The burden of major adverse cardiac events in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Patients with a history of cardiovascular disease are at high risk of developing secondary major adverse cardiac events (MACE). This study aimed to identify independent predictors of MACE after hospital admission which could be used to identify of high-risk patients who may benefit from preventive strategies.

Methods: This study included 1,520 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (654 with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 866 with elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients) who received PCI and/or stenting.

Circulating visfatin level is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B or C virus infection.

Adipocytokines play an important role in adipose tissue homeostasis, especially in obesity-associated disorders such as non-alcoholic fatty liver and their complications including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although visfatin is an adipocytokine highly expressed in visceral fat that has been demonstrated to play a critical role in the progression of human malignancies, little is known about the role of visfatin in HCC associated with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In this study, we investigated whether plasma visfatin levels were altered in patients with HCC and the association between plasma visfatin levels and pretreatment hematologic profiles.

Associations among chronic kidney disease, high total p-cresylsulfate and left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Background: A significant number of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have cardiac abnormalities, and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is a common manifestation. p-Cresylsulfate (PCS), a protein-bound uraemic retention solute, is known to cause endothelial dysfunction and possibly plays a role in coronary atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the associations among serum total PCS, major adverse cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality, and QTc prolongation have also been found in previous studies.

Relationship between shift work and peripheral total and differential leukocyte counts in Chinese steel workers.

Objectives: Even though shift work has been suspected to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, little research has been done to determine the logical underlying inflammation mechanisms. This study investigated the association between shift work and circulating total and differential leukocyte counts among Chinese steel workers.

Methods: The subjects were 1,654 line workers in a steel plant, who responded to a cross-sectional survey with a questionnaire on basic attributes, life style, and sleep.

Evaluation of a rapid quantitative determination method of PSA concentration with gold immunochromatographic strips.

Background: Prostate cancer remains the most common cancer in men. Qualitative or semi-quantitative immunochromatographic measurements of prostate specific antigen (PSA) have been shown to be simple, noninvasive and feasible. The aim of this study was to evaluate an optimized gold immunochromatographic strip device for the detection of PSA, in which the results can be analysed using a Chromogenic Rapid Test Reader to quantitatively assess the test results.

Plasma visfatin levels are associated with major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Purpose: Circulating levels of visfatin, a ubiquitous adipokine, may reflect both the severity of plaque as well as degree of plaque stabilization in acute myocardial injury. The purpose of this study was to test whether the level of visfatin is associated with the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: Consecutive patients (n=185) with acute STEMI were prospectively enrolled in the study.

Uremic retention solute indoxyl sulfate level is associated with prolonged QTc interval in early CKD patients.

Total mortality and sudden cardiac death is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In CKD patients, the protein-bound uremic retention solute indoxyl sulfate (IS) is independently associated with cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying mechanisms of this association have yet to be elucidated.

Increased epicardial adipose tissue volume is associated with PR interval prolongation.

Purpose: Epicardial fat is visceral adipose tissue that possesses inflammatory properties. Inflammation and obesity are associated with cardiovascular disease and arrhythmogenesis, but little is known about the relationship between epicardial fat and PR-Interval prolongation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and PR-interval prolongation as assessed by computed tomography (CT) and Twelve-lead ECGs.

Serum total p-cresylsulfate level is associated with abnormal QTc interval in stable angina patients with early stage of renal failure.

Background: p-Cresylsulfate (PCS), a protein-bound uraemic retention solute, is known to cause endothelial dysfunction and possibly plays a role in coronary atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the association among serum total PCS, major adverse cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality were also found in previous studies. However, little is known about the relationship between total PCS level and prolonged QT interval.

Association between visfatin levels and coronary artery disease in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: Visfatin (also known as pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor) is increased in patients with chronic kidney disease and has been linked with coronary atherosclerosis. Given that it has been reported that visfatin plays a role in endothelial dysfunction in chronic kidney disease patients, we examined associations between visfatin levels and several markers related to atherosclerosis.

Materials And Methods: The association between visfatin and atherosclerotic risk factors was studied in 173 chronic kidney disease patients (130 men and 43 women).

Pretreatment circulating monocyte count associated with poor prognosis in patients with oral cavity cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the pretreatment total and differential leukocyte counts can predict the prognosis of patients with oral cavity cancer.

Methods: In a retrospective analysis of patients treated between 2004 and 2011, medical records of 202 patients with oral cavity cancer were evaluated.

