Serum YKL-40 in coronary heart disease: linkage with inflammatory cytokines, artery stenosis, and optimal cut-off value for estimating major adverse cardiovascular events.

Objective: YKL-40, previously known as chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), is an inflammation-related glycoprotein that promotes atherosclerosis, but its application and optimal cut-off value as a prognostic biomarker in coronary heart disease (CHD) require more clinical evidence. Thus, this prospective study aimed to evaluate the linkage of serum YKL-40 with disease features, inflammatory cytokines, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in CHD patients.

Methods: A total of 410 CHD patients were enrolled for serum YKL-40 determination via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells are dysregulated, but only Th17 cells relate to C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and mortality risk in Stanford type A aortic dissection patients.

Background: T helper (Th) cells are closely involved in vascular inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and atherogenesis, which are the hallmarks of aortic dissection (AD). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cell measurements in Stanford type A AD patients.

Methods: Stanford type A AD patients (N=80) and non-AD patients with chest pain (N = 40) were recruited.

Ozone protects rat heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury: A role for oxidative preconditioning in attenuating mitochondrial injury.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major cause of cardiac dysfunction during cardiovascular surgery, heart transplantation and cardiopulmonary bypass procedures. The purpose of the present study was to explore, firstly, whether ozone induces oxidative preconditioning by activation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and, secondly, whether ozone oxidative preconditioning (OzoneOP) can protect the heart against IRI by attenuating mitochondrial damage. Rats were subjected to 30min of cardiac ischemia followed by 2h of reperfusion, with or without prior OzoneOP (100μg/kg/day) for 5 days.