Combined therapy with simvastatin and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells increases benefits in infarcted swine hearts.

Objective: Widespread death of implanted cells hampers stem cell therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Based on the pleiotropic beneficial effects of statins, we examined whether simvastatin (SIMV) increased the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation after AMI.

Methods And Results: Chinese miniswine (n=28) were randomized to 1 of 4 groups (n=7 per group): control, SIMV (0.

ST-elevated acute myocardial infarction happening 1 month post stent implantation: late thrombosis in-stents or new lesions?

Background: ST-elevated acute myocardial infarction (STEAMI) happening in the first month post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is almost related to acute thrombosis or subacute thrombosis in-stents. This study aimed to investigate the possible causes of myocardial infarction one month later.

Methods: Patients who had a history of successful PCI, and received coronary angiography or re-PCI due to STEAMI were included in this study.

[A comparative study of in-stent restenosis after drug eluting stents].

Objective: To compare the long-term effect of three different drug-eluting stents (DES) for in-stent restenotic lesions.

Methods: From April 2004 to June 2006, 390 consecutive patients undergoing DES implantation including 187 Cypher (group C), 89 Taxus (group T) and 114 Firebird (group F) with resulting in-stent restenotic lesions were studied. A mean of 2 year clinical and 7-month angiographic follow-up was carried out.

Long-term clinical efficacy of cutting balloon angioplasty followed by bare metal stent implantation for treating ostial left anterior descending artery lesions.

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) are superior to bare metal stents (BMS) for treating ostial left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesions, but DES is not suitable for all patients in real life practice.

Hypothesis: We hypothesize that cutting balloon angioplasty (CBA) followed by BMS (CBA + BMS) for treating ostial LAD lesions is an alternative strategy.

Methods: In our study, 101 consecutive patients (51 with DES and 50 with CBA + BMS) with ostial LAD stenting were included for retrospective investigation between November 2003 and May 2005.

Safety and efficacy of biodegradable polymer-coated sirolimus-eluting stents in "real-world" practice: 18-month clinical and 9-month angiographic outcomes.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a biodegradable polymer-coated sirolimus-eluting stent (Excel, JW Medical System, Weihai, China) with 6-month dual antiplatelet therapy in daily practice.

Background: It has been hypothesized that persistent presence of polymer may compromise the safety of drug-eluting stents, and that therefore biodegradable polymer coatings might reduce late adverse events.

Methods: Between June and November 2006, 2,077 patients, exclusively treated with Excel stents at 59 centers from 4 countries, were enrolled in this prospective, multicenter registry.

Perspective on bifurcation PCI.

Coronary bifurcation lesion is a complex lesion with suboptimal angiographic and clinical results. There has been no satisfactory classification of the lesion that can guide selection of strategies and predict short- and long-term outcomes. The difference between left main (LM) bifurcation lesions and non-LM bifurcation is striking.

Comparison of drug-eluting stents and coronary artery bypass surgery for the treatment of multivessel coronary disease: three-year follow-up results from a single institution.

Background: Numerous studies have compared the outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and coronary stenting for the treatment of multivessel coronary disease. In 2003, drug-eluting stents were introduced with the hope of reducing restenosis. However, limited information exists on the comparison of drug-eluting stents and CABG surgery.

Long-term clinical outcomes after bioabsorbable polymer- and durable polymer-based sirolimus-eluting stents implantation: two-year follow-up results from a large single-center database.

Background: Several clinical trials have shown that sirolimus-eluting stents significantly reduce the risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The FIREBIRD stent (coated with durable polymer) and the EXCEL stent (coated with bioabsorbable polymer) are two different types of sirolimus-eluting stents made in China; both have been approved for clinical use in China by the State Food and Drug Administration. The mid-term (6-month) angiographic and clinical results of both stents have been confirmed exciting perspective outcomes.

Long-term follow-up of crush versus no crush technique for coronary artery bifurcation lesions.

Background: Lesions at coronary bifurcations always are a big challenge for interventionists even with the advent of drug eluting stents (DES). Even as more clinical trials are published, operators still can not confirm that one strategy is more efficient than another. Selection of patients and short term follow-up contribute to the difficulty in comparing strategies.

Two-year clinical outcome after successful implantation of drug-eluting and bare metal stents in diabetic patients: results from a real-world single center registry.

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) have revolutionized the field of interventional cardiology by dramatically improving clinical and angiographic outcomes. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are associated with an increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Available information on the efficacy and safety of DES and bare metal stent (BMS) in diabetic patients remains scarce.

Evidence-based medication use among Chinese patients with acute coronary syndromes at the time of hospital discharge and 1 year after hospitalization: results from the Clinical Pathways for Acute Coronary Syndromes in China (CPACS) study.

