Carvedilol for Prevention of Chemotherapy-Related Cardiotoxicity: The CECCY Trial.

Background: Anthracycline (ANT) chemotherapy is associated with cardiotoxicity. Prevention with β-blockers remains controversial.

Objectives: This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study sought to evaluate the role of carvedilol in preventing ANT cardiotoxicity.

International Variation in Outcomes Among People with Cardiovascular Disease or Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Impaired Glucose Tolerance: Insights from the NAVIGATOR Trial.

Background: Regional differences in risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular outcomes in people with impaired glucose tolerance are poorly characterized. Our objective was to evaluate regional variation in risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular outcomes, and treatment effects in participants from the NAVIGATOR (Nateglinide and Valsartan in Impaired Glucose Tolerance Outcomes Research) trial.

Methods And Results: NAVIGATOR randomized people with impaired glucose tolerance and cardiovascular risk factors or with established cardiovascular disease to valsartan (or placebo) and to nateglinide (or placebo) with a median 5-year follow-up.

[Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in calcified nodes of stenosed aortic valves].

Objective: We investigated whether Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) are present in aortic valve stenosis (AS).

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was utilized to identify CP antigens, in situ hybridization to identify MP DNA, and electron microscopy was used to evaluate the following three groups: Normal - 11 normal autopsy valves; Atherosclerosis - 10 autopsy valves from patients with systemic atherosclerosis and no AS; and AS - 14 surgical specimens of AS analyzed in 3 sub-regions: AS-Preserved - peripheral, preserved regions; AS-Fibrosis - peri-calcified fibrotic tissue; and AS-Calcification - calcified nodules.

Results: The positive area fraction of CP antigen median values were 0.

Density of Chlamydia pneumoniae is increased in fibrotic and calcified areas of degenerative aortic stenosis.

Background: The process of aortic degeneration associated with calcified aortic stenosis shares many similarities with coronary artery atherosclerosis. Inflammation and infection are involved in both diseases. Chlamydia pneumoniae has been identified in atherosclerotic plaques.

Cholestasis in a murine experimental model: lesions include hepatocyte ischemic necrosis.

Objective: To establish a murine experimental model of bile duct obstruction that would enable controlled observations of the acute and subacute phases of cholestasis.

Methodology: Adult male isogenic BALB/c mice underwent a bile duct ligation (22 animals) or a sham operation (10 animals). Fifteen days after surgery, or immediately after the animal's death, macroscopic findings were noted and histological study of the liver, biliary tree, and pancreas was performed (hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichromic staining).

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae in calcified nodules of aortic stenotic valves.

Aortic Valve Stenosis (AVS) has been explained as an atherosclerotic process of the valve as they often exhibit inflammatory changes with infiltration of macrophages, T lymphocytes and lipid infiltration. The present study investigated whether the bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), detected previously in atherosclerotic plaques, are also present in AVS. Ten valves surgically removed from patients with AVS were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and electron microscopy.