Patterns of Circadian Variation in 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Sympathetic Tone Correlate with Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Cluster Analysis.

To investigate whether specific time series patterns for blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and sympathetic tone are associated with metabolic factors and the 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). A total of 989 patients who underwent simultaneous 24-hour ambulatory BP and Holter electrocardiogram monitoring were enrolled. The patients were categorized into sixteen groups according to their circadian patterns using the consensus clustering analysis method.

RETRACTED: CDX1 Expression Induced by CagA-Expressing Promotes Gastric Tumorigenesis.

Intestinal-type gastric cancer often results from infection through intestinal metaplasia, a transdifferentiated premalignant phenotype. Because virulence factor CagA has been associated with aberrant expression of the transcription factor CDX1, which regulates intestinal differentiation, we explored its relationship with infection and function during gastric carcinogenesis in normal gastric epithelial cells and gastric cancer cell lines. Infection of HFE 145 cells with CagA increased expression of CDX1, as well as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers Snail and Slug, increased invasion and migration, but those effects were not found in HFE 145 cells infected with CagA-deficient .

A Genetic Risk Score for Atrial Fibrillation Predicts the Response to Catheter Ablation.

Background And Objectives: The association of susceptibility loci for atrial fibrillation (AF) with AF recurrence after ablation has been reported, although with controversial results. In this prospective cohort analysis, we aimed to investigate whether a genetic risk score (GRS) can predict the rhythm outcomes after catheter ablation of AF.

Methods: We determined the association between 20 AF-susceptible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and AF recurrence after catheter ablation in 746 patients (74% males; age, 59±11 years; 56% paroxysmal AF).

Machine Learning for the Prediction of New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus during 5-Year Follow-up in Non-Diabetic Patients with Cardiovascular Risks.

Purpose: Many studies have proposed predictive models for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, these predictive models have several limitations, such as user convenience and reproducibility. The purpose of this study was to develop a T2DM predictive model using electronic medical records (EMRs) and machine learning and to compare the performance of this model with traditional statistical methods.

Attractor landscape analysis of the cardiac signaling network reveals mechanism-based therapeutic strategies for heart failure.

Apoptosis and hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes are the primary causes of heart failure (HF), a global leading cause of death, and are regulated through the complicated intracellular signaling network, limiting the development of effective treatments due to its complexity. To identify effective therapeutic strategies for HF at a system level, we develop a large-scale comprehensive mathematical model of the cardiac signaling network by integrating all available experimental evidence. Attractor landscape analysis of the network model identifies distinct sets of control nodes that effectively suppress apoptosis and hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes under ischemic or pressure overload-induced HF, the two major types of HF.

Selective ß1-Blockers Are Not Associated With New-onset Diabetes Mellitus in Hypertensive Patients.

Background: Although ß-blockers are known to increase new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM), previous evidence have been controversial. It has been suggested that newer vasodilatory ß-blockers yield better glycemic control than older nonselective agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diabetogenicity of currently used newer ß-blockers based on ß1 receptor selectivity in a series of Asian population.

Hyperuricaemia and development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Asian population.

Recently, meta-analysis studies reported that hyperuricaemia is associated with higher incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however, there are limited data on the Asian population. The aim of this observational study is to estimate the long-term impact of hyperuricaemia on the new-onset T2DM and cardiovascular events. This study is based on a single-centre, all-comers, and large retrospective cohort.

Five-year major clinical outcomes according to severity of coronary artery spasm as assessed by intracoronary acetylcholine provocation test.

Background: Long-term clinical outcome data according to severity of coronary artery spasm (CAS) as assessed by an intracoronary acetylcholine provocation test are limited in series of Asian patients.

Aim: To investigate 5-year clinical outcomes in patients with CAS according to CAS severity.

Methods: In total, 5873 consecutive patients with insignificant coronary artery disease (<70% fixed stenosis) who underwent an acetylcholine provocation test were enrolled and divided into four groups according to CAS severity during the acetylcholine provocation test: negative, borderline positive, moderately positive and severely positive.

A novel interaction perturbation analysis reveals a comprehensive regulatory principle underlying various biochemical oscillators.

Background: Biochemical oscillations play an important role in maintaining physiological and cellular homeostasis in biological systems. The frequency and amplitude of oscillations are regulated to properly adapt to environments by numerous interactions within biomolecular networks. Despite the advances in our understanding of biochemical oscillators, the relationship between the network structure of an oscillator and its regulatory function still remains unclear.

Three-Year Major Clinical Outcomes of Angiography-Guided Single Stenting Technique in Non-Complex Left Main Coronary Artery Diseases.

There is limited long-term comparative clinical outcome data concerning angiography- versus intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in non-complex left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease treated with the single stenting technique in the drug-eluting stent (DES) era.The aim of this study was to investigate whether angiography-guided stenting is comparable to IVUS-guided stenting during 3-year clinical follow-up periods in patients with non-complex LM disease treated with the single stenting technique.A total of 196 patients treated with either angiography-guided (n = 74) or IVUS-guided (n = 122) PCI were included.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on 5-year clinical outcomes in patients with chronic total occlusion lesions.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, there are limited data on the impact of DM in patients who have chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesion on long-term outcomes.

Patients And Methods: A total of 822 CTO patients who underwent coronary angiography, treated by either percutaneous coronary intervention or optimal medical therapy, were enrolled and divided into two groups: (i) diabetic group (n=363) and (ii) nondiabetic group (n=459).

Influence of Sex on the Association Between Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Left Atrial Transport Function in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Multislice Computed Tomography Study.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is known to play an important role in atrial fibrillation substrate remodeling; however, the influence of sex on the association between EAT and left atrial (LA) transport function has not been elucidated.