Background: Coronary heart disease has emerged as a leading cause of death in China. Although there is strong evidence for the use of antiplatelet, blood pressure-lowering, and lipid-lowering therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes, the extent to which these medications are used in China remains uncertain.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective study using data from consecutive patients diagnosed with suspected acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris admitted to the inpatient wards during the recruitment period.

Implantation of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells into ischemic myocardium enhances coronary capillaries and systolic function in miniswine.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effectiveness of intracoronary implantation of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) in miniswine model of reperfused myocardial infarction.

Methods: Sixteen miniswine myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury models made by ligation of the distal one third segment of left anterior descending artery for 90 minutes were randomized into 2 groups. In BM-MNC group (n = 9), (3.

[Outcome of patients implanted with bioabsorbable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (Excel) and the durable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (Cypher)].

Objective: To compare the outcome of patients with coronary artery disease implanted with bioabsorbable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (Excel) and the durable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (Cypher).

Methods: One year clinical and 7 months angiographic follow-up data were analyzed in 591 consecutive patients implanted with Excel (E group: n = 350, 58.1 +/- 10.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in China: data from the China National Nutrition and Health Survey 2002.

Background: The present article aims to provide accurate estimates of the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in adults in China.

Methods And Results: Data were obtained from sphygmomanometer measurements and an administered questionnaire from 141 892 Chinese adults >/=18 years of age who participated in the 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey. In 2002, approximately 153 million Chinese adults were hypertensive.

Clinical and angiographic characteristics of premenopausal women with coronary artery disease.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is generally considered as a disease of middle-aged men. It is widely accepted that the risk for CAD of premenopausal women is low because of hormone protection. Based on our clinical experience, more and more premenopausal women suffer from angina and myocardial infarction without adequate concern.

[Impact of viable myocardium assessed by 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT and 18F-FDG PET imaging on clinical outcome of patients with left ventricular aneurysm underwent revascularization].

Objective: To evaluate the impact of viable myocardium assessed by (99)Tc()m-MIBI SPECT and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET imaging in patients with left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) underwent revascularization (RVS).

Methods: Forty-six consecutive patients with LVA (mean LVEF 36% +/- 7%), underwent (99)Tc(m)-sestamibi SPECT and (18)F-FDG PET examinations and received RVS therapy, were followed-up for a mean period of 80 +/- 27 months. Viable myocardium in aneurysm was defined as perfusion-metabolism mismatch score (MMS) >/= 2.

[Outcome of patients with coronary artery disease underwent carotid artery stenting before coronary artery bypass surgery.].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of carotid artery stenting before open heart surgery.

Methods: Patients with heart disease and severe carotid artery stenosis received carotid stenting before open heart surgery were included in this prospective cohort study. The incidence of stroke, myocardial infarction and death from carotid stenting to 30 days after cardiac surgery was assessed.

[Efficacy comparison between drug-eluting stents versus cutting balloon angioplasty followed by bare metal stents for the treatment of ostial lesions of the left anterior descending coronary artery].

Objective: To compare the short and long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DES) versus cutting balloon angioplasty followed by bare metal stents (CBA + BMS) for the treatment of ostial lesions of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD).

Methods: A total of 51 consecutive patients with LAD ostial lesions were treated by DES and all patients had completed 2-year clinical follow-up, 50 consecutive patients with LAD ostial lesions treated by CBA + BMS and followed up for 2 years prior to the DES era (May 2000 to November 2003) served as control group.

Results: In DES group, one patient experienced acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during hospitalization, the in-hospital major adverse cardiac event (MACE) was 1.

[Dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficiency of the dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and estimate the difference between provokable obstruction and resting obstruction in these patients.

Methods: Echocardiography was performed in 22 patients with HCM (LVOTPG < 50 mm Hg at rest, 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) at rest and at the end point of dobutamine stress.

[The Val606Met mutation of human beta myosin heavy chain in a Chinese familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy family].

Objective: To explore the disease-causing gene mutation in Chinese families with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and to analyze the correlation between the genotype and phenotype.

Methods: Samples of peripheral blood were collected from three Chinese families with HCM (at least two HCM patients existed/family). The exons in the functional regions of the beta myosin heavy chain gene (MYH7) were amplified with PCR and the products were sequenced.

[Effects of treating ostial left anterior descending artery stenosis by drug eluting stents via precisely positioning or crossing over into left main stem].

Objective: To compare the effect of treating ostial left anterior descending artery (LAD) stenosis using drug-eluting stents (DES) by precisely positioning versus crossing over into left main (LM) technique.

Methods: From April 2004 to May 2006, DES implantations in 224 consecutive patients with ostial LAD lesions were performed by precisely positioning in 161 patients (P group) and crossing over into LM in 63 patients (C group). Clinical and angiographic follow-up was performed at 7 months post DES implantations.