Coronary thrombectomy, technical comparison of two systems on a laboratory bench: the impact of bends, angles and thrombus age.

Aims: Despite the results of recent randomised studies, the systematic use of aspiration techniques in ST-elevation myocardial infarction has not been included in the new guidelines. To date, there have been very few bench tests of the different systems and the aim of our study was to test two catheters on different models of arteries with thrombi at six and 12 hours.

Methods And Results: The test apparatus consisted of 3 mm diameter glass tubes of 150 mm in length.

Time course of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and oxidative stress in fructose-hypertensive rats: a model related to metabolic syndrome.

Objective: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous modulator of endothelial function and oxidative stress, and increased levels of this molecule have been reported in some metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this work was to analyze the time course of dimethylarginine compounds and oxidative stress levels and the relationship between these and cardiovascular function in fructose-hypertensive rats.

Methods And Results: 90 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into 2 groups, fed for 3 months with standard (C) chow supplemented or not with fructose (F, 60%).

Clinical predictors of successful thrombectomy with the Export® aspiration catheter in the acute phase of myocardial infarction. Data from the RICO survey working group.

Background: Thrombus aspiration is applicable in a large majority of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and results in better reperfusion and clinical outcomes compared with percutaneous coronary intervention alone. Some aspiration procedures are, however, ineffective. To date, few clinical data are available on the predictors of successful thrombectomy in the acute phase of myocardial infarction.

Telomere length and cardiovascular disease.

Telomeres are structures composed of deoxyribonucleic acid repeats that protect the end of chromosomes, but shorten with each cell division. They have been the subject of many studies, particularly in the field of oncology, and more recently their role in the onset, development and prognosis of cardiovascular disease has generated considerable interest. It has already been shown that these structures may deteriorate at the beginning of the atherosclerotic process, in the onset and development of arterial hypertension or during myocardial infarction, in which their length may be a predictor of outcome.

The free oxygen radicals test (FORT) to assess circulating oxidative stress in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background And Aim: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases including cardiovascular diseases. Several methods have been developed for the direct or indirect measurement of oxygen free radical and its by-products. The current study was designed to validate the new free oxygen radicals test (FORT) and to investigate the potential relationships between ROS and clinical or biological factors in male patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

[Impact of the angles and the age of the thrombus on efficacity of thromboaspiration device. A bench study].

Introduction: Coronary thrombectomy is usually used to treat acute coronary syndrome. Many studies evaluated its benefit in this context however, it is still unknown if coronary characteristics are predictive of success or failure. The aim of our laboratory bench study was to evaluate the impact of angiographic characteristics on the thromboaspiration efficiency.

Evidence of the role of short-term exposure to ozone on ischaemic cerebral and cardiac events: the Dijon Vascular Project (DIVA).

Objectives: To confirm the effects of short-term exposure to ozone (O(3)) on ischaemic heart and cerebrovascular disease.

Methods: Daily levels of urban O(3) pollution, the incidence of first-ever, recurrent, fatal and non-fatal ischaemic cerebrovascular events (ICVE) and myocardial infarction (MI) were correlated using a case-crossover design. The authors analysed 1574 ICVE and 913 MI that occurred in Dijon, France (150,000 inhabitants) from 2001 to 2007.

Impact of type of preadmission sulfonylureas on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The impact of antidiabetic medications on clinical outcomes in patients developing acute myocardial infarction (MI) is controversial. We sought to determine whether in-hospital outcomes in patients who were on sulfonylureas (SUs) when they developed their MIs differed from that of diabetic patients not receiving SUs and whether clinical outcomes were related to the pancreatic cells specificity of SUs.

Methods And Results: We analyzed the outcomes of the 1310 diabetic patients included in the nationwide French Registry of Acute ST-Elevation and Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in 2005.

Impact of polyvascular disease on baseline characteristics, management and mortality in acute myocardial infarction. The Alliance project.

Background: A substantial number of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have polyvascular disease (PolyVD), defined as cerebrovascular disease (CVD), peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or both.

Aim: To investigate the impact of PolyVD on baseline characteristics, management and outcomes.

Methods: The Alliance project is a multicentre, cross-sectional database of patients with myocardial infarction throughout France from 2000 to 2005.

Prognostic value of microvascular damage determined by cardiac magnetic resonance in non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: comparison between first-pass and late gadolinium-enhanced images.

Objectives: To compare 2 cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) techniques for the evaluation of the prognostic significance of microvascular damage after non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Materials And Methods: CMR was performed at 3T in 61 patients within the week following their first NSTEMI. A first-pass saturation-recovery gradient-echo perfusion sequence was started during the infusion of contrast material to evaluate the extent of microvascular obstruction (MO) during the first 2 minutes after injection (MO(<2 min)) and between 3 and 5 minutes thereafter (MO(3 min), MO(4 min), MO(5 min)).