Methods And Results: Of the 514 patients who underwent an index atrial fibrillation ablation procedure, 123 postmenopausal women with no history of hormone replacement therapy and 123 men who were matched for age, body mass index, type of atrial fibrillation, and CHADS score were enrolled. Before the procedure, LA volume, LA emptying fraction, and EAT volume were assessed using multislice computed tomography.

Routine Angiographic Follow-Up versus Clinical Follow-Up after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Purpose: Differences in the utility of routine angiographic follow-up (RAF) and clinical follow-up (CF) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are not well understood. The present study aimed to compare the 3-year clinical outcomes of RAF and CF in AMI patients who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents (DES).

Materials And Methods: A total of 774 consecutive AMI patients who underwent PCI with DES were enrolled.

Three-year follow-up of patients with acetylcholine-induced coronary artery spasm combined with insignificant coronary stenosis.

Background: Coronary artery spasm (CAS) and significant coronary stenosis are known to be major causes of myocardial ischemia. However, their association and the impact of insignificant coronary stenosis (ICS) on long-term clinical outcomes of CAS patients are largely unknown.

Methods: A total of 2797 patients without significant coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent the acetylcholine (ACH) provocation test between November 2004 and October 2010 were enrolled.

Routine angiographic follow-up versus clinical follow-up in patients with multivessel coronary artery diseases following percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents: a nested case-control study within a Korean population.

Objective: The difference in the usefulness of routine angiographic follow-up (RAF) and clinical follow-up (CF) after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD) patients has not been well clarified as yet.

Patients And Methods: A total of 642 consecutive MVD patients who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents (DES) were enrolled. RAF was performed at 6-9 months after the index PCI (n=374) and others were medically managed and clinically followed (n=268).

Context-independent essential regulatory interactions for apoptosis and hypertrophy in the cardiac signaling network.

Apoptosis and hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes are the primary causes of heart failure and are known to be regulated by complex interactions in the underlying intracellular signaling network. Previous experimental studies were successful in identifying some key signaling components, but most of the findings were confined to particular experimental conditions corresponding to specific cellular contexts. A question then arises as to whether there might be essential regulatory interactions that prevail across diverse cellular contexts.

Changes in Left Atrial Transport Function in Patients Who Maintained Sinus Rhythm After Successful Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: A 1-Year Follow-Up Multislice Computed Tomography Study.

Background: Functional remodeling of left atrium (LA) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine the impact of RFCA on LA transport function in patients who maintained sinus rhythm (SR) after AF ablation.

Methods And Results: A total of 96 patients (paroxysmal AF [PAF] = 52) who maintained SR during 1 year after AF ablation were enrolled.

Systems biological approaches to the cardiac signaling network.

Recent systems biological studies of cardiac systems have greatly advanced our understanding of cardiac physiology with a particular focus on the excitation-contraction coupling. With these advancements, there is a growing interest in systems analysis of the cardiac signaling network because its dynamical property is closely associated with cardiac diseases. In this article, we review recent attempts at computational modeling of the cardiac signaling network and provide a system-level perspective on the analysis of the large-scale cardiac signaling network.

The switching role of β-adrenergic receptor signalling in cell survival or death decision of cardiomyocytes.

How cell fate (survival or death) is determined and whether such determination depends on the strength of stimulation has remained unclear. In this study, we discover that the cell fate of cardiomyocytes switches from survival to death with the increase of β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation. Mathematical simulations combined with biochemical experimentation of β-AR signalling pathways show that the gradual increment of isoproterenol (a non-selective β1/β2-AR agonist) induces the switching response of Bcl-2 expression from the initial increase followed by a decrease below its basal level.

Spinal cord injury after conducting transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for costal metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been used widely to treat patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. However, this method can induce various adverse events caused by necrosis of the tumor itself or damage to nontumor tissues. In particular, neurologic side effects such as cerebral infarction and paraplegia, although rare, may cause severe sequelae and permanent disability.

Prediction of long-term outcomes of catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation by parameters of preablation DC cardioversion.

Aim: It has been demonstrated that atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently recurred after cardioversion (CV) using direct current (DC) or radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in patients with persistent (PeAF) or longstanding persistent AF (LPAF). We hypothesized that the atrial substrate impeding successful CV would also produce difficulty in catheter ablation, and therefore, the outcomes of RFCA for PeAF and LPAF could be predicted by the parameters determined at the time of DC CV.

Method: From 2006 to 2009, 94 patients with PeAF and LPAF who had undergone elective DC CV before RFCA were studied.

Successful retrieval of a fractured and entrapped 0.035-inch terumo wire in the femoral artery using biopsy forceps.

A 0.035-inch guide wire fracture and entrapment in a peripheral artery is a very rare complication, but when it does occur it may lead to life-threatening complications, such as perforation, thrombus formation, embolization, and subsequent limb ischemia. We describe our experience of successfully retrieving a fractured 0.

Cause of chest pain in a patient with previous myocardial infarction: look outside the heart for extracardiac mass.

We report a case of thymic carcinoma that was initially detected by echocardiography in an 80-year-old male who visited the emergency room for chest pain and had a history of myocardial infarction and percutaneous coronary intervention. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a huge extracardiac mass that was located in the anterior mediastinum and was diagnosed as a thymic carcinoma by biopsy.

A comparison between central blood pressure values obtained by the Gaon system and the SphygmoCor system.

Central pulse pressure is correlated with carotid atherosclerosis and the incidence of cardiovascular events more significantly than brachial pulse pressure. Augmentation index (Aix) has been shown to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Pulse wave analysis using the Gaon system allows for the estimation of central blood pressure (CBP), corrected augmentation index (Aix@HR75), ejection duration (ED) and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR), and is widely used in clinical research in Korea.