Left atrial appendage closure in conjunction with radiofrequency ablation: Effects on left atrial functioning in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Objective: In the present study, we investigated the impact of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) following catheter ablation (CA) on the left atrial structure and functioning of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Patients with paroxysmal AF were enrolled in this single-center prospective cohort study between April 2015 and July 2021; 353 patients received CA alone, while 93 patients received CA in combination with Watchman LAAC. We used age, gender, CHA2DS2-VASc, and HAS-BLED scores as well as other demographic variables to perform propensity score matching.

JMJD5 attenuates oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion-induced injury in cardiomyocytes through regulation of HIF-1α-BNIP3.

Proteins in Jumonji family function as histone demethylases and participate in cardiac development. Jumonji domain containing 5 (JMJD5) is responsible for the embryonic development through removing methyl moieties from H3K36me2 histone, and has pro-proliferative effect on heart and eye development. However, the protective role of JMJD5 against oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced injury in cardiomyocytes has not been fully understood.

Thawing Rate Predicts Acute Pulmonary Vein Isolation after Second-Generation Cryoballoon Ablation.

Objective: To evaluate whether thawing rate could be a novel predictor of acute pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and explore the predictive value of thawing rate as a factor ensuring long-term PVI (vagus reflex).

Methods: A total of 151 patients who underwent cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) were enrolled in this retrospective study between January 2017 and June 2018. The thawing rate was calculated using the thawing phase of the cryoablation curve.

Value of cystatin C in predicting atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Backgroud: Recent studies have demonstrated that cystatin C is a valuable risk marker for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Therefore, we hypothesized that the pre-ablation cystatin C level was associated with post-ablation atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence.

Methods: 207 patients were enrolled and completed in this prospective observational study.

[The efficacy of antihypertensive treatment on diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance patients with blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg: a meta-analysis].

Objective: To investigate whether antihypertensive treatment is beneficial to patients with diabetes mellitus when their blood pressure (BP) is below 140/90 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa).

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, IPA database and secondary resources were searched with terms including blood pressure, hypertension and anti-hypertension drug.

[Cardiac protection from myocardial ischemic postconditioning and remote postconditioning during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits].

Objective: To observe whether there are some differences between myocardial postconditioning and remote postconditioning, and whether there is additional cardiac protection when they are used combined during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits.

Methods: Thirty healthy New Zealand rabbits which were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 5): ischemic control group (CON), sham operation group (Sham), myocardial postconditioning group (MPostC), remote postconditioning group (RPostC), myocardial postconditioning plus remote postconditioning group (MPostC + RPostC). Acute myocardial infarction was induced by 45 minutes occlusion on left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) and 2 hours reperfusion in all anesthetized open-chest rabbits except the Sham, the coronary occlusion and reperfusion were determined by changes of ECG and cardiac color.

[Effects of rabbit limbs ischemia/ reperfusion on myocardial necrosis and apoptosis].

Objective: To investigate the effects of rabbit limbs ischemia/reperfusion on myocardial necrosis and apoptosis in vivo.

Methods: Thirty-six healthy new zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) Sham group; (2) I/R(Ischemia/reperfusion) group; (3) RPostC (remote postconditioning) group. The activity of blood serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured at baseline, the end of ischemia after 60 min and 120 min of reperfusion respectively.

[Cardioprotective effects of limb ischemic postconditioning by different strength and time in rabbits].

Objective: In this study, we try to find the better protocol of limb ischemia postconditioning by observing different protective effects of limb ischemic postconditioning (different strength and time windows in rabbits).

Methods: 42 healthy New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 7 groups (n = 6): Sham; Control (CON); Skeletal muscle postconditioning (SP); 6 min-delayed skeletal muscle postconditioning (6M-DSP); 1 min-delayed skeletal muscle postconditioning (1M-DSP); Strengthen skeletal muscle postconditioning (SSP); Weakened skeletal muscle postconditioning (WSP). Acute ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model was induced by 45 minutes occlusion on left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) and 2 hours reperfusion in all anesthetized open-chest rabbits except the Sham.

Fractional systolic and diastolic pressures act as predictors of coronary artery disease.

Aims: This study was designed to determine if fractional systolic/diastolic pressures act as predictors of the extent of coronary artery disease.

Patients And Methods: A total of 545 consecutive patients (305 men, 240 women, with mean age 54.2 years) were involved in the study.

[Gene polymorphism of CYP450 2C9 and VKORC1 in Chinese population and their relationships to the maintaining dosage of warfarin].

Objective: To investigate the distribution of gene polymorphism of CYP450 2C9 and VKORC1-1639A/G in the Chinese population as well as the difference of genetic polymorphism between Chinese Han population and other ethnic populations. Contribution of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotype to the maintenance doses on warfarin was also studied.

Methods: The genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and compared with those in other populations.

[Impact of application time of aspirin and clopidogrel on platelet aggregation in patients with acute coronary syndrome].

Objective: To observe the impact of various application time of aspirin and clopidogrel on the circadian rhythm changes of platelet aggregation in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Methods: Patients with acute coronary syndrome were divided into day-time (8:00) and night-time (20:00) medication group (n = 15 each). After plasma concentration reached steady state, platelet aggregation was assessed at 5 time points within 24 hours with a mobile four-channel whole blood impedance aggregometer.

Statin therapy shortens QTc, QTcd, and improves cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure.

Although some data suggest that statins can improve cardiac mechanical function in some patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), the effects of long-term statin therapy on cardiac electrical instability remain unclear. We performed a randomized perspective analysis of the effects of 10 mg/d (statin group 1, n=40), 20 mg/d (statin group 2, n=38) of atorvastatin and controls (control group, n=41) on corrected QT intervals (QTc), corrected QT dispersion (QTcd) and cardiac function in patients with CHF secondary to coronary artery disease (CAD) for one year. At 6 and 12 months, the statin groups displayed lower QTc and QTcd compared with controls.

[Effects of remote preconditioning induced by skeletal muscle ischemia on myocardial cells apoptosis and roles of opioid receptors in pigs].

Aim: To investigate the effect on myocardial apoptosis and Bcl-2/Bax induced by remote preconditioning (RP) and to discuss the hypothesis from opioid receptors in pigs.

Methods: Skeletal muscle ischemia was performed in pigs by occlusion of the femoral artery (FAO) for 15 min followed by a 10 min of reperfusion. Infarction of the heart was induced by 40 min of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion followed by 120 min reperfusion.

Crosstalk between ERK1/2 and STAT3 in the modulation of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by cardiotrophin-1.

Background: The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway and the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway are the two major independent signal transduction pathways. However, it has recently been found that STAT3 may be negatively regulated by ERK1/2 in gp130-dependent signaling. Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a potent novel hypertrophic cytokine, depends on gp130 to induce signaling and depends on STAT3 to exert hypertrophic effect.

[Myocardial protection and mechanism of Puerarin Injection on patients of coronary heart disease with ischemia/reperfusion].

Objective: To explore the protective effect and the mechanism of Puerarin Injection (PI) on myocardial ischemia reperfusion in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and angina pectoris (AP).

Methods: Seventy-eight patients with AP planned to receive the PTCA and stenting treatment were randomly divided and single-blindedly into the conventional group and the PI group. Based on the conventional treatment and pre-operational preparation, the PI group was given 200 ml of PI by intravenous dripping once a day, beginning from one week before operation, but to the conventional group, normal saline was given for instead.