Antioxidant properties of an endogenous thiol: Alpha-lipoic acid, useful in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

In the past few years, a growing interest has been given to the possible antioxidant functions of a natural acid, synthesized in human tissues: alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). Both the oxidized (disulfide) and reduced (dithiol: dihydrolipoic acid, DHLA) forms of ALA show antioxidant properties. ALA administered in the diet accumulates in tissues, and a substantial part is converted to DHLA via a lipoamide dehydrogenase.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and platelet activation evaluated by soluble P-selectin and soluble CD-40-ligand in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Little is known about the role of neurotrophins (NT) under adult vascular homeostasis in normal and pathological conditions. The NT family, including nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are expressed in atherosclerotic vessels. Previous studies demonstrated that plasma BDNF levels were increased in the coronary circulation in patients with unstable angina.

Heart rate distribution and predictors of increased heart rate among French hypertensive patients with stable coronary artery disease. Data from the LHYCORNE cohort.

Background: Heart rate is a key determinant of both myocardial ischaemia and prognosis in patients with coronary disease. Reducing heart rate is known to relieve ischaemia and improve cardiovascular prognosis. Currently there is no information about heart rate distribution and predictors of high heart rate in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Comparative epidemiology of stroke and acute myocardial infarction: the Dijon Vascular project (Diva).

Background: Despite a common pathophysiological mechanism (ie, atherosclerosis) and similar vascular risk factors, few reliable studies have compared the epidemiology of stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: All first ever cases of stroke and AMI in Dijon, France (151 846 inhabitants) from 2001 to 2006 were prospectively recorded. The 30 day case fatality rates (CFRs) and vascular risk factors were assessed in both groups.

Prognostic value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in elderly people with acute myocardial infarction: prospective observational study.

Objective: To examine the influence of age on the predictive value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic (NT-proBNP) peptide assay in acute myocardial infarction.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: All intensive care units in one French region.

[Cardiovascular manifestations of eosinophilia: clinical and echocardiographic presentation].

Introduction: Endomyocardial fibrosis with apical obliteration is the best known involvement among heart lesions induced by hypereosinophilia. However, hypereosinophilic heart disease may involve all three heart layers, with a polymorphic clinical and echocardiographic presentation.

Methods: Retrospective descriptive study of five patients highlighting the various manifestations of hypereosinophilic heart disease.

Major prognostic impact of persistent microvascular obstruction as assessed by contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance in reperfused acute myocardial infarction.

The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic significance of microvascular obstruction (MO) and persistent microvascular obstruction (PMO) as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). CMR was performed in 184 patients within the week following successfully reperfused first AMI. First-pass images were performed to evaluate extent of MO and late gadolinium-enhanced images to assess PMO and infarct size (IS).

Combining sirolimus-eluting stents and external irradiation in cholesterol-fed rabbits increased incomplete stent apposition and decreased re-endothelialization.

Restenosis after the implantation of a drug-eluting stent or after vascular irradiation therapy shares similar physiopathological mechanisms. No experimental data are currently available on vascular wall behavior after external irradiation on arteries stented with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES). Ten New Zealand white rabbits received a 0.

[Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF): role of this neurotrophin in cardiovascular physiopathology].

Neurotrophic-factors research is dominated by neurotrophins (NT): a family of polypeptides which includes molecules such as Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). They are homodimeric polypeptides. NTs interact with classes of receptors on responsive cells: protein-tyrosine kinase-type receptors (Trk family).

Are Zucker obese rats a useful model for cardiovascular complications in metabolic syndrome? Physical, biochemical and oxidative stress considerations.

We wondered if Zucker obese (ZO) rats would be a good experimental model to evaluate cardiovascular complications of metabolic syndrome (MS). ZO rats were compared with both their littermate controls, Zucker lean (ZL) rats and to Wistar rats (reference strain). We designed this work:(i) to measure certain physical and biochemical characteristics of MS; (ii) to evaluate coronary and cardiac function in isolated conditions and after ischemia; and (iii) to study plasma and heart tissue oxidative stress markers.

Epidemiology of ischemic stroke from atrial fibrillation in Dijon, France, from 1985 to 2006.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is strongly associated with age, and epidemiologic studies are needed to evaluate the impact of both aging of the population and the use of anticoagulant therapy in patients with AF on the incidence of cardioembolic stroke with AF (CE/AF stroke).

Methods: We evaluated trends in incidence rates, risk factors, prestroke therapy, and survival in CE/AF stroke from a prospective population-based registry, from 1985 to 2006.

Results: A total of 3,064 ischemic strokes, including 572 (18.

Dijon's vanishing lead with regard to low incidence of stroke.

Background: Towards the end of the 20th century, the city of Dijon, France, had a lower incidence of stroke than that found in other studies. It was hypothesized that genetic and environmental factors were responsible for this so-called French paradox. We aim to evaluate recent changes in stroke incidence to determine whether or not the Dijon exception still exists.

Predictors of infarct artery patency after prehospital thrombolysis: the multicentre, prospective, observational OPTIMAL study.

Objective: To identify predictors of early TIMI 3 flow patency of the infarct-related artery after prehospital thrombolysis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) using data from a "real-world" population, and to develop a nomogram for triaging patients to emergency angiography.

Design: Multicentre, observational, prospective, cohort study.

Setting: 79 Hospitals in France with a prehospital mobile intensive care unit and a coronary care unit with 24 h access to coronary angiography.