Minimally invasive thoracoscopic left atrial appendage occlusion compared with transcatheter left atrial appendage closure for stroke prevention in recurrent nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients after radiofrequency ablation: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Tanscatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) closure and minimally invasive thoracoscopic LAA occlusion are local interventions of LAA for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). However, the safety and efficacy of these methods have not been compared. This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of those two treatment approaches for stroke prevention in NVAF patients.

Differential Impact of Cigarette Smoking on Prognosis in Women and Men Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

We sought to compare the effects of smoking on clinical outcomes in women and men with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We prospectively followed up 10 369 patients undergoing elective PCI. All patients were stratified according to smoking status and sex.

Remnant lipoproteins play an important role of in-stent restenosis in type 2 diabetes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a single-centre observational cohort study.

Background: Increasing evidence has suggested that the presence of remnant lipoproteins is a significant risk factor for atherosclerosis. Remnant lipoproteins are lipoproteins that are rich in triglycerides (TGs), and the main components include very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in the fasting state. Diabetic patients often have hypertriglyceridemia with elevated levels of VLDL cholesterol but normal levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).

Association between baseline platelet count and severe adverse outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: The aim is to evaluate the association between baseline platelet count (PC) and severe adverse outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in current real-world practice.

Methods: A total of 18,788 patients underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents constituted the study population. Patients were categorized as having low (< 150 × 1000/µL), normal (150-300 × 1000/µL), and high (≥ 300 × 1000/µL) baseline PC.

New predictors of in-stent restenosis in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) had become the major therapeutic procedure for coronary artery disease (CAD), but the high rate of in-stent restenosis (ISR) still remained an unsolved clinical problem in clinical practice. Increasing evidences suggested that diabetes mellitus (DM) was a major risk factor for ISR, but the risk predictors of ISR in CAD patients with DM had not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and angiographic characteristic predictors significantly associated with the occurrence of ISR in diabetic patients following coronary stenting with drug-eluting stent (DES).

[Shugan Yiyang Capsules for the treatment of asthenospermia: A clinical study].

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of Shugan Yiyang Capsules in the treatment of asthenospermia and its action mechanisms.

Methods: We randomly assigned 135 asthenospermia patients to groups A (n = 47), B (n = 45), and C (n = 43) to be treated with Shugan Yiyang Capsules, oral levocarnitine, or combination of the two. We observed sperm quality and the level of α-glucosidase in the seminal plasma before and after medication.

Body Mass Index and Repeat Revascularization After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Meta-analysis.

Background: The effect of obesity on restenosis in patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been fully understood. We undertook a meta-analysis for the effects of body mass index (BMI) on repeat revascularization in these patients.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted for published studies in OVID/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library databases from 1980 to October, 2014.

The effect of intravenous vitamin C infusion on periprocedural myocardial injury for patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: This small study has determined the effect of vitamin C on myocardial reperfusion in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study was to explore whether antioxidant vitamin C infusion before the procedure is able to affect the incidence of periprocedural myocardial injury (PMI) in patients undergoing PCI.

Methods: In this prospective single-centre randomized study, 532 patients were randomized into 2 groups: the vitamin C group, which received a 3-g vitamin C infusion within 6 hours before PCI, and a control group, which received normal saline.

Relaxant effects of Aike Mixture on isolated bladder and prostatic urethral smooth muscle of rabbits.

Objective: To observe the relaxant effect of Aike Mixture (AKM) on isolated bladder and prostatic urethral smooth muscle of rabbits.

Methods: The isolated bladder and prostatic urethral smooth muscle from male rabbits were placed in a Magnus bath and smooth muscle contraction was measured using a biological signal acquisition and analysis system. The effects of AKM in combination with methoxyamine, carbachol and CaCl2 on the contractile tension of muscle strips were determined by cumulative dosing.

Safety and feasibility of repeated percutaneous transradial coronary intervention in the same route.

Background: The radial approach has been increasingly used as an alternative to femoral access. And more procedures using repeated transradial coronary intervention (r-TRI) are performed. However, few data about r-TRI has been obtained.

Effect of Aike Mixture on the inflammatory infiltration in patients with chronic prostatitis type III A.

Objective: To observe the effect of Aike Mixture (AKM) on prostatic inflammatory infiltration in patients with chronic prostatitis type III A (III A-CP/CPPS) and evaluate its anti-inflammatory action. METHODS METHODS: A total of 60 patients with III A-CP/CPPS suitable to operation and differentiated as Chinese medicine: Gan qi stagnancy syndrome type were selected. They were assigned with the random number table to two groups equally.

[Effects of bandage compression and the specific radial hemostasis in patients undergoing transradial coronary intervention].

Objective: To compare the effects of elastic bandage compression with the specific hemostasis devices in patients undergoing transradial coronary intervention.

Methods: A total of 3000 consecutive patients were randomized to 3 groups and 2910 patients completed the study, 963 patients in elastic bandage group (ER), 976 in T band group (TB) and 971 in balloon group (TR). In-hospital vascular related complication was the primary study endpoint.

[Randomized study on T stenting and small protrusion technique versus simple stenting for patients with coronary artery bifurcation lesions and with big size side branch].

Objective: To explore the feasibility and safety of T stenting and small protrusion (TAP) technique and compare the efficacy with simple stenting in patients with coronary bifurcation lesions and with big size side branch.

Methods: A total of 142 eligible patients were recruited and 127 patients completed the study (simple stenting group 58 and TAP technique group 69).

Results: Major adverse cardiovascular event rate was similar at 12 months