Venous Hypertension Improved by a Viabahn Stent Graft Blocking Regurgitation to the Periphery of the Basilic Vein in an Elderly Patient Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Case Report.

Although necessary for hemodialysis (HD), arteriovenous grafts (AVG) frequently cause complications. Stenosis resulting in venous hypertension is a concern for physicians. Herein, we describe how venous hypertension was improved by using a Viabahn stent graft in an elderly HD patient.

Manipulation of beta-adrenergic receptor in pressure-overloaded murine hearts mimics adverse and reverse cardiac remodeling.

Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) has been widely used to create pressure overload induced heart failure in mice. However, this conventional model has some limitations such as low reproducibility and long creation period of cardiac failure. In order to establish a highly reproducible cardiac failure model that mimics adverse cardiac remodeling (ACR) we combined pressure overload and beta-adrenergic receptor stimuli using isoproterenol (ISO) and explored the optimal TAC model by changing the durations of TAC and the doses of ISO.

Advances and Developments in Vascular Access in Japan.

Background: There are several ways to gain vascular access, including creating an internal shunt, superficialization of the brachial artery, and use of an artificial blood vessel or a catheter. This article describes recent advances and future directions in the field of vascular access in Japan.

Summary: In vascular access techniques using patients' own vessels, such as creating an internal shunt and superficialization of the brachial artery, management and monitoring to maintain healthy conditions is crucial.

Effects of early diuretic response to carperitide in acute decompensated heart failure treatment: A single-center retrospective study.

Background: Diuretic response is a strong predictor of outcome for admitted patients of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). However, little is known about the effects of early diuretic response to carperitide.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed records of 85 patients hospitalized for ADHF who received carperitide as initial treatment and <40 mg furosemide during the early period.

Urinary composition predicts diuretic efficiency of hypertonic saline solution with furosemide therapy and heart failure prognosis.

Recently, we and other group have reported that furosemide administration along with hypertonic saline solution enhanced diuretic efficiency of furosemide. However, little is known about factors which associated with high diuretic efficiency by hypertonic saline solution with furosemide therapy. To identify predictors of diuretic efficiency in the hypertonic saline solution with furosemide therapy, we recruited 30 consecutive hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients with volume overload (77 ± 10 years, systolic blood pressure > 90 mmHg, and estimated glomerular filtration rate > 15 ml/min/1.

The first multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of home telemonitoring for Japanese patients with heart failure: home telemonitoring study for patients with heart failure (HOMES-HF).

Home telemonitoring is becoming more important to home medical care for patients with heart failure. Since there are no data on home telemonitoring for Japanese patients with heart failure, we investigated its effect on cardiovascular outcomes. The HOMES-HF study was the first multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled trial (RCT) to elucidate the effectiveness of home telemonitoring of physiological data, such as body weight, blood pressure, and pulse rate, for Japanese patients with heart failure (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry 000006839).

Interleukin-18 gene deletion protects against sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting PP2A activity.

Background: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) neutralization protects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced injuries, including myocardial dysfunction. However, the mechanism is yet to be fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to determine whether IL-18 gene deletion prevents sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction and to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying IL-18-mediated cardiotoxicity by LPS.

Adaptive Servo-Ventilation Treatment Increases Stroke Volume in Stable Systolic Heart Failure Patients With Low Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion.

We hypothesized that the effects of adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy were influenced by right-sided heart performance. This study aimed to clarify the interaction between the effects of ASV and right-sided heart performance in patients with stable heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).Twenty-six stable HF inpatients (left ventricular ejection fraction < 0.

Right Ventricular Enlargement and Renal Function Are Associated With Smooth Introduction of Adaptive Servo-Ventilation Therapy in Chronic Heart Failure Patients.

Although adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy has beneficial effects on chronic heart failure (CHF), a relatively large number of CHF patients cannot undergo ASV therapy due to general discomfort from the mask and/or positive airway pressure. The present study aimed to clarify baseline patient characteristics which are associated with the smooth introduction of ASV treatment in stable CHF inpatients.Thirty-two consecutive heart failure (HF) inpatients were enrolled (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 45%, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) > 10 mL/minute/1.

Changes in brain natriuretic peptide in chronic heart failure patients treated with long-acting versus short-acting loop diuretics: J-MELODIC subanalysis.

