Time course changes of cystatin C and inflammatory and biochemical markers in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Serum cystatin C (Cys-C), a good marker of renal function, predicts prognosis in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS). However, no data are available on the time course of Cys-C values after discharge. In this study, Cys-C was measured during admission (ACS sample) and 6 weeks after discharge, and was correlated with troponin (c-TNT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and the N-terminal portion of the pro-brain natriuretic peptide (proBNP) peptide (NT-proBNP) in a highly selected homogeneous group of NSTE-ACS patients.

Intracoronary ST segment evolution during primary coronary stenting predicts infarct zone recovery.

In patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), early ST segment elevation resolution on ECG predicts myocardial reperfusion and LV recovery. Intracoronary ECG is more sensitive than surface ECG to detect regional ischemia. In patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), we investigated if failed myocardial reperfusion, despite successful infarct vessel recanalization, could be rapidly and easily identified by intracoronary ST segment monitoring from guidewire recording.

Effects of propranolol, atenolol, and chlordesmethyldiazepam on response to mental stress in patients with recent myocardial infarction.

Stress testing was carried out by two stressors, mental arithmetic and Sacks-Levy's test in randomized sequence, in 64 male patients with a mean age of 51 +/- 7 years in NYHA Classes I or II within 3 months after acute myocardial infarction. The stress profile was obtained after drug withdrawal by continuous recording of electrocardiogram, frontal electromyogram, and peripheral skin temperature and conductance. Blood pressure was measured each minute by cuff.

[Evaluation of physical fitness following uncomplicated myocardial infarct by bicycle ergometry in horizontal and vertical position].

For an increasingly early mobilisation after uncomplicated myocardial infarction, the stress tests appraised the individual physicalal aptitude in supine and upright positions without incident, in a simple and objective way. To complete this evaluation, the calculation of an energetic index EI was proposed as soon as the initial level of 25 watts during cycloergometric symptom-limited stress tests in 17 male patients (increment of 25 watts for each 6 minutes and interval of one hour between the two positions). The pulmonary wedge pressure (Swan Ganz) at 15 mmHg in upright position as soon as 25 watts separated the subjects into two groups GI (N = 5) and G II (N = 12).