Hemostatic risk factors in patients with coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes - a two year follow-up of 243 patients.

Background: Thrombosis is regarded to be a key factor in the development of acute coronary syndromes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We hypothesize, that hemostatic and rheological risk factors may be of major relevance for the incidence and the risk stratification of these patients.

Methods: In 243 patients with coronary artery disease and stable angina pectoris parameters of metabolism, hemostasis, blood rheology and endogenous fibrinolysis were assessed.

Percutaneous coronary revascularization in patients with formerly "refractory angina pectoris in end-stage coronary artery disease" - not "end-stage" after all.

Background: Patients with refractory angina pectoris in end-stage coronary artery disease represent a severe condition with a higher reduction of life-expectancy and quality of life as compared to patients with stable coronary artery disease. It was the purpose of this study to invasively re-evaluate highly symptomatic patients with formerly diagnosed refractory angina pectoris in end-stage coronary artery disease for feasible options of myocardial revascularization.

Methods: Thirty-four patients formerly characterized as having end stage coronary artery disease with refractory angina pectoris were retrospectively followed for coronary interventions.

Relevance of hemostatic risk factors on coronary morphology in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2.

Objective: The influence hemostatitc parameters on the morphological extent and severity of coronary artery disease were studied in patients with and without DM type 2.

Background: It is known that patients with diabetes (DM) have abnormal metabolic and hemostatic parameters

Methods: Of 150 consecutive patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease 29 presented with DM. Additionally to parameters of lipid-metabolism fibrinogen, tissue-plasminogenactivator (t-PA), plasminogen-activator-inhibitor (PAI), plasmin-a-antiplasmin (PAP), prothrombin-fragment 1+2 (F1+2), thrombin-antithrombin (TAT), von-willebrand-factor (vWF), platelet factor 4 (PF4), glykomembranproteine 140 (GMP140) and the rheologic parameters plasma viscosity and red blood cell aggregation were evaluated.

Relevance of hemostasis on restenosis in clinically stable patients undergoing elective PTCA.

Background: Secondary coronary thrombus formation is considered to be co-factor in the pathogenesis of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Therefore systemic factors indicating a hypercoagulable disease state may be relevant for the process of coronary renarrowing. Even though experimental data suggest that in particular thrombin may be of major relevance for restenosis induced by mechanical injury, only little clinical data has been presented so far.

"One-stop-shop" ultrasound diagnosis of functional, structural and physicomechanical properties of the brachial artery.

Background: The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis comprises endothelial dysfunction, thickening as well as impaired compliance of the arterial vessel wall. Early assessment of these alterations of the vessel wall at the same site of the vascular tree has yet been hampered by the lack of highly sensitive diagnostic approaches suitable for clinical routine. We therefore aimed to develop and validate a single non-invasive examination of the brachial artery for simultaneous and highly accurate measurement of functional, structural and physicomechanical parameters of the brachial artery.