Cardiac Index by Transthoracic Echocardiography (CITE) study.

Aims: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the most frequently used parameter in the assessment of heart failure (HF). Cardiac index (CI) is considered a potential alternative to LVEF despite limited evidence. We aimed to assess and compare the predictive accuracy of LVEF and echocardiographically-assessed CI in HF patients.

Alternative complement pathway activation during invasive coronary procedures in acute myocardial infarction and stable angina pectoris.

The effect of invasive percutaneous coronary procedures on complement activation has not been elucidated. We enrolled stable angina patients with elective percutaneous coronary intervention (SA-PCI, n=24), diagnostic coronary angiography (CA, n=52) and 23 patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and primary PCI (STEMI-PCI). Complement activation products (C1rC1sC1inh, C3bBbP and SC5b-9) were measured on admission, 6 and 24h after coronary procedures.

High on clopidogrel treatment platelet reactivity is frequent in acute and rare in elective stenting and can be functionally overcome by switch of therapy.

Unlabelled: The benefit of adjusted antiplatelet therapy in patients with myocardial infarction after primary percutaneous coronary intervention is not well elucidated. We aimed to identify patients with high on treatment platelet reactivity and to gradually adjust antiplatelet therapy.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 133 acute myocardial infarction and 67 stable angina patients undergoing intracoronary stenting into our study.

Elevated C1rC1sC1inh levels independently predict atherosclerotic coronary heart disease.

Unlabelled: Clinical studies as well as animal models emphasized the importance of the complement system in the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Our aim was to examine the extent and clinical implication of complement system activation in patients with stable atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (ACHD). Seventy-six patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) scheduled for elective coronary angiography were enrolled into the study.

Very late drug-eluting stent thrombosis after nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment despite dual antiplatelet therapy.

Background: Drug-eluting coronary stent implantation emerged as a safe and effective therapeutic approach by preventing coronary restenosis and reducing the need for further revascularization. However, in contrast to bare metal stents, recent data suggest a unique underlying pathology, namely late coronary stent thrombosis and delayed endothelial healing.

Objective: To report a case of very late coronary stent thrombosis (834 days after implantation) requiring repeat urgent target-vessel revascularization.

Analysis of platelet alpha2-adrenergic receptor activity in stable coronary artery disease patients on dual antiplatelet therapy.

Combined antiplatelet therapy reduces recurrent atherothrombotic events in stable coronary disease patients; however, high residual platelet reactivity measured ex vivo still raises concerns as a condition related to treatment failure. Alpha-2 adrenoceptor enhances platelet reactivity and might contribute to this phenomenon. For the present study, 121 stable angina patients on standard dual antiplatelet therapy (75 mg clopidogrel and 100 mg acetylsalicylic acid) were recruited.

Activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase by myocardial ischemia and coronary reperfusion in human circulating leukocytes.

Reactive free radical and oxidant production leads to DNA damage during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. Consequent overactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) promotes cellular energy deficit and necrosis. We hypothesized that PARP is activated in circulating leukocytes in patients with myocardial infarction and reperfusion during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Inverse correlation between coronary blood flow velocity and sICAM-1 level observed in ischemic heart disease patients.

Systemic factors and blood flow velocity related to atherosclerosis have been examined mainly separately or by in vitro studies. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between local coronary blood flow (corrected TIMI frame count, CTFC) and systemic atherosclerosis-related inflammatory parameters such as soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), interleukin-6 (Il-6), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in humans. We enrolled the following groups of ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients: patients with coronary stenosis and stable (CAD, n = 96) or unstable angina (ACS, n = 27), patients with documented myocardial ischemia and normal coronary angiogram (NEG, n = 68).

[Endothelial function and ischemic heart disease].

The original hypothesis of the development of human atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease called "response-to-injury" suggested the loss of integrity of the endothelium as the first step of the process. The recent version of this hypothesis emphasizes the term of endothelial dysfunction, that can be triggered by any of the well known cardiovascular risk factors. The atherosclerotic process, starting with endothelial dysfunction is a slow grade inflammatory process, promoting the oxidation of the low density lipoprotein molecules, activation of cell adhesion molecules as well as various ligands and cytokines, and activating immunological processes resulting in the development of unstable atherosclerotic plaque, followed by plaque rupture and formation of atherothrombotic lesions.