Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Colchicine after Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Experimental and clinical evidence supports the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis and its complications. Colchicine is an orally administered, potent antiinflammatory medication that is indicated for the treatment of gout and pericarditis.

Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind trial involving patients recruited within 30 days after a myocardial infarction.

Beneficial Effects of Reconstituted High-Density Lipoprotein (rHDL) on Circulating CD34+ Cells in Patients after an Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: High-density lipoproteins (HDL) favorably affect endothelial progenitor cells (EPC). Circulating progenitor cell level and function are impaired in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study investigates the short-term effects of reconstituted HDL (rHDL) on circulating progenitor cells in patients with ACS.

VAP: a versatile aggregate profiler for efficient genome-wide data representation and discovery.

The analysis of genomic data such as ChIP-Seq usually involves representing the signal intensity level over genes or other genetic features. This is often illustrated as a curve (representing the aggregate profile of a group of genes) or as a heatmap (representing individual genes). However, no specific resource dedicated to easily generating such profiles is currently available.

Treatment with 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor VIA-2291 (Atreleuton) in patients with recent acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Production of leukotrienes by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) has been linked to unstable atherosclerotic plaques and cardiovascular events. VIA-2291 is a potent 5-LO inhibitor.

Methods And Results: In a double-blinded study, 191 patients were randomly assigned 3 weeks after an acute coronary syndrome to receive 25, 50, or 100 mg VIA-2291 or placebo daily for 12 weeks.

Limitations of statin monotherapy for the treatment of dyslipidemia: a projection based on the Canadian lipid study--observational.

Objective: Several randomized controlled trials indicate that a low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) target <2.0 mmol/L is appropriate for individuals at high risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Recently released Canadian lipid management guidelines (2006) have incorporated this evidence into their recommendations.

[Teasing out the various factors associated with the digestive and absorptive phases of intestinal transport].

The small bowel has traditionally been considered a simple organ for the transport of food-stuffs. Although the function of nutrient delivery is vital, the digestive and absorptive phases of fat were poorly understood until the past two decades. Moreover, the small bowel was not thought to have any modulating transport properties nor a role in the genesis of chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Intestinal cholesterol transport proteins: an update and beyond.

Purpose Of Review: Various studies have delineated the causal role of dietary cholesterol in atherogenesis. Strategies have thus been developed to minimize cholesterol absorption, and cholesterol transport proteins found at the apical membrane of enterocytes have been extensively investigated. This review focuses on recent progress related to various brush-border proteins that are potentially involved in alimentary cholesterol transport.

Effects of reconstituted high-density lipoprotein infusions on coronary atherosclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is an inverse predictor of coronary atherosclerotic disease. Preliminary data have suggested that HDL infusions can induce atherosclerosis regression.

Objective: To investigate the effects of reconstituted HDL on plaque burden as assessed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Effect of atherosclerotic regression on total luminal size of coronary arteries as determined by intravascular ultrasound.

We assessed vascular changes during atherosclerosis regression. Compensatory enlargement of coronary arteries accommodates plaque burden during atherosclerosis development. Lipid-lowering therapy has altered the natural history of coronary atherosclerosis, but the arterial changes that occur during disease regression need to be clarified.

Statin therapy in Canadian patients with hypercholesterolemia: the Canadian Lipid Study -- Observational (CALIPSO).

Background: Although statins are widely used to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), there is little information about patient profiles, treatment patterns and goal achievement among statin-treated patients in Canada.

Objectives: To assess the profile of statin-treated patients and to determine whether they are achieving recommended targets for LDL-C.

Methods: The Canadian Lipid Study -- Observational (CALIPSO) was a cross-sectional study involving Canadian physicians who were among the top statin prescribers.

Vascular protectants for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

AGI-1067, the monosuccinic acid ester of probucol, is a phenolic antioxidant member of a novel class of agents termed vascular protectants. It has strong antioxidant properties, equipotent to those of probucol, and anti-inflammatory properties. It inhibits gene expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and has been effective at preventing atherosclerosis in all tested animal models.

Pharmacologic prevention of both restenosis and atherosclerosis progression: AGI-1067, probucol, statins, folic acid and other therapies.

Purpose Of Review: In this article, the authors intend to provide an update on clinical trials of pharmacologic prevention of restenosis after percutaneous coronary interventions, placed in the perspective of the use of orally administered therapy for the prevention of atherosclerosis progression and clinical events.

Recent Findings: AGI-1067, the mono-succinic acid ester of probucol, is a phenolic antioxidant member of a novel class of agents termed v-protectants. It has strong antioxidant properties equipotent to those of probucol and antiinflammatory properties.

Ezetimibe and cholesterol absorption.

Cholesterol, an important biological lipid and excessive dietary intake, is associated with hypercholesterolemia, a prevalent cardiovascular risk factor. Because cholesterol is essentially a water insoluble molecule, its transport within and absorption from the aqueous medium of the intestine is rather complex. This takes place in a series of orderly and interrelated steps, including emulsification, hydrolysis by specific pancreatic esterases, micellar transport, mucosal absorption, resynthesis in enterocytes and assembly with apolipoproteins to form chylomicrons.