Role of dietary inflammatory index in the association of NT-proBNP with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in NHANES 1999-2004.

N-terminal pro-Brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has a predictive value of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pro-inflammatory diet has been proven to be related to CVD. Our study investigated whether the association between NT-proBNP and mortality differed among general U.

Traditional Chinese medicine lowering lipid levels and cardiovascular events across baseline lipid levels among coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Dyslipidemia is a critical driver in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD), which further exacerbates the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) plays an important role in the regulation of lipid levels and improvement of prognosis. However, few systematic reviews report whether the efficacy of CHM therapy for regulating lipid levels and lowering cardiovascular events is associated with baseline lipid levels.

Core outcome sets for myocardial infarction in clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

Background: Clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine showed there was heterogeneity of outcome reporting in myocardial infarction (MI). Developing a core outcome set (COS) might improve the consistency of outcome reporting in future clinical trials.

Methods: A list of outcomes was developed based on a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of MI and semistructured interviews with MI patients.

Effectiveness of Shenshu Guanxin recipe granules for improving exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina pectoris: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the effectivess of Shenshu Guanxin recipe granules (, SGR) in improving exercise tolerance and the quality of life in patients with Stable Angina Pectoris (SAP).

Methods: A total of 189 patients were consecutively enrolled between December 2012 and December 2014. The included patients were randomly assigned to SGR and placebo groups.

The predictive value of machine learning for mortality risk in patients with acute coronary syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are the leading cause of global death. Optimizing mortality risk prediction and early identification of high-risk patients is essential for developing targeted prevention strategies. Many researchers have built machine learning (ML) models to predict the mortality risk in ACS patients.

Pharmacokinetics integrated with network pharmacology to clarify effective components and mechanism of Wendan decoction for the intervention of coronary heart disease.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Coronary heart disease (CHD), one of the leading causes of mortality in the world among chronic non-infectious diseases, is closely associated with atherosclerosis, which ultimately leads to myocardial injury. Wendan decoction (WDD), a classical famous formula, exerted an intervention effect on CHD according to numerous reports. However, the effective components and underlying mechanisms for the treatment of CHD have not been fully elucidated.

Metabolic profile and potential mechanisms of Wendan decoction on coronary heart disease by ultra-high-performance quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry combined with network pharmacology analysis.

Wendan decoction, a well-known classical traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been widely used in the clinical application of coronary heart disease for thousands of years. However, due to a lack of research on the overall metabolism of Wendan decoction, the bioavailable components responsible for the therapeutic effects remain unclear, hindering the revelation of its mechanisms against coronary heart disease. Consequently, an efficient joint research pattern combined with characterization of the metabolic profile and network pharmacology analysis was proposed.

Effectiveness and safety of red yeast rice predominated by monacolin K β-hydroxy acid form for hyperlipidemia treatment and management.

Objective: To assess the lipid-lowering activity and safety of a dietary supplement containing monacolin K β-hydroxy acid form (MKA), Heye (), and Cangzhu (), compared to lifestyle modifications.

Methods: Totally 117 subjects with moderate to severe dyslipidemia (according to Chinese guidelines) and low CV risk were randomly assigned into three treatment groups: lifestyle modification (LM), LM plus a low dosage of MKA, LM plus a high dosage of MKA, and treated for 60 d. The primary endpoint was the reduction of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC).

Deciphering mechanism of the herbal formula WuShen in the treatment of postinfarction heart failure.

Background: Numerous clinical studies reported the effectiveness of herbal formula WuShen (WS) in treating cardiovascular diseases, yet relevant basic research was rarely conducted.

Methods And Results: Twelve main bioactive compounds of WS decoction were identified using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. A total of 137 active compounds with 613 targets were predicted by network pharmacology; their bioinformatic annotation and human microarray data suggested that wounding healing, inflammatory response, and gap junction were potentially the major therapeutic modules.

Naringenin alleviates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating the nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) /System xc-/ glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) axis to inhibit ferroptosis.

Ferroptosis is an important form of myocardial cell death in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). Naringenin (NAR), as a flavonoid, has a significant advantage in improving MIRI. But the regulatory effect and mechanism of NAR on ferroptosis in MIRI have not been reported.

[Therapeutic effect of auriculotherapy with miniature needle on anxiety in the patients after percutaneous coronary intervention].

Objective: To observe the effect of auriculotherapy with miniature needle on anxious emotion, the condition of angina pectoris attack and sleep quality in the patients with anxiety after percutaneous coronary intervention (post-PCI).

Methods: A total of 74 eligible patients of post-PCI combined with anxious depression were randomized into an auriculotherapy group (37 cases, 2 cases dropped out) and a control group (37 cases, 3 cases dropped out). In the auriculotherapy group, on the base of the conventional secondary prevention medication for coronary heart disease (CHD), auriculotherapy with miniature bian needle was supplemented.

Naringenin Inhibits Platelet Activation and Arterial Thrombosis Through Inhibition of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase and Cyclic Nucleotide Signaling.

Citrus flavanoids intake can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Naringenin, a natural predominant flavonoid abundant in citrus fruits, possesses protective effects against atherothrombotic diseases. As platelet activation plays central roles in atherothrombogenesis, we studied the effects of naringenin on platelet activation, signaling, thrombosis and hemostasis.

Hesperetin inhibits foam cell formation and promotes cholesterol efflux in THP-1-derived macrophages by activating LXRα signal in an AMPK-dependent manner.

