Association between visit-to-visit blood pressure variability and adverse events in coronary artery disease patients after coronary intervention.

Blood pressure variability (BPV) is independently associated with higher cardiovascular risks. However, whether BPV is associated with poor outcomes for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remained undetermined. We aimed to investigate the relationship between BPV and the outcomes of CAD patients undergoing PCI.

Utilization of Amplitude-Integrated Electroencephalography to Predict Neurologic Function after Resuscitation in Adults with Cardiogenic Cardiac Arrest.

Background: Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) has been used as a tool to recognize brain activity in children with hypoxic encephalopathy.

Objectives: To assess the prognostic value of aEEG during the post-resuscitation period of adult cardiogenic cardiac arrest, comatose survivors were monitored within 24 h of a return of spontaneous circulation using aEEG.

Methods: Forty-two consecutive patients experiencing cardiac arrest were retrospectively enrolled, and a return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in all cases.

Association between phosphate and long-term outcome in CAD patients underwent coronary intervention.

Phosphate has been linked to higher cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, whether phosphate is associated with poor outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) remained undetermined. 2,894 CAD patients (2,220 male, aged 71.

Optimal blood pressure for patients with end-stage renal disease following coronary interventions.

Hypertension is a frequent manifestation of chronic kidney disease but the ideal blood pressure (BP) target in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (eGFR < 15 ml/min/1.73m ) still unclear. The authors aimed to investigate the ideal achieved BP in ESRD patients with CAD after coronary intervention.

Association between Preoperative Nutritional Status and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Malnutrition is associated with poor outcomes in patients with cancer, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Methods: We recruited a cohort of 3118 patients with CAD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from 2005 to 2015.

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) predicted clinical outcome in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: This study examines the predictive value of a novel systemic immune-inflammation index (SII, platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Methods: A total of 5602 CAD patients who had undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were enrolled. They were divided into two groups by baseline SII score (high SII vs low SII) to analyse the relationship between SII groups and the long-term outcome.

Association of variability in uric acid and future clinical outcomes of patient with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background And Aims: Hyperuricemia is independently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is considered to be one of the major risk factors for CVD. However, the impact of inter-visit uric acid (UA) variability on cardiovascular risk remains undetermined.

Methods: We enrolled 3202 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), who received successful coronary intervention, in a cohort from Taipei Veterans General Hospital from 2006 to 2015.

Plasma haptoglobin level can augment NT-proBNP to predict poor outcome in patients with severe acute decompensated heart failure.

To evaluate the use of plasma haptoglobin (Hp) levels and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in predicting survival in patients with severe acute decompensated heart failure (AHF). Management of AHF is challenging. Identifying markers associated with patient prognosis in this disease is clinically important.

The impact of successful revascularization of coronary chronic total occlusions on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term clinical impact of revascularization of coronary concomitant coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) in patients with Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Background: CTO is associated with poorer prognosis in patients with NSTEMI. The evidence of revascularization of CTO in patients with NSTEMI is still conflicting.

Higher post-acute myocardial infarction plasma haptoglobin level is associated with poor long-term overall survival.

Aim: To evaluate the association of post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) plasma haptoglobin (Hp) levels with long-term overall survival in AMI patients.

Methods And Results: Patients who were diagnosed of AMI were recruited and their Hp phenotypes and plasma levels were determined. According to previously reported cutoff point for Hp level (288.

Plasma haptoglobin concentrations are elevated in patients with coronary artery disease.

Inflammation underlies the development and progression of coronary artery plaques. Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein, the synthesis of which is increased during inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate plasma Hp concentrations and phenotype in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Efficacy and tolerability between an olmesartan/amlodipine fixed-dose combination and an amlodipine double dose in mild to moderate hypertension.

Fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) are one of the options for improving blood pressure (BP) goal attainment. We enrolled 141 patients and evaluated the efficacy and safety between a fixed dose of olmesartan/amlodipine (OA) and a double dose of amlodipine (DA) for treating mild to moderate hypertension after amlodipine monotherapy failure. After at least 2 weeks of monotherapy failure, the patients were randomized to receive either OA or DA for 8 weeks.

Effect of invasive strategy on different genders of Chinese patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of in-hospital revascularization on different genders and to compare the gender difference in short- and long-term prognosis of Chinese patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Background: The benefit of invasive strategy between the genders of Asian ethnic populations with NSTEMI remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 343 consecutive NSTEMI patients were enrolled, 104 (30%) of them were women.