Results: Patients with oral cavity cancer, the peripheral total white blood cell (WBC) count, monocyte, and neutrophil counts and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio increased with the advancement of clinical stage.

Circulating secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (Sfrp5) and wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 5a (Wnt5a) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (Sfrp5), an endogenous inhibitor of wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnt) signalling, is an anti-inflammatory adipokine whose expression is perturbed in models of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Wnt member 5a (Wnt5a) is a representative ligand, and recent reports suggest that Wnt5a is involved in inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate whether plasma Wnt5a and Sfrp5 levels are altered in patients with T2DM.

Levels of indoxyl sulfate are associated with severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

Purpose: Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is linked to endothelial damage, NF-κB activation and induced development of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum IS levels and the severity of coronary artery stenosis. In addition, the relationship among IS and various cardiovascular risk factors was also explored.

Increased expression of visfatin in monocytes and macrophages in male acute myocardial infarction patients.

We demonstrated that visfatin expressed in monocytes and neutrophils and increased their reactivity in male acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients. Furthermore, visfatin was strongly appeared in lipid rich coronary rupture plaques and macrophages. These results suggest another explanation about leukocytes mediated visfatin that may play a pathogenesis role in coronary vulnerable plaques rupture.

Associations among chronic kidney disease, high total p-cresylsulfate and major adverse cardiac events.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is prevalent among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Patients with CKD have elevated levels of p-cresylsulfate (PCS), which has been linked with cardiovascular mortality in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of CKD in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and to investigate whether a significant correlation exists between CKD, total PCS and poor clinical outcomes in CAD patients.

Interpretation of elevated plasma visfatin concentrations in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Visfatin is a cytokine that is expressed in many tissues, including the heart, and has been proposed to play a role in plaque destabilization leading to acute myocardial injury. The present study evaluates plasma levels of visfatin in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and examines the temporal changes in visfatin levels from the acute period to the subacute period to determine a correlation with the degree of myocardial ischemia. We evaluated 54 patients with STEMI.

Fever of unknown origin from a left atrial myxoma: an immunologic basis and cytokine association.

Myxoma is the most common primary tumor of the heart. The typical presentations include a triad of embolic phenomena, intracardiac flow obstruction, and constitutional symptoms. We report a case of cardiac myxoma presenting as prolonged fever.

Circulating adiponectin level is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease.

Elevated levels of circulating adiponectin (ADPN), an anti- inflammatory and anti-oxidative peptide, are associated with unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether plasma ADPN levels could help predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with documented coronary artery disease (CAD). We prospectively enrolled 193 CAD patients, who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and/or stenting and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Serum levels of total p-cresylsulphate are associated with angiographic coronary atherosclerosis severity in stable angina patients with early stage of renal failure.

Objective: p-Cresylsulphate (PCS), a protein-bound uraemic retention solute, is known to cause endothelial dysfunction and possibly plays a role in coronary atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the relationship of total PCS with traditional biomarkers associated with chronic coronary atherosclerosis. In addition, the relationship between serum total PCS levels and the severity of coronary artery stenosis was also explored.

Increased levels of total P-Cresylsulphate and indoxyl sulphate are associated with coronary artery disease in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Background: Indoxyl sulphate (IS) and p-cresylsulphate (PCS) are uremic toxins with similar protein-binding, dialytic clearance, and proinflammatory features. Few studies have evaluated the possible associations between these solutes and coronary artery disease (CAD) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients.

Methods: A hospital-based case control study was performed.

Elevated visfatin/pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor plasma concentration in ischemic stroke.

Background: Visfatin/pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor is a cytokine that is expressed as a protein in several tissues (e.g., liver, skeletal muscle, immune cells), including adipose tissue, and is reported to stimulate inflammatory cytokine expressions and promote vascular smooth cell maturation.

Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity as an early indicator of left ventricular diastolic function among hypertensive subjects.

While increased arterial stiffness is a known risk of cardiovascular disease, pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a conventionally adopted index of arterial stiffness. However, the relationship between PWV and left ventricular functions are not thoroughly evaluated. This cross-sectional study investigated whether PWV measurement is an early indicator of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.

Increased epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume in type 2 diabetes mellitus and association with metabolic syndrome and severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

Objective: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a part of visceral fat deposited around the heart between the pericardium and myocardium along the distribution of coronary arteries. EAT thickness is reported to be associated with coronary atherosclerosis; however, no study has measured EAT volume in patients with type 2 diabetes or investigate its association with coronary artery disease.

Design: A hospital-based case control study.