High serum bilirubin is associated with lower prevalence of peripheral arterial disease among cardiac patients.

Several studies have shown that subjects with higher serum bilirubin may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disorders. We herein investigated whether serum bilirubin concentration is associated with lower extremity ischemia among cardiology patients. In total, 935 patients without a history of angioplasty or bypass surgery of the lower limb arteries and who had bilateral ankle-brachial index measurements were included in the study.

Changes in Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) induces cardiac remodeling. We investigated the changes in serum FGF23 levels in patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods and results: A total of 44 patients diagnosed with AMI were included in the current study.

Is Serum Uric Acid Independently Associated With Left Ventricular Mass Index, Ejection Fraction, and B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Among Female and Male Cardiac Patients?

Mean serum uric acid (SUA) levels are higher in men than women. In addition, recent studies have suggested that the SUA threshold at which the cardiovascular risk might increase may vary between women and men. In the current retrospective study, by analyzing the data from 219 female and 519 male patients who were free from uric acid-lowering medication, we investigated whether SUA is associated with left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) independent of confounding factors, such as serum calcium, inorganic phosphate, and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), in a gender-specific manner.

Association between suPAR and cardiac diastolic dysfunction among patients with preserved ejection fraction.

Serum levels of the soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) reflect immune and inflammatory activation, and are shown to be associated with cardiovascular outcomes. We herein investigated the potential association between suPAR and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction among patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and sinus rhythm. Among 291 patients who had sinus rhythm and an LVEF of ≥50% enrolled in the study, 26 (8.

A case of IgG4-related lymphadenopathy, pericarditis, coronary artery periarteritis and luminal stenosis.

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is an emerging new clinicopathological disorder that is characterized by elevation of serum IgG4 levels and histological findings of IgG4-positive plasmacytic infiltration. IgG4-related disease may appear synchronously or metachronously in a wide variety of organs. The current patient was found to have pericardial effusion and retroperitoneal fibrosis.

Plasma Pentraxin3 Level Is Associated With Plaque Vulnerability Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

The role of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has been implicated in the process of plaque vulnerability. However, few studies have addressed the direct relationship between plaque morphology and plasma PTX3. We evaluated the relationship between coronary vulnerable plaque, assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), and plasma PTX3 in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Repetitive fulminant influenza myocarditis requiring the use of circulatory assist devices.

A 52-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to shortness of breath that developed one week after the diagnosis of influenza infection. He had a past history of myocarditis associated with influenza B infection 16 years before the current admission. The patient's left ventricular function showed diffuse hypokinesis with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 28%.

Serum uric acid is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy independent of serum parathyroid hormone in male cardiac patients.

Background: Several studies have shown that serum uric acid (UA) is associated with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which has bbe shown to be correlated with UA, is also known to be associated with cardiac hypertrophy; however, whether the association between UA and cardiac hypertrophy is independent of PTH remains unknown.

Purpose: We investigated whether the relationship between serum uric acid (UA) and LV hypertrophy is independent of intact PTH and other calcium-phosphate metabolism-related factors in cardiac patients.

Association between circulating fibroblast growth factor 23, α-Klotho, and the left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular mass in cardiology inpatients.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), with its co-receptor Klotho, plays a crucial role in phosphate metabolism. Several recent studies suggested that circulating FGF23 and α-Klotho concentrations might be related to cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with advanced renal failure.

Purpose: Using data from 100 cardiology inpatients who were not undergoing chronic hemodialysis, the association of circulating levels of FGF23, α-Klotho, and other calcium-phosphate metabolism-related parameters with the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular mass (LVM) was analyzed.

Association between serum immunoglobulin G4 concentration and cardiac function among elderly cardiology inpatients.

Aim: To study whether there is an association between serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) concentration and cardiac function among cardiology inpatients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 91 patients who had sinus rhythm. Of 91 patients, 70 patients (77%) were aged ≥ 60 years (elderly group) and the remaining 21 patients (23%) were aged <60 years (younger group).

The results of a new distal protection method in intervention for chronic total occlusion of the superficial femoral artery.

Aims. To determine the efficacy of a new distal protection method in SFA CTO interventions. Methods and Results.

An unmappable ventricular tachycardia in the arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy: elucidation of critical isolated delayed components with high-resolution electroanatomical mapping.

Unmappable ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a challenge in the management of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). We report a feasible strategy for a curative ablation. In the present case with ARVC, the clinical VT showed a single morphology of left bundle branch block with inferior axis.

[Initial and long term outcomes of stent implantation for iliac compression syndrome].

Objectives: The initial and long term outcome of stenting in the iliac vein were investigated in patients with iliac compression syndrome.

Methods: Iliac compression syndrome was diagnosed with venography and intravascular ultrasonography that demonstrated severe stenosis at the iliac venous compression site. Fourteen patients with symptomatic iliac compression syndrome were treated with stent implantation.

Bacteroides coprophilus sp. nov., isolated from human faeces.

Three Gram-negative, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (strains CB40, CB41 and CB42(T)) were isolated from human faeces. Based on phylogenetic analysis and specific phenotypic characteristics, these strains were included in the genus Bacteroides, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that these strains represented a novel species. The strains were most closely related to the type strains of Bacteroides barnesiae and Bacteroides salanitronis, with sequence similarities of 93.

Prevotella copri sp. nov. and Prevotella stercorea sp. nov., isolated from human faeces.

Six strains (CB7(T), CB18, CB23, CB26, CB28 and CB35(T)) were isolated from human faeces. Based on phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic characteristics, cellular fatty acid profiles and menaquinone profiles, these strains could be included within the genus Prevotella and made up two clusters. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that five strains were most closely related to Prevotella veroralis, sharing about 92 % sequence similarity; the remaining strain was most closely related to Prevotella shahii, sharing about 90 % sequence similarity.

Bundle brunch reentrant ventricular tachycardia with two distinct conduction patterns in a patient with complete right bundle branch block.

We report a rare case of bundle branch reentrant ventricular tachycardia [BBRVT]. A 67-year-old female was admitted for management of wide QRS tachycardia (right bundle branch block [RBBB] and a southwest axis). The mapping procedure revealed the tachycardia circuit consisted of the left anterior fascicle (LAF) as an antegrade, and the right bundle as a retrograde pathway.

Case report: Focal ablation for atrial fibrillation originating from the inferior vena cava and the posterior left atrium.

We identified a case of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) originating from inferior vena cava (IVC) and the low-posterior left atrium (LA). Both foci, the IVC and the low-posterior LA, simultaneously served not only as trigger but also as driver for maintenance of AF. During AF, the IVC and the low-posterior LA continuously demonstrated the rapid and fractionated potentials that exit into both atria with conduction block.

Two atrial reentrant tachycardias originating from the superior vena cava: electrophysiological characteristics and radiofrequency ablation.

A case with two different types of atrial reentrant tachycardia of superior vena cava (SVC) origin is presented. Recent clinical studies have shown that the origin of focal atrial tachycardia typically lies in the venous structures connecting to both atria--the coronary sinus, the superior and inferior vena cava, and the pulmonary vein. These foci have atrial muscle fiber extensions which have electrophysiological characteristics essential to generation of focal ectopic firing.

Catheter ablation for an incessant form of antiarrhythmic drug-resistant ventricular fibrillation after acute coronary syndrome.

A 77-year-old man was admitted with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), severe heart failure (HF), and repeated ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes. A single premature ventricular complex (PVC) induced ventricular tachycardia (VT), which degenerated to VF reproducibly. This PVC was eliminated by catheter ablation at the left ventricular posteroseptal region where double Purkinje potentials preceding the ventricular wave had been recorded.