Human haptoglobin phenotypes and concentration determination by nanogold-enhanced electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein that binds free hemoglobin (Hb), preventing Hb-induced oxidative damage in the vascular system. There are three phenotypes in human Hp, whose heterogeneous polymorphic structures and varying concentrations in plasma have been attributed to the cause of diseases and outcome of clinical treatments. Different phenotypes of Hp may be composed of the same subunits but different copy numbers, rendering their determination difficult by a single procedure.

Association of apolipoprotein J polymorphism 1598delT with coronary artery disease and lipoprotein levels.

Objectives: To investigate a polymorphism of the apolipoprotein J (APOJ) gene in relation to coronary artery disease (CAD) and lipid variables in a Chinese male population of genetically unrelated individuals.

Methods: In this study, we recruited 126 control male subjects and 237 CAD male patients. CAD was defined as a fixed stenotic lesion with luminal narrowing ≥50% in at least one of the major or minor coronary arteries.

Haptoglobin phenotypes and plasma haptoglobin levels in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Objective: Inflammation is associated with the disruption of the aortic media and appears to play a fundamental role in the progression and development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Haptoglobin (Hp) is a genetically determined acute phase protein, the synthesis of which is increased during inflammation. This study was designed to investigate both phenotype and plasma levels of Hp in patients with AAA.

Haemoglobin-induced oxidative stress is associated with both endogenous peroxidase activity and H2O2 generation from polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Patients with increased haemolytic haemoglobin (Hb) have 10-20-times greater incidence of cardiovascular mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of Hb peroxidase activity in LDL oxidation. The role of Hb in lipid peroxidation, H(2)O(2) generation and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) was assessed using NaN(3), a peroxidase inhibitor, catalase, a H(2)O(2) decomposing enzyme and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), respectively.

Immunochemical property of human haptoglobin phenotypes: determination of plasma haptoglobin using type-matched standards.

Objectives: Haptoglobin (Hp) phenotypes 1-1, 2-1, and 2-2 are associated with inflammatory diseases. Since their biochemical structures are rather heterogeneous, it is necessary to accurately determine the plasma Hp levels.

Design And Methods: Immunodiffusion, immunoturbidimetric, and noncompetitive ELISA were conducted to determine the differences in immunoreactivity among Hp phenotypes and to verify that such difference may significantly affect the outcome of Hp determinations.

Gel electrophoresis of polyphenol oxidase with instant identification by in situ blotting.

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) or tyrosinase is an important and ubiquitous enzyme responsible for browning in plants and melanization in animals. The molecular size of the plant PPO is varied among the species and its activity can be enhanced by a variety of anionic detergents. In the present study, we developed a simple method for the first-step identification of PPO in fruit and vegetable extracts.

beta(2)-glycoprotein I protects J774A.1 macrophages and human coronary artery smooth muscle cells against apoptosis.

beta(2)-Glycoprotein I (beta(2)-GPI) is a plasma glycoprotein with multifactorial relevance to clinical consequences. It was previously indicated that beta(2)-GPI can selectively bind to apoptotic cells. This study was designed to determine the role of beta(2)-GPI in apoptosis.

The value of plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in predicting the severity and prognosis in patients with congestive heart failure.

Background: High plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure (CHF). Therefore, we conducted a case-control study to determine the correlations between plasma levels of cytokines, i.e.

Identification and characterization of LDL receptor gene mutations in hyperlipidemic Chinese.

DNA screening for LDL receptor mutations was performed in 170 unrelated hyperlipidemic Chinese patients and two clinically diagnosed familial hypercholesterolemia patients. Two deletions (Del e3-5 and Del e6-8), eight point mutations (W-18X, D69N, R94H, E207K, C308Y, I402T, A410T, and A696G), and two polymorphisms (A370T and I602V) were identified. Of these mutations, C308Y and Del e6-8 were found in homozygosity, and D69N and C308Y were seen in unrelated patients.

Vitamin C protects against lysophosphatidylcholine-induced expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Background And Purpose: It is well documented that oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) can stimulate human vascular endothelial cells to produce monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Vitamin C is known to be an important antioxidant for vasodilatation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether pretreatment with vitamin C could protect against oxidized-LDL-induced expression of MCP-1 in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Purification of human plasma haptoglobin by hemoglobin-affinity column chromatography.

Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute-phase protein; its plasma levels increase consistently in response to infection and inflammation. The concentration of human plasma Hp is ranged between 1 and 1.5 mg/ml.