The prognostic value of high-sensitive C-reactive protein and cardiac troponin T in young and middle-aged patients with chest pain without ECG changes.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of the prognostic importance of inflammatory markers in angina pectoris. However, the independent value of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), or their combination has not been established in young patients with angina pectoris without ECG changes. Therefore, we assessed the 6-month prognostic values of serum hsCRP and cTnT in young and middle-aged patients who were admitted to the hospital with chest pain but without ECG changes.

Homocysteine levels in patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis.

Background: Abundant epidemiological evidence has demonstrated that the presence of mild to moderate hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis in the coronary, cerebral, and peripheral vasculature, and for vascular disease, including coronary disease. It has been demonstrated that plasma total homocysteine level is a strong predictor of mortality in patients with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease.

Hypothesis: The study was undertaken to determine the extent of homocysteine levels in patients without documented coronary artery disease, but with at least one risk factor for atherosclerosis.

Assessment of small-diameter aortic mechanical prostheses: physiological relevance of the Doppler gradient, utility of flow augmentation, and limitations of orifice area estimation.

Background: Noninvasive assessment of functionally stenotic small-diameter aortic mechanical prostheses is complicated by theoretical constraints relating to the hemodynamic relevance of Doppler-derived transprosthetic gradients. To establish the utility of Doppler echocardiography for evaluation of these valves, 20-mm Medtronic Hall and 19-mm St Jude prostheses were studied in vitro and in vivo.

Methods And Results: Relations between the orifice transprosthetic gradient (equivalent to Doppler), the downstream gradient in the zone of recovered pressure (equivalent to catheter), and fluid mechanical energy losses were examined in vitro.

Preparation of a biocompatible albumin-coated ion exchange resin for bilirubin removal from the blood of jaundiced newborns.

Removal of bilirubin by hemoperfusion with ion exchange resin particles is suggested to replace exchange transfusion of blood of jaundiced infants in some cases of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The hemoperfusion system developed here consists of a packed bed of a macroreticular resin which is made biocompatible by a coating of a monomolecular layer of albumin. The choice of the appropriate ionic form of the resin and the proper albumin coating and crosslinking procedure assures a high bilirubin adsorption capacity and excellent blood compatibility of the resin.