Comparative study of ambient air particles in patients hospitalized for heart failure and acute coronary syndrome.

Introduction And Objectives: Currently air pollution is considered as an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Our objective was to study the concentrations of particulate matter in ambient air and analyze their relationship with cardiovascular risk factors in patients admitted to a cardiology department of a tertiary hospital with the diagnosis of heart failure or acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: We analyzed 3950 consecutive patients admitted with the diagnosis of heart failure or ACS.

A case-control study of melatonin receptor type 1A polymorphism and acute myocardial infarction in a Spanish population.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a complex disease with genetic and environmental determinants. Although a large number of genetic polymorphisms involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis have been identified, there is still no evidence of a genetic association with CAD. As melatonin might play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, we tested whether the expression of six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the melatonin receptor differs in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with acute myocardial infarction (n = 300) compared with healthy age- and sex-matched controls (n = 250).

Increased heart rate and atherosclerosis: potential implications of ivabradine therapy.

Despite all the therapeutic advances in the field of cardiology, cardiovascular diseases, and in particular coronary artery disease, remain the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, thereby underlining the importance of acquiring new therapeutic options in this field. A reduction in elevated resting heart rate (HR) has long been postulated as a therapeutic approach in the management of cardiovascular disease. An increased HR has been shown to be associated with increased progression of coronary atherosclerosis in animal models and patients.

Current role of myeloperoxidase in routine clinical practice.

Recognition of inflammation as a critical contributor to atherothrombosis has led to the pursuit of new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with coronary heart disease. As the intricate relationships between cellular and noncellular participants in the inflammatory aspects of atherogenesis, plaque destabilization and thrombosis have been defined, specific constituents have emerged as potential noninvasive indicators of these processes. Myeloperoxidase is a protein released during degranulation of neutrophils and monocytes.

Interrelation between arterial inflammation in acute coronary syndrome and circadian variation.

At present, the study into inflammatory markers has become a new tool which is most useful for establishing the prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome. The inflammatory substrate involved is acute coronary syndrome is extremely complex, with a large number of factors involved both in its activation and its modulation. It is known that C-reactive protein play a key role in the physiopathology of the atherosclerosis.

[Differential characteristics of patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST-segment elevation compared to those with transient ST-segment elevation].

Objective: To evaluate different characteristics of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) without ST-segment elevation compared with transient St-segment elevation.

Design: An observational, prospective study.

Setting: A 12-bed coronary care unit.

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: Possible role of melatonin.

Our knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology of coronary atherosclerosis has increased enormously over the last 20 years. Reperfusion through thrombolysis or percutaneous coronary angioplasty is the standard treatment for preventing acute myocardial infarction. Early reperfusion is an absolute prerequisite for survival of the ischemic myocardium, but reperfusion itself may lead to accelerated and additional myocardial injury beyond that generated by ischemia alone.

Urocortin-2 induces vasorelaxation of coronary arteries isolated from patients with heart failure.

1. Urocortin-2 (Ucn2) is a vasoactive peptide belonging to the corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) family that has potent cardiovascular actions. It has been suggested that Ucn2 participates in the pathophysiology of heart failure.

Usefulness of intraplatelet melatonin levels to predict angiographic no-reflow after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Platelet aggregates appear to have a pathogenic role in the no-reflow phenomenon, which is associated with impaired clinical outcome in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Melatonin, a hormone that plays a major role in biological circadian rhythms, is present in human platelets. Lowered circulating melatonin levels predict poor outcome in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI).

Elevated circulating soluble form of CD40 ligand in patients with cardiac syndrome X.

Background: The presence of effort induced angina, positive exercise stress test responses and angiographically normal coronary arteries defines cardiac syndrome X (CSX). Its pathogenesis, although mostly attributed to endothelial dysfunction and coronary microcirculation abnormalities, is incompletely understood. The soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) has multiple autocrine, paracrine and endocrine actions that may lead to endothelial dysfunction and atherothrombosis.

Current role of ischemia-modified albumin in routine clinical practice.

Background: Ischemia-modified albumin has been proposed as a useful rule-out marker for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department.

Objective: To perform a review of ischemia-modified albumin use in the clinical practice.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature search by using electronic bibliographic databases.

Melatonin and circadian biology in human cardiovascular disease.

Diurnal rhythms influence cardiovascular physiology, i.e. heart rate and blood pressure, and they appear to also modulate the incidence of serious adverse cardiac events.

Neopterin predicts left ventricular remodeling in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Left ventricle remodeling (LVR) is a relatively common and unfavourable event occurring after acute myocardial infarction. A link exists between inflammation and LVR. Neopterin, a marker of inflammation and macrophage activation, is a predictor of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease.

Inflammatory systemic biomarkers in setting acute coronary syndromes--effects of the diurnal variation.

Clinicians have used additional tools to aid clinical assessment and to enhance their ability to identify the "vulnerable" patient at risk for cardiovascular diseases. Circulating biomarkers are one such tool used for identifying better high-risk individuals and to prognosticate effectively and treat patients with disease. A persistent immune activation is a main feature of atherosclerosis.

[Oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in cocaine users with acute coronary syndrome].

Background And Objective: Inflammation and oxidative stress take part in the development of the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The aim of this study was to analyze serum concentrations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (PCR-as) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cocaine consumer patients and ACS.

Patients And Methods: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 43 patients with ACS and a positive urine test for cocaine, who were compared to a sample of 49 patients with this diagnosis and a negative test.