Safety evaluation of Lactobacillus pentosus strain b240.

Lactobacillus pentosus has a long history of use in cooked and uncooked fermented foods. Viable and heat-killed nonviable preparations of L. pentosus strain b240 were evaluated for short term and subchronic toxicity and genotoxic potential.

Pump failure death and sudden cardiac death in patients with cardiac dysfunction: a search for prognostic predictive factors--a long-term follow-up study.

Background: There have been few reports that have analyzed the predictive factors for heart failure death, which is sub-divided into pump failure death and sudden cardiac death, in the long term.

Methods And Results: We followed 186 consecutive patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and 115 consecutive patients with non-ischemic heart failure (NIHF) during 73+/-3 months. In the MI group, 26 died from pump failure and 12 died from sudden cardiac death.

Increased density of the liver and amiodarone-associated phospholipidosis.

This is a case report in which a 60-year-old man who suffered from ventricular tachycardia with dilated cardiomyopathy was prescribed amiodarone. After taking amiodarone, liver enzymes were increased and computed tomographic (CT) scanning of the abdomen showed a significant increase in the density of the liver without contrast medium. He was suspected as hemochromatosis and liver biopsy was performed.

Clinical factors affecting serum potassium concentration in cardio-renal decompensation syndrome.

Background: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors are currently indispensable for the treatment of heart failure. It is well known that hyperkalemia is likely to occur in renal failure; however, it has not yet been clarified how the serum potassium concentration changes as heart failure progresses. Currently, the cardio-renal decompensation syndrome holds that the serum potassium concentration is altered similarly by both heart failure and renal failure; however, there are no definitive reports on this.

The synergistic combined effect of anemia with high plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide significantly predicts an enhanced risk for major adverse cardiac events.

The prevalence of anemia in patients with heart failure (HF) increases according to disease severity as a consequence of renal insufficiency, cytokine production, plasma volume expansion, and/or malnutrition. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been recognized as a biochemical marker of ventricular dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of anemia in HF patients and furthermore, to investigate whether a significant correlation exists between anemia, BNP, and poor clinical outcomes in HF patients.

Relationship between plasma glutathione levels and cardiovascular disease in a defined population: the Hisayama study.

Background And Purpose: Glutathione (GSH) appears to have marked antioxidant activities and therefore may prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there are very few reports on this subject. In a community-based case-control study, we tested the hypothesis that low levels of plasma GSH are closely associated with CVD and its clinical types.

Plasma homocyst(e)ine concentrations and the risk of subtypes of cerebral infarction. The Hisayama study.

Moderately elevated plasma total homocyst(e)ine (tHcy) levels have been linked with cardiovascular disease. However, the findings of previous studies regarding the relationship between tHcy levels and subtypes of cerebral infarction (CI) have been conflicting. The aim of the present study was to examine this issue in a community-based case-control study performed in Hisayama Town in Japan.