We have previously reported that a long-acting loop diuretic, azosemide, reduces cardiovascular risks in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) as compared with a short-acting one, furosemide, in Japanese Multicenter Evaluation of LOng- versus short-acting Diuretics In Congestive heart failure (J-MELODIC). However, the mechanisms of the difference have not been elucidated. This study aimed to examine whether there is a difference in the reduction in plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and in left ventricular (LV) functional recovery between the CHF patients treated with the long-acting diuretic (the azosemide group) and the short-acting diuretic (the furosemide group).

Long-term effects of L- and N-type calcium channel blocker on uric acid levels and left atrial volume in hypertensive patients.

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is associated with hypertension and hyperuricemia. However, it is not clear whether the L- and N-type calcium channel blocker will improve LV diastolic dysfunction through the reduction of uric acid. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of anti-hypertensive therapy, the L- and N-type calcium channel blocker, cilnidipine or the L-type calcium channel blocker, amlodipine, on left atrial reverse remodeling and uric acid in hypertensive patients.

Comparison of salt with low-dose furosemide and carperitide for treating acute decompensated heart failure: a single-center retrospective cohort study.

Hypertonic saline with furosemide has been proposed for a long time as an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We previously reported the efficacy of continuous infusion of 1.7 % hypertonic saline plus low-dose furosemide in treatment for ADHF.

Attenuation of hypertension and renal damage in renovascular hypertensive rats by iron restriction.

Iron is a catalyst in the formation of reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress is associated with the pathogenesis of both human and experimental animal models of renovascular hypertension. We hypothesized that iron is involved in the pathogenesis of renovascular hypertension and that iron restriction may affect the pathogenesis of renovascular hypertension via the inhibition of oxidative stress.

Long-term administration of tolvaptan increases myocardial remodeling and mortality via exacerbation of congestion in mice heart failure model after myocardial infarction.

Background: In contrast to loop diuretics, tolvaptan does not cause neurohormonal activation in several animal heart failure models. However, it remains unknown whether chronic vasopressin type 2 receptor blockade exerts beneficial effects on mortality in murine heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI). In an experimental heart failure model, we tested the hypothesis that tolvaptan reduces myocardial remodeling and mortality.

Iron is associated with the development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling in mice.

Several recent observations provide the association of iron deficiency with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in human and animal studies. However, it remains completely unknown whether PH leads to iron deficiency or iron deficiency enhances the development of PH. In addition, it is obscure whether iron is associated with the development of pulmonary vascular remodeling in PH.

Transferrin Receptor 1 in Chronic Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling.

Background: Iron is associated with the pathophysiology of several cardiovascular diseases, including pulmonary hypertension (PH). In addition, disrupted pulmonary iron homeostasis has been reported in several chronic lung diseases. Transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) plays a key role in cellular iron transport.

Vascular access infection: survival or mortality.

Methods: We conducted an analysis on 11 cases of death after AVG infection that occurred between 1996 and 2013, and compared their information with those of 23 cases of generalized infection due to arteriovenous graft (AVG) infection during the same period who survived.

Results: The cause of death was sepsis in all 11 patients. The initial C-reactive protein (CRP) was 10.

Worsening of proteinuria caused by combination therapy of hypertonic saline and low-dose furosemide for treatment of acute decompensated heart failure with overt diabetic nephropathy.

A combination of hypertonic saline and furosemide has been proposed as a new therapeutic approach for treating acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The advantages of this combination have not only been demonstrated in ADHF but also in refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis. However, the therapeutic effects of this regimen have never been evaluated in ADHF with overt diabetic nephropathy (ODN).

Temporary dietary iron restriction affects the process of thrombus resolution in a rat model of deep vein thrombosis.

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a major cause of pulmonary thromboembolism and sudden death. Thus, it is important to consider the pathophysiology of DVT. Recently, iron has been reported to be associated with thrombotic diseases.

Aortic iron overload with oxidative stress and inflammation in human and murine abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Objective: Although iron is an essential element for maintaining physiological function, excess iron leads to tissue damage caused by oxidative stress and inflammation. Oxidative stress and inflammation play critical roles for the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, it has not been investigated whether iron plays a role in AAA formation through oxidative stress and inflammation.