Erythropoietin Reduces Post-PCI Arrhythmias in Patients With ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Arrhythmia is the foremost cause of sudden death after myocardial infarction (MI). Animal models have recently shown that erythropoietin (EPO) can reduce the incidence of arrhythmia after MI.

Methods: We investigated the effects of administrating 33,000 IU EPO on the occurrence of post-MI arrhythmia in 40 patients with ST-elevation MI who were randomly assigned in either EPO or placebo groups.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in a case of afibrinogenemia.

Congenital afibrinogenemia is a rare autosomic recessive blood disorder. A 30-year-old lady, known to have congenital afibrinogenemia, presented with acute anterior myocardial infarction. We managed her with dual antiplatelet therapy and atorvastatin, but her chest pain did not subside and she was transferred to the catheterization laboratory.

Global coronary arteries spasm in a young patient.

Background: Coronary artery spasm is a transient narrowing of coronary arteries that slows or stops blood flow through the artery.

Case Report: We present a 42-year-smoker man without any medical problem who developed syncope. Coronary angiography revealed diffuse significant narrowing of proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD), 90% osteal stenosis of large obtuse marginal (OM), 90% diffuse narrowing of proximal right coronary artery (RCA), which was relieved by intracoronary administration of nitrate.

Serum small dense low-density lipoprotein concentrations are elevated in patients with significant coronary artery stenosis and are related to features of the metabolic syndrome.

Serum small dense low-density lipoprotein (sd-LDL) concentrations were measured in patients with angiographically defined coronary artery disease (CAD) and compared to concentrations in healthy subjects. Five hundred and seventy patients with stable CAD were divided into CAD- and CAD+ based on angiography. Patients in whom stenosis was <50 % in diameter were classified as having a 'normal' angiogram (CAD-), otherwise the patients were allocated to the CAD+ group.

Prooxidant-anti-oxidant balance is not associated with extent of coronary artery disease.

Objective: We have measured the pro-oxidant-antioxidant-balance (PAB) levels in patients with defined coronary artery disease (CAD) and compared them with concentrations in healthy subjects.

Design And Methods: Based on angiography results, 400 patients with stable CAD were divided into CAD- and CAD+, this being further subcategorized into groups with single-, double- and triple-vessel disease (VD).

Results: The mean PAB values in the healthy subjects, was significantly lower than for other groups (P<0.

Serum antibody titers against heat shock protein 27 are associated with the severity of coronary artery disease.

Antibody titers to several heat shock proteins (anti-Hsps) have been reported to be associated with the severity and progression of cardiovascular disease. However, there are little data regarding anti-Hsp27 titers in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). A total of 400 patients with suspected CAD were recruited.

Changes in pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance after bare metal and drug eluting stent implantation in patients with stable coronary disease.

Objectives: In this study we aimed to assess the changes in pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) after the placement of either a drug-eluting-stent (DES) or bare-metal-stent (BMS) in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Design And Methods: Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with either BMS or DES were undertaken for 152 patients (82 in the BMS and 70 in the DES groups respectively). PAB values were measured 24h before and after PCI.

Serum inflammatory and immune marker response after bare-metal or drug-eluting stent implantation following percutaneous coronary intervention.

We assessed the changes in serum antiheat shock protein (HSP)-27 antibody and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels, following the placement of a drug-eluting stent (DES) or bare-metal stent (BMS) in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Either a BMS or DES was implanted in 137 patients (82 BMS; 55 DES). Anti-HSP27 and hsCRP levels were measured 24 hours before and 24 hours after stenting.