Effect of balloon pulmonary angioplasty on chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: an assessment of the learning curve in a Japanese university hospital.

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is an innovative treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). We retrospectively examined the clinical outcomes and complications of BPA at Yokohama City University Hospital (YCUH) between 2012 and 2018. In 2012, we began to conduct BPA sessions in 46 patients with inoperable CTEPH; 34 completed the BPA scheme and the follow-up plan.

Cardiac tamponade due to rupture of coronary artery fistulas with a giant aneurysm containing a free floating ball thrombus: a case report.

A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with cardiac tamponade. Chest computed tomography revealed a large tumor adjacent to the pulmonary artery, the center of which was demonstrated as a high density area without contrast medium. Coronary angiography revealed a large aneurysm consisting of coronary artery fistulas.

Effects of ghrelin administration on left ventricular function, exercise capacity, and muscle wasting in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Ghrelin is a novel growth hormone-releasing peptide that also induces vasodilation, inhibits sympathetic nerve activity, and stimulates feeding through growth hormone-independent mechanisms. We investigated the effects of ghrelin on left ventricular (LV) function, exercise capacity, and muscle wasting in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods And Results: Human synthetic ghrelin (2 microg/kg twice a day) was intravenously administered to 10 patients with CHF for 3 weeks.

Repeated inhalation of adrenomedullin ameliorates pulmonary hypertension and survival in monocrotaline rats.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent vasodilator peptide. We investigated whether inhalation of aerosolized AM ameliorates monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. Male Wistar rats given MCT (MCT rats) were assigned to receive repeated inhalation of AM (n = 8) or 0.

A novel migrative addition reaction of hydrazines to the diketone derivative of C60.

A novel addition reaction of an aromatic hydrazine to the diketone derivative of C60 occurs highly regioselectively with an unusual migration of two hydrogen atoms from the hydrazine to the fullerene and affords a fluorescent product having a methylene carbon along the orifice.

Cardiovascular and hormonal effects of subcutaneous administration of ghrelin, a novel growth hormone-releasing peptide, in healthy humans.

Ghrelin is a novel GH (growth hormone)-releasing peptide isolated from the stomach. The cardiovascular and hormonal effects of the subcutaneous administration of ghrelin in humans remain unknown. Six healthy volunteers each received subcutaneous administration of three doses of ghrelin (1, 5 or 10 microg/kg) and placebo; the order of administration was randomized, and separate doses were given at least 24 h apart.

Effect of orally active prostacyclin analogue on survival in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension without major vessel obstruction.

Objectives: This study investigated whether treatment with beraprost sodium (BPS), an orally active prostacyclin analog, improves hemodynamics and survival in patients with peripheral-vessel chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), for which there is no surgical option.

Background: Oral administration of BPS has been shown to improve the hemodynamics and prognosis in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension; however, whether BPS has beneficial effects in CTEPH remains unknown.

Methods: Forty-three patients with peripheral-vessel CTEPH were classified into two groups: patients treated with BPS (BPS group, n = 20) and those without BPS (conventional group, n = 23).

Hemodynamic and hormonal effects of beraprost sodium, an orally active prostacyclin analogue, in patients with secondary precapillary pulmonary hypertension.

Earlier studies have shown that administration of beraprost sodium (BPS), an orally active prostacyclin analogue, improves hemodynamics in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PH), but it is not known whether BPS has beneficial effects in secondary precapillary PH. The present study investigated the hemodynamic and hormonal parameters of 18 patients with secondary precapillary PH (8 patients with chronic thromboembolic PH, 7 with collagen vascular disease, and 3 with residual PH after surgery for atrial septal defect). Hemodynamics were repeatedly measured by right heart catheterization.

Hyperglycaemia suppresses the secretion of ghrelin, a novel growth-hormone-releasing peptide: responses to the intravenous and oral administration of glucose.

Ghrelin is a novel growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide, isolated from the stomach, which may also cause a positive energy balance by stimulating food intake and reducing fat utilization. However, whether glucose influences the release of ghrelin remains unknown. Accordingly, we examined circulating levels of ghrelin and GH in response to the intravenous or oral administration of 50 g of glucose in eight healthy humans.