Long-term outcomes and independent predictors of mortality in patients presenting to emergency departments with acute heart failure in Beijing: a multicenter cohort study with a 5-year follow-up.

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) is the most common disease in emergency departments (EDs). However, clinical data exploring the outcomes of patients presenting AHF in EDs are limited, especially the long-term outcomes. The purposes of this study were to describe the long-term outcomes of patients with AHF in the EDs and further analyze their prognostic factors.

Association between anemia and outcome in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure syndromes: findings from Beijing Acute Heart Failure Registry (Beijing AHF Registry).

Whether the anemia increases the risk of mortality in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) remains unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between anemia and outcomes in patients with AHF including subgroup analysis. This study included 3279 patients with hemoglobin available from the Beijing Acute Heart Failure Registry (Beijing AHF Registry) study.

Exosomes derived from SDF1-overexpressing mesenchymal stem cells inhibit ischemic myocardial cell apoptosis and promote cardiac endothelial microvascular regeneration in mice with myocardial infarction.

Exosomes extracted from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was reported to reduce myocardial ischemia/reperfusion damage. Besides, stromal-derived factor 1 (SDF1a) functions as cardiac repair after myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, the present study aims to identify whether exosomes (Exo) released from SDF1-overexpressing MSCs display a beneficial effect on ischemic myocardial infarction.

Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure in the Emergency Department: A Multicenter Registry Study with 1-year Follow-up in a Chinese Cohort in Beijing.

Background: The emergency department (ED) has a pivotal influence on the management of acute heart failure (AHF), but data concerning current ED management are scarce. This Beijing AHF Registry Study investigated the characteristics, ED management, and short- and long-term clinical outcomes of AHF.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, observational study consecutively enrolled 3335 AHF patients who visited 14 EDs in Beijing from January 1, 2011, to September 23, 2012.

[Short-term prognosis and risk factors of ventricular septal rupture following acute myocardial infarction].

Objective: To analyze the short-term prognosis and risk factors of ventricular septal rupture (VSR) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: A total of 70 consecutive VSR patients following AMI hospitalized in our hospital from January 2002 to October 2010 were enrolled in this study. We compared the clinical characteristics of patients with VSR who survived ≤ 30 days (n = 39) and survived > 30 days (n = 31) post AMI.

[Clinical characteristics of 22 cases of fungal infective endocarditis].

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics, treatment regimens and outcomes of the patients with fungal infective endocarditis.

Methods: An observational study was conducted at our hospital and recruited 22 consecutive patients with a definite diagnosis of fungal infective endocarditis. Their overall characteristics, treatments, complications and outcomes were analyzed.

Comparison of characteristics and short-term outcome from fungal infective endocarditis in prosthetic valve endocarditis versus native valve endocarditis.

Fungal infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare, serious, and potentially lethal disease, yet its clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes remain poorly understood. A detailed comparative analysis of fungal prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) and native valve endocarditis (NVE) has not been performed. This study was designed to explore the general characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of patients with fungal IE in a Chinese hospital and compare these data between PVE and NVE.

[Influencing factors for the plasma concentration of N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor in patients with heart failure due to various heart diseases].

Objective: To compare the plasma concentrations of N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-proBNP) in patients with heart failure due to various heart diseases and analyze the influencing factors.

Methods: We enrolled a total of 804 heart failure patients due to various heart diseases, including valvular heart disease (VHD), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), ischemic heart diseases (IHD), restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), hypertensive heart disease (HHD), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), pulmonary heart disease (PHD) and adult congenital heart disease (CHD). The plasma concentration of NT-proBNP was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Telmisartan, ramipril, or both in high-risk Chinese patients: analysis of ONTARGET China data.

Background: The results from the ONgoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial (ONTARGET) indicated that the angiotensin-receptor blocker telmisartan was not inferior to the angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor ramipril in reducing the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke or hospitalization for congestive heart failure in high-risk patients, and telmisartan was associated with slightly superior tolerability. The combination of the two drugs was associated with more adverse events without an increase in benefit. This study aimed to analyze the data from ONTARGET obtained from a subgroup of patients enrolled in China and to evaluate the demographic and baseline characteristics, the compliance, efficacy, and safety of the different treatment strategies in randomized patients in China.

Atorvastatin attenuates Coxsackie virus B3m-induced viral myocarditis in mice.

In the present study, we determined the therapeutic efficacy of atorvastatin on Coxsackievirus B3m (CVB3m)-induced myocarditis. Mice were administered Eagle minimal essential medium, virus solution, atorvastatin, or virus plus atorvastatin. Atorvastatin was given 3 days after viral challenge, and the treatment lasted for 14 days.

[Value of admission NT-proBNP in predicting in-hospital mortality in decompensated systolic heart failure].

Objective: To evaluate the value of NT-proBNP in predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with decompensated systolic heart failure.

Methods: Plasma NT-proBNP levels within 24 hours of admission were obtained in 366 patients with decompensated systolic heart failure. The levels were compared between dying patients in hospital and survival patients at discharge.

[Clinical characteristic analysis of the first human case infected by influenza A (H5N1) in Jiangxi Province].

Objective: To describe the clinical, laboratory and radiological presentation of a human case infected by influenza A (H5N1), and to understand its management and prognosis.

Methods: The clinical and autopsy data of the first human case infected by influenza A (H5N1) in Jiangxi Province were collected and analyzed.

Results: The first case infected by influenza A (H5N1) in Jiangxi Province was confirmed by laboratory findings with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and influenza A (H5N1) isolation.

[Chlamydia pneumoniae infection increases the risk of coronary artery disease in the patients with dyslipidemia].

Objective: To investigates the role of chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) infection in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the patients with dyslipidemia, and to examine the gender related differences in this role.

Methods: 523 inpatients with dyslipidemia and 1196 inpatients without dyslipidemia tested for specific CP IgG by enzyme-linked immunoassay. Multivariate analyses were performed in the patients with and without dyslipidemia, and in the subgroups of male and female dyslipidemic patients to get the adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence intervals) of CAD for a given risk factor.

[Association of herpes simplex virus type2 infection with dyslipidemia in Chinese].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection and dyslipidemia.

Methods: ELISA was used to detect the specific IgG to HSV-2 in the samples of peripheral blood collected in succession from 1 244 inpatients, 408 with dyslipidemia and 836 controls without dyslipidemia. Univariate and multivariate analyses were preformed.