Cholesterol efflux from macrophages is the first step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), whose increase inhibits cholesterol accumulation and foam cell formation to suppress atherogenesis. Hesperetin has been reported to exert several protective effects on cardiovascular diseases, while little is known about the role of hesperetin and its underlying mechanism in macrophage foam cell formation. In this study, we sought to investigate the potential effects of hesperetin on foam cell formation and cholesterol efflux by using human macrophages, focusing on liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) and AMPK.

Characterization of chemical profile and quantification of major representative components of Wendan decoction, a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula.

Wendan decoction, a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula consisting of six herbal medicines, has been widely used in clinical treatments for thousands of years due to the expectorant effects. However, the chemical basis of Wendan decoction remains unclear, which hinders the elucidation of the scientific connotation and mechanism of its effective components. In this study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry method was first developed for characterization of its chemical profile, and a total of 142 chemical components including flavonoids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, coumarins, pungent phytochemicals, and other types were detected, among which 41 components were definitively identified with authentic standards.

Prevention of platelet aggregation and arterial thrombosis using a modified Shenzhu Guanxin Formula.

Objective: Modified Shenzhu Guanxin Formula (mSGF) has beneficial effects in coronary artery disease. Previously, we found that mSGF inhibited platelet aggregation in rats. In the present study we further investigated the antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities of mSGF in rats.

Investigation of the Cellular Pharmacological Mechanism and Clinical Evidence of the Multi-Herbal Antiarrhythmic Chinese Medicine Xin Su Ning.

Xin Su Ning (XSN), a China patented and certified multi-herbal medicine, has been available in China since 2005 for treating cardiac ventricular arrhythmia including arrhythmia induced by ischemic heart diseases and viral myocarditis, without adverse reactions being reported. It is vitally important to discover pharmacologically how XSN as a multicomponent medicine exerts its clinical efficacy, and whether the therapeutic effect of XSN can be verified by standard clinical trial studies. In this paper we report our discoveries in a cellular electrophysiological study and in a three-armed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter trial.

The efficacy and safety of Shenzhu Guanxin Recipe Granules for the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease: protocol for a double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common types of the cardiovascular disease. Previous pilot trials have suggested that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has brought clinical benefits for patients with CAD. We will conduct this trial to determine the efficacy and safety of Shenzhu Guanxin Recipe Granules (SGR) for the treatment of patients with CAD.

Functional suppression of Epiregulin impairs angiogenesis and aggravates left ventricular remodeling by disrupting the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase1/2 signaling pathway in rats after acute myocardial infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a severe consequence of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, is often associated with high mortality and morbidity. Emerging evidence have shown that the inhibition of the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway appears to protect against AMI. Epiregulin (EREG) is an autocrine growth factor that is believed to activate the MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

The effects of traditional Chinese exercise on hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Several studies have reported the benefits of traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) on hypertension; however, a consensus regarding the effectiveness and safety of TCEs for patients with hypertension has not been reached.

Methods And Results: Only randomized controlled trials were included in our study. A total of 16 articles involving 1164 patients with hypertension met the inclusion criteria.

Chronic Kidney Disease Increases Atrial Fibrillation Inducibility: Involvement of Inflammation, Atrial Fibrosis, and Connexins.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes atrial structural remodeling and subsequently increases the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial connexins and inflammatory responses may be involved in this remodeling process. In this study, nephrectomy was used to produce the CKD rat model.

Salvianolate reduces atrial fibrillation through suppressing atrial interstitial fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad2/3 and TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways in post-MI rats.

Background: Salvianolate is the main water-soluble bioactive compound of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bunge and is now clinically used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China. However, its applications in the prevention of atrial interstitial fibrosis (AIF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are not fully revealed.

Purposes: To investigate the preventive effect of salvianolate on the pathogenesis of AF in post-myocardial infarction (MI) rats and to elucidate the potential mechanisms.

Shenzhu Guanxin Recipe Granules () for Improving Exercise Tolerance in Patients with Stable Angina (SERIES Trial): A Protocol of Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Parallel Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Many patients with chronic angina experience anginal episodes despite successful recanalization, antianginal and antiischemic medications. Empirical observations suggested that Shenzhu Guanxin Recipe Granules (, SGR), a Chinese herbal compound, exerted potential impacts on increased treadmill exercise performance and angina relieve. However, there has been no systematic study to clarify the impact of SGR on exercise tolerance in patients with stable angina.

Relationship between short telomere length and stroke: A meta-analysis.

Background: Several epidemiological studies had been carried out in different population cohorts to estimate the relationship between the shortened telomere length and stroke. However, the results still remained dispute. Consequently, we conducted this meta-analysis to estimate the relationship between them.

Systems Pharmacology Dissection of Traditional Chinese Medicine Wen-Dan Decoction for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been recognized as first killer of human health. The underlying mechanisms of CVDs are extremely complicated and not fully revealed, leading to a challenge for CVDs treatment in modern medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) characterized by multiple compounds and targets has shown its marked effects on CVDs therapy.

Are left ventricular ejection fraction and left atrial diameter related to atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation?: A meta-analysis.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common form of arrhythmia, is associated with the prevalence of many common cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Catheter ablation is considered the first-line therapy for AF; however, AF recurrence is very common after catheter ablation. Studies have been performed to analyze the factors associated with AF recurrence, but none have reached a consistent conclusion on whether left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left atrial diameter (LA diameter) affect AF recurrence after catheter ablation.