was initially developed to assess the risk of stroke in patients with AF. Recently, this scoring system has been demonstrated to have clinical value for predicting long-term clinical outcomes in AIS but the evidence is insufficient.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOxygen pulse (OP) is a function of stroke volume and cellular oxygen extraction and OP curve pattern (OPCP) can provide continuous measurements of OP. However, measurements of these two components are difficult during incremental maximum exercise. As cardiac function is evaluated using ejection fraction (EF) according to the guidelines and EF can be obtained using first-pass radionuclide ventriculography, the aim of this study was to investigate associations of OP%predicted and OPCP with EF in patients with heart failure with reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF/HFmrEF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and also in normal controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Hydroxychloroquine is widely used to treat certain viral and rheumatic diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus. Cardiac arrhythmia is an important safety issue with hydroxychloroquine. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hydroxychloroquine increases new-onset arrhythmia among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is widely used to treat rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Cardiac arrhythmia has been concerned as important safety issue for HCQ. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hydroxychloroquine increases new-onset arrhythmia among patients with RA, SLE or SS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - Atrial hypoxia leads to structural changes that promote atrial fibrillation by increasing profibrotic activity in cardiomyocytes, as shown in the study with cultured HL-1 cells exposed to low oxygen levels.
- - The exposure to hypoxia raised levels of key proteins involved in fibrosis (like COL1A, COL3A, and TGF-β1) through a signaling pathway involving hypoxia-inducible factor HIF-1α and the JNK protein.
- - Targeting the ROS/JNK signaling pathway may offer a new approach to develop therapies for preventing atrial fibrillation, as inhibiting this pathway reduced the expression of fibrosis-related proteins triggered by hypoxia.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluated the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with resistant hypertension caused by aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) over both short and long-term periods.
- Eight adult patients underwent RFA from 2009 to 2017, showing a 100% technical success rate with minor complications but no major issues.
- Results indicated significant improvements in blood pressure and reduced need for antihypertensive medications, with long-term follow-up (around 6.7 years) confirming lasting benefits.
The pulse contour method is often used with the Windkessel model to measure stroke volume. We used a digital pressure and flow sensors to detect the parameters of the Windkessel model from the pulse waveform. The objective of this study was to assess the stability and accuracy of this method by making use of the passive leg raising test.
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