Post-challenge hyperglycaemia is strongly associated with future macrovascular events and total mortality in angiographied coronary patients.

Aims: The prevalence of post-challenge hyperglycaemia in coronary patients is high. Until now, it is unclear whether post-challenge hyperglycaemia is associated with an increased risk for future macrovascular events in this clinically important patient population.

Methods And Results: We enrolled 1040 patients undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of suspected or established coronary artery disease.

Diabetes as a coronary artery disease risk equivalent: before a change of paradigm?

Background: Current guidelines consider diabetes per se as a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk equivalent. We aimed at investigating the contribution of baseline coronary atherosclerosis to the risk of diabetic patients for future vascular events.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Factors predicting cardiovascular events in statin-treated diabetic and non-diabetic patients with coronary atherosclerosis.

Objective: We aimed at identifying which lipid factors drive vascular risk in statin-treated patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: We recorded vascular events over 5.6 years in 491 consecutive statin-treated patients with angiographically proven stable CAD, covering 2750 patient-years.

Effectiveness of atrial fibrillation as an independent predictor of death and coronary events in patients having coronary angiography.

The impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on future coronary events is uncertain. In particular, the prognostic impact of AF in the clinically important population of coronary patients who undergo angiography is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) the prevalence of AF, (2) its association with coronary atherosclerosis, and (3) its impact on future coronary events in patients who undergo angiography.

Key role of postchallenge hyperglycemia for the presence and extent of coronary atherosclerosis: an angiographic study.

Background: The associations between impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and postchallenge diabetes with the presence and extent of angiographically characterized coronary atherosclerosis are unclear.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 1040 consecutive Caucasian patients undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). An oral 75-g glucose tolerance test was performed in patients without previously diagnosed diabetes.

Low serum adiponectin is independently associated with both the metabolic syndrome and angiographically determined coronary atherosclerosis.

Background: We aimed at investigating serum adiponectin in patients with the metabolic syndrome (MetS), in patients with angiographically diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD), and in patients who had both, the MetS and CAD.

Methods: We enrolled 687 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of CAD.

Results: From our patients, 178 had neither the MetS (Adult Treatment Panel III definition) nor significant CAD (MetS-/CAD-), 91 had the MetS, but not significant CAD (MetS+/CAD-), 251 did not have the MetS but had significant CAD (MetS-/CAD+), and 167 had both, the MetS and significant CAD (MetS+/CAD+).

The -11377 C>G promoter variant of the adiponectin gene, prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis, and incidence of vascular events in men.

No prospective data demonstrating an association between the -11377 C > G adiponectin gene promoter variant and cardiovascular risk are available. We therefore prospectively evaluated the cardiovascular risk associated with adiponectin gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including SNP -11377 in a consecutive series of men undergoing coronary angiography. We recorded vascular events over four years in 402 men undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease.

Relationship between glomerular filtration rate and the adipokines adiponectin, resistin and leptin in coronary patients with predominantly normal or mildly impaired renal function.

Background: Due to their molecular weight, it is possible that the adipokines adiponectin, resistin and leptin accumulate when glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is decreased. In reduced renal clearance, altered serum concentrations of these proteins might affect cardiovascular risk. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between adipokine concentrations and GFR.

Evaluation of two fully automated novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the determination of human adiponectin in serum.

Background: In contrast to RIA, recently available ELISAs provide the potential for fully automated analysis of adiponectin. To date, studies reporting on the diagnostic characteristics of ELISAs and investigating on the relationship between ELISA- and RIA-based methods are rare.

Methods: Thus, we established and evaluated a fully automated platform (BEP 2000; Dade-Behring, Switzerland) for determination of adiponectin levels in serum by two different ELISA methods (competitive human adiponectin ELISA; high sensitivity human adiponectin sandwich ELISA; both Biovendor, Czech Republic).

Adult Treatment Panel III 2001 but not International Diabetes Federation 2005 criteria of the metabolic syndrome predict clinical cardiovascular events in subjects who underwent coronary angiography.

Objective: The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has recently established a worldwide consensus definition of the metabolic syndrome. No prospective data are available on the cardiovascular risk associated with this new metabolic syndrome definition.

Research Design And Methods: In a prospective study of 750 coronary patients, we recorded vascular events over 4 years.

The metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk in diabetic and nondiabetic patients.

Context: The contribution of insulin resistance per se to the vascular risk conferred by the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is not known; conversely, it is uncertain whether insulin resistance confers vascular risk beyond the entity of the MetS.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the MetS (Adult Treatment Panel III criteria) and insulin resistance (as estimated by the homeostasis model assessment index) on the incidence of vascular events.

Design And Patients: This was a prospective cohort study enrolling 750 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease.

Is atherosclerosis in diabetes and impaired fasting glucose driven by elevated LDL cholesterol or by decreased HDL cholesterol?

Objective: To evaluate the atherogenicity of lipids in coronary patients with normal fasting glucose (NFG), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and type 2 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Serum lipid values, the presence of angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) at baseline, and the incidence of vascular events over 2.3 years were recorded in 750 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography.