Increased incidence of coronary in-stent restenosis in type 2 diabetic patients is related to elevated serum malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been reported as a major risk factor for in-stent restenosis (ISR) after intracoronary stenting, although the details of the mechanisms remain undefined. The aim of present study was to investigate the diabetes-related risk factor for ISR.

Methods And Results: A total of 131 patients who were implanted with bare metal stent(s) were enrolled in this study.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent activation of akt, an essential signal for hyperthermia-induced heat-shock protein 72, is attenuated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic heart.

We tested the hypothesis that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase)-dependent activation of Akt is essential for the expression of cardiac heat-shock protein 72 (HSP72) and that this pathway is impaired in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic heart. STZ-induced male diabetic rats were treated with insulin (STZ-insulin group, n = 26) or vehicle (STZ-vehicle group, n = 61) for 3 weeks. Whole-body hyperthermia (43 degrees C for 20 min) was applied, and the heart was isolated 24 h later.

Microalbuminuria, cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction, and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Urinary albumin excretion/microalbuminuria and cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction are associated with high mortality in type 2 diabetic patients. We tested the hypothesis that the presence of microalbuminuria would correlate with cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients. The study group consisted of 15 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria (age: 56 +/- 10 years, mean +/- SD).

Regulation of QT indices mediated by autonomic nervous function in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Both the QT interval and QT dispersion in diabetic patients have been reported to increase with the progression of cardiac autonomic neuropathy and to have a prognostic value. We assessed the cardiac autonomic influences on QT indices using the measurements of baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, and cardiac (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphic findings in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Forty-two consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes (mean+/-SD: 54+/-10 years, 22 women and 20 men) were studied.

Improved hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy by left ventricular apex epicardial pacing.

We report a case of severe hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopahy (HOCM) that was markedly improved by left ventricular (LV) apex epicardial pacing. A 55-year-old woman with HOCM had suffered from dyspnea. Cardiac catheter examination showed a resting pressure gradient across the LV outflow tract of 198 mmHg despite combined medication.

Ischemia-induced translocation of protein kinase C-epsilon mediates cardioprotection in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat.

The present study investigated the role of translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) during ischemia/reperfusion in cardioprotection in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat. Twelve weeks after injection of STZ or vehicle, male Wister-King rat hearts were isolated and perfused in the presence or absence of 50 nmol/L staurosporine or 2 mumol/L chelerythrine using a Langendorff apparatus. Thirty minutes of global ischemia was followed by the same period of reperfusion.

Resveratrol, a red wine constituent polyphenol, prevents superoxide-dependent inflammatory responses induced by ischemia/reperfusion, platelet-activating factor, or oxidants.

Moderate consumption of red wine has been shown to exert cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion. Because oxidant-dependent leukocyte infiltration plays a critical role in ischemia/reperfusion-induced tissue injury, we hypothesized that resveratrol, a red wine constituent polyphenol would attenuate postischemic leukocyte recruitment and subsequent endothelial dysfunction. Intravital microscopic approaches were used to quantify leukocyte/endothelial cell interactions and venular protein leakage in rat mesenteries exposed to either 20 min ischemia and 60 min reperfusion (I/R), oxidants generated by the reaction of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase (HX/XO), platelet-activating factor (PAF), or leukotriene B4 (LTB4).

Bradykinin-induced proinflammatory signaling mechanisms.

Intravital microscopic techniques were used to examine the mechanisms underlying bradykinin-induced leukocyte/endothelial cell adhesive interactions (LECA) and venular protein leakage (VPL) in single postcapillary venules of the rat mesentery. The effects of bradykinin superfusion to increase LECA and VPL were prevented by coincident topical application of either a bradykinin-B(2) receptor antagonist, a cell-permeant superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic or antioxidant, or inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 epoxygenase (CYPE) or protein kinase C (PKC) but not by concomitant treatment with either SOD, a mast cell stabilizer, or inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase, xanthine oxidase, NADPH oxidase, or platelet-activating factor. Immunoneutralizing P-selectin or intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) completely prevented bradykinin-induced leukocyte adhesion and emigration but did not affect VPL.

Gender differences in various types of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate gender differences in the incidence and age distribution of various types of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (VT).

Methods And Results: We conducted a search of the medical literature on idiopathic VT. According to their site of origin, we divided the VTs into three types: right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT-VT), left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT-VT), and left ventricular (LV) septum (LV-VT).