Serum Caveolin-1 as a Novel Biomarker in Idiopathic Pulmonary Artery Hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease but with significant morbidity and high mortality. There is no specific way to diagnose PAH. Thus, an easy used with good sensitivity and specificity biomarker of PAH is highly desirable to aid in the screening, diagnosis, and follow-up.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibits proliferation and migration, and induces apoptosis in platelet-derived growth factor-BB-stimulated human coronary smooth muscle cells.

Background/aims: Restenosis after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during treatment for coronary artery disease is closely related to smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and migration. In this study, we investigated the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and its underlying mechanism on human coronary SMCs (HCSMCs) after platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) stimulation in vitro.

Methods And Results: The results showed that CAPE inhibited proliferation and migration, and induced apoptosis.

Immediate change in pulmonary venous flow pattern after deployment of occluder device for atrial septal defect.

Transcatheter closure of a secundum defect using a septal occluder is a safe and effective procedure based on long-term follow-up, but no clinical studies have examined immediate hemodynamic changes. We evaluated pulmonary venous flow velocity pattern before and immediately after deployment of the Amplatzer septal occluder for closure of atrial septal defect. From May 2003 to January 2005, 48 patients with secundum atrial septal defect received transcatheter closure with complete occlusion.