Increased formation of the isoprostanes IPF2alpha-I and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha in acute coronary angioplasty: evidence for oxidant stress during coronary reperfusion in humans.

Background: The role of oxidant stress in cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury in humans remains controversial. This is due, in part, to the limitations of available indices of oxidant stress in vivo. Isoprostanes are stable, free radical-catalyzed products of arachidonic acid.

Vascular effects of statins in stroke.

Background: Recent clinical trials and meta-analyses of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) have demonstrated a reduction in ischemic stroke in patients with a history of coronary artery disease both with and without elevations of serum cholesterol. This review summarizes clinical trials of these compounds and their recent impact on stroke and explores the underlying vascular mechanisms of their actions.

Summary Of Review: Use of statins in patients with vascular disease has been shown to lower the incidence of stroke by approximately 30%.

Isolated myoclonic alien hand as the sole presentation of pathologically established Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: a report of two patients.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may have many atypical presentations before the development of classic progressive dementia and startle myoclonus. In two patients with pathologically established disease association with a progressive alien hand syndrome was the sole initial manifestation of the disease.

Erythropoietin-associated hypertensive posterior leukoencephalopathy.

Human recombinant erythropoietin is used to treat chronic anemia in patients with end-stage renal failure. Erythropoietin causes hypertension, and hypertensive encephalopathy has been associated with its use. We describe six dialysis-dependent, chronic renal failure patients who developed hypertension, headache, and seizures while on erythropoietin.

8-epi PGF2 alpha generation during coronary reperfusion. A potential quantitative marker of oxidant stress in vivo.

Background: Myocardial reperfusion is believed to be associated with free radical injury. However, indexes of oxidative stress in vivo have been limited by their poor specificity and sensitivity. Isoprostanes are stable products of arachidonic acid formed in a nonenzymatic, free radical-catalyzed manner.

Modulation of oxidant stress in vivo in chronic cigarette smokers.

Background: Free radical-induced oxidative damage is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of diseases associated with cigarette smoking. We examined the production of 8-epi-prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha, a stable product of lipid peroxidation in vivo, and its modulation by aspirin and antioxidant vitamins in chronic cigarette smokers.

Methods And Results: We performed the following studies: (1) a cross-sectional comparison of smokers and control subjects, (2) an examination of the dose-response relationship, (3) an exploration of the effect of smoking cessation (3 weeks) and nicotine patch supplementation, (4) the effect of aspirin consumption, and (5) the effects of 5 days' dosing with vitamin E (100 and 800 U), vitamin C (2 g), and their combination.

8-Epi PGF2 alpha: specific analysis of an isoeicosanoid as an index of oxidant stress in vivo.

1. Excessive free radical generation is thought to contribute to tissue injury in a broad spectrum of diseases. A particular constraint in addressing this hypothesis has been the inability to assess free radical generation in vivo and the lack of information on drugs or vitamins which act as effective antioxidants in vivo.

Formation of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2 alpha by human platelets.

F2-isoprostanes are free radical catalyzed prostaglandin F2 isomers formed from arachidonic acid in an enzyme independent manner (1). Analogous families of other prostaglandin isomers have also been described. Detection of these compounds in vivo has been postulated to represent an approach to the quantitative assessment of free radical generation in humans (2).