Inferior endothelial function improved following optimisation of asthma control in children.

Association between asthma control and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains highly plausible as the two are related to chronic systemic inflammation. Children with physician-diagnosed asthma and matched healthy controls underwent endothelial function assessment. Repeat measurements were performed in uncontrolled asthmatics after initiation or up-titration of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), compared to those with well-controlled asthma without ICS therapy.

Cardiovascular risks of children with primary snoring: A 5-year follow-up study.

Background And Objective: This study aimed to investigate if childhood primary snoring (PS) was associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes at 5-year follow-up.

Methods: This was a prospective matched cohort study. Subjects were recruited from a hospital-based cohort established from years 2006 to 2012 and they were aged 6-18 years at baseline.

Salviae miltiorrhizae radix and puerariae lobatae radix herbal formula improves circulation, vascularization and gait function in a peripheral arterial disease rat model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: DG is a herbal formula, containing the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen) and the root of Pueraria lobate (Willd.) Ohwi (Gegen), has a history of usage in China for cardiovascular protection and anti-atherosclerosis.

Aim Of The Study: The present study aims to determine the beneficial effect of DG on the hind-limb ischemia rat model which mimics peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and its vasodilative effect on isolated femoral artery.

Herb-drug interaction of gastrodiae rhizoma on carbamazepine: A pharmacokinetic study in rats.

Objective: Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR), is a traditional Chinese Medicine that has been used for neurological disorders, including epilepsy. Epilepsy patients may be treated with adjunctive therapy of GR with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). In particular, carbamazepine (CBZ) is of high potential to interact with concurrent treatment of Chinese Medicine.

The antiepileptic effect of Gastrodiae Rhizoma through modulating overexpression of mTOR and attenuating astrogliosis in pilocarpine mice model.

Objective: To investigate the effect of water extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR) on the development of acquired temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and on regulating the expression of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and semaphorin 3F (SEMA3F).

Methods: A pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) model was adopted to precipitate injury in the limbic systems. GR and carbamazepine (CBZ) treatments were given to mice for 14 days prior to SE induction to demonstrate the antiepileptic effects and continued for 5 more days to illustrate the effects on histologic studies.

The Impact of Lifestyle Changes on Cardiometabolic Health in Modernizing China: A Tale of Three Gorges in the Yangtze River.

Modernization of Chinese adults is associated with increased atherosclerotic diseases. Over 1 million farmers have been resettled upland since 1996 in the Three Gorges dam project of the Yangtze River, with job and other lifestyle changes. We aimed to evaluate the impact of such rapid lifestyle changes on indices of cardiometabolic health.

A Tale of Three Gorges in the Yangtze River: Comparing the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome According to ATPIII, WHO, and IDF Criteria and the Association with Vascular Health in Modernizing China.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with atherosclerotic diseases. The prevalence of MS according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII), World Health Organization (WHO), and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria are variable but increasing in western countries and modernizing China. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MS according to these three criteria, in farmers or ex-farming residents in three-gorges territories undergoing rapid lifestyle changes.

Short Sleep Duration Is Weakly Associated with Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Adolescents.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between sleep duration and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in adolescents. We hypothesized that short sleep duration was associated with an increased CIMT.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Brief Report: Progression of Atherosclerosis in HIV-Infected Individuals-Prospective Data From an Asian Cohort.

Background: The magnitude and risk factors of progression of atherosclerosis in Asian HIV-infected individuals were unknown. This study aimed to evaluate: (1) the rate of progression of atherosclerosis in HIV-infected individuals, and (2) metabolic and inflammatory parameters that may predict atherosclerosis progression in HIV-infected individuals in an Asian cohort.

Setting: A prospective, longitudinal study was performed among adults attending an HIV Metabolic clinic in Hong Kong.

Effects of resistance training on cardiovascular health in non-obese active adolescents.

Aim: To determine the benefits of a 10-wk resistance training programme on cardiovascular health in non-obese and active adolescents.

Methods: This is a pragmatic randomised controlled intervention. The study was carried out in a Hong Kong Government secondary school.

Endothelial function in children with OSA and the effects of adenotonsillectomy.

Background: The association between childhood OSA and endothelial function as measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and its response to OSA treatment are uncertain. The objective of this study was to compare FMD in children with OSA with nonsnoring control subjects and to examine its response to treatment.

Methods: Index cases were children aged 6 to 18 years with habitual snoring and polysomnography (PSG)-confirmed OSA (obstructive apnea hypopnea index [OAHI] > 1 events/h).

A randomized placebo controlled trial of an innovative herbal formula in the prevention of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with borderline hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) and Gegen (Radix puerariae) (D&G) are two herbs frequently used for the treatment of angina and other cardiac symptoms in Chinese materia medica. Recent studies have demonstrated their cardio-protective and anti-atherosclerosis effects. Earlier we have conducted two clinical trials in 2004 and 2007 which demonstrated such effects in extremely high risk patients.

Ten years' research on a cardiovascular tonic: a comprehensive approach-from quality control and mechanisms of action to clinical trial.

Objective. Mortality arising from cardiovascular pathologies remains one of the highest. Maintenance of cardiovascular health therefore remains a universal concern.

Gene expression profiling on the molecular action of danshen-gegen formula in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia.

The Danshen-Gegen formula (DG) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula which has long been used to treat cardiovascular disease. DG was found to be a cardiovascular tonic in our recent research. However, a comprehensive investigation of the molecular mechanism of DG in cardiovascular disease has not been performed.

Orlistat improves endothelial function in obese adolescents: a randomised trial.

Aim: To investigate the effect of orlistat on endothelial function in obese adolescents.

Methods: Single-blind 10-week controlled trial of 67 normolipidaemic obese adolescents randomised into three groups. Group 1 (diet alone), Group 2 (diet and orlistat), Group 3 (diet, orlistat and exercise).

Impact of non-cardiovascular surgery on reactive hyperaemia and arterial endothelial function.

Vascular reactivity is a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis and is predictive of cardiovascular outcome. Non-cardiovascular surgery is associated with perioperative cardiovascular complications in high-risk patients. To evaluate the impact of non-cardiovascular surgery on reactive hyperaemia and arterial endothelial function and to investigate the relationships between endothelial dysfunction and invasive (laparotomy) or minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery, we prospectively evaluated 106 patients undergoing abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia (71 laparotomy, 35 laparoscopy).

Cardiovascular Protective Effects of Adjunctive Alternative Medicine (Salvia miltiorrhiza and Pueraria lobata) in High-Risk Hypertension.

Introduction. Hypertension in association with diabetes (DM), renal impairment (RI), and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) increases the risk of future cardiovascular events. We hypothesize, traditional herbal medicines Danshen and Gegen (D&G) have beneficial effects on atherogenesis in these high-risk hypertensive subjects.

Association between metabolic syndrome and carotid atherosclerosis: a community-based study in Hong Kong.

Background: Carotid atherosclerosis should not be neglected as a cause for stroke in China, despite its low prevalence. This study was performed to evaluate the association between ultrasonographic markers for different stages of carotid atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome.

Methods: This was a community-based study in Hong Kong.

Correlation of large artery intracranial occlusive disease with carotid intima-media thickness and presence of carotid plaque.

Background And Purpose: Large artery intracranial occlusive disease (LAICOD) is a predominant cause of ischemic stroke in China. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and presence of carotid plaque are also related to subsequent ischemic stroke. However, the correlation between these and LAICOD is less clear.

The efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive alternative herbal medicine (Salvia miltiorrhiza and Pueraria lobata) on vascular function and structure in coronary patients.

Background: Danshen and gegen (D&G) have long been used in treatment of angina and other cardiac symptoms in Chinese materia medica. Recent pharmacological studies suggest their therapeutic values. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Salvia miltiorrhiza (danshen) and Pueraria lobata (gegen) in secondary prevention.

Smoking without exception adversely affects vascular structure and function in apparently healthy Chinese: implications in global atherosclerosis prevention.

Background: Both active and passive smoking are prevalent in China but cardiovascular diseases were less prevalent in the past. We studied the current relationship between surrogate atherosclerosis markers and smoking in Chinese.

Methods: Endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of brachial artery and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured non-invasively by ultrasound in 616 apparently healthy Chinese (23% smokers), recruited from greater China and the USA.

Carotid intima media thickness predicts cardiovascular diseases in Chinese predialysis patients with chronic kidney disease.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a high risk for cardiovascular disease. Ultrasound measurements of the intima media thickness (IMT) in the carotid arteries is a strong predictor for cardiovascular events in the general population and dialysis patients. However, it is unclear whether carotid IMT is useful for the prediction of cardiovascular events in predialysis patients with CKD.

Associations of apolipoprotein E exon 4 and lipoprotein lipase S447X polymorphisms with acute ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction.

Background: Because apolipoprotein E (apoE) and lipopoprotein lipase (LPL) polymorphisms interact with each other and with other factors to affect lipid metabolism, we sought to determine their separate and combined effects in association with ischemic vascular disease.

Methods: We performed a case-control study of 816 subjects: 246 acute ischemic stroke patients, 234 acute myocardial infarction patients, and 336 controls. APOE exon 4 and LPL S447X genotypes were determined.