Primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma developed after receiving radiotherapy for left breast cancer 18 years prior.

The heart is an organ where primary malignant tumors rarely develop. In particular, the incidence of cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is extremely low. It has been reported that the risk of second malignant tumors in mediastinum is increased by radiotherapy in women with breast cancer.

Predictive value of serum dihomo-γ-linolenic acid level and estimated Δ-5 desaturase activity in patients with hepatic steatosis.

Background: Hepatic steatosis is considered one of the features of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism is modulated in obesity. However, it has yet to be fully elucidated whether a serum PUFA profile is associated with hepatic steatosis.

Impact of dyslipidemic components of metabolic syndrome, adiponectin levels, and anti-diabetes medications on malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein levels in statin-treated diabetes patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: A residual risk of cardiovascular disease tends to persist despite standard prevention therapy with statins. This may stem partly from increased oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. However, how oxidized LDL can be further reduced beyond statin therapy in high-risk diabetes patients remains unclear.

A case of a young, healthy woman with spontaneous coronary artery dissection associated with oral contraceptive use: Long-term residual dissection of the coronary artery.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome, typically affecting young, healthy women, particularly during the peripartum period. Oral contraceptive use is also recognized as a risk factor for SCAD. In the present report, we describe a case of a young woman with an anterior wall myocardial infarction caused by SCAD of the left anterior descending artery (LAD).

Predictive value of adiponectin in patients with multivessel coronary atherosclerosis detected on computed tomography angiography.

Aim: Multislice computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) can be used to detect coronary plaques that predict the risk of cardiovascular events. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with the extent of coronary plaques detected using CTCA and to determine the value of adiponectin measurement for identifying high-risk patients with multivessel coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: The study included 298 patients who underwent CTCA for coronary artery disease (CAD) screening between July 2008 and October 2011.

Cardiovascular risk management with liaison critical path in Japan: its effects on implementation of evidence-based prevention in practice.

Background: Liaison critical paths (LCPs) for coronary artery disease (CAD) were developed to support collaborative care for CAD patients between cardiologists in emergency hospitals and referring physicians through sharing of medical information, including cardioprotective medications and cardiovascular risk factors. However, little is known about the effects of LCPs in practice.

Methods: We conducted an observational study of CAD patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in our hospital between September 2007 and June 2010; these patients were managed with an LCP by referring physicians after discharge.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy presenting with syncope due to Torsades de pointes: a case of long QT syndrome with a novel KCNH2 mutation.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a cardiomyopathy of unknown cause that occurs in the peripartum period. We report a case of PPCM presenting with syncope 1 month after an uncomplicated delivery. Electrocardiography showed Torsades de pointes (TdP) and QT interval prolongation.

Combination of serum adiponectin level and metabolic syndrome is closely associated with coronary artery disease in Japanese subjects with good glycemic control.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and decreased adiponectin level have been reported to be clinically associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, it has not been fully defined whether they are associated with the severity of CAD, independent of hyperglycemia. In the current study, we investigated the clinical relationship between serum adiponectin level and MetS, and its association with the severity of CAD in patients with good glycemic control.

Comparison of eight- versus 16-slice multidetector-row computed tomography for visibility and image quality of coronary segments.

Ten patients who underwent conventional coronary angiography (CA) were examined with both 8- and 16-slice multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) angiography within 6 months, and visibility and image quality of 16-slice MDCT-CA were compared with those of 8-slice MDCT-CA directly. In 136 segments determined by conventional CA, 101 (74.3%) and 126 (92.

Clinical outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention with antecedent mutant t-PA administration for acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: We investigated the acute-phrase and chronic-phase outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with or without antecedent mutant tissue-type plasminogen (t-PA) administration.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients with a first AMI within 6 hours of onset were randomly assigned to the treatment group (1,600,000 IU IV monteplase, n = 19) or the nontreatment group (n = 20), followed by PCI. Clinical outcomes were then evaluated.

Comparison of visibility and diagnostic capability of noninvasive coronary angiography by eight-slice multidetector-row computed tomography versus conventional coronary angiography.

The usefulness of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) for visualization of coronary arteries has been reported; however, little is known about the diagnostic capability of noninvasive coronary angiography (CA) using 8-detector row CT. We investigated the visualization and diagnostic values of 8-slice MDCT-CA. Twenty-five consecutive patients who underwent conventional CA were investigated.

Betacellulin and amphiregulin induce upregulation of cyclin D1 and DNA synthesis activity through differential signaling pathways in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Activation of EGF receptors is closely involved in vascular proliferative diseases. The signaling mechanisms of EGF ligands, including betacellulin (BTC) and amphiregulin (AR), are poorly understood. We examined how BTC and AR induced DNA synthesis activity in primary cultures of human thoracic aortic smooth muscle cells (HTASMCs).