Vasoconstrictor potential of coronary aspirate from patients undergoing stenting of saphenous vein aortocoronary bypass grafts and its pharmacological attenuation.

Rationale: Stent implantation into atherosclerotic plaques releases, apart from particulate debris, soluble substances that contribute to impaired microvascular perfusion.

Objective: To quantify the release of vasoconstrictors and to determine the efficacy of coronary dilators to attenuate their action.

Methods And Results: Using a distal protection/aspiration device, coronary arterial blood was retrieved before and during stenting in 22 patients with severe saphenous vein aorto-coronary bypass stenoses.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate levels in plasma and HDL are altered in coronary artery disease.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are the major plasma carriers for sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in healthy individuals, but their S1P content is unknown for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the study was to determine whether the S1P levels in plasma and HDL are altered in coronary artery disease. S1P was determined in plasma and HDL isolated by ultracentrifugation from patients with myocardial infarction (MI, n = 83), stable CAD (sCAD, n = 95), and controls (n = 85).

Is there a role of the Thr164Ile-beta(2)-adrenoceptor polymorphism for the outcome of chronic heart failure?

Objective: The Thr164Ile-beta(2)-adrenoceptor (AR) polymorphism exhibits lower affinities for catecholamines and reduced basal and agonist-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in vitro. It has been suggested that patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) due to ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy carrying the Thr164Ile-beta(2)AR polymorphism exhibit much more rapid progression to death or heart transplantation (HTX) than CHF-patients carrying the homozygous Thr164-beta(2)AR. This study aimed to further evaluate the role of the Thr164Ile-beta(2)AR in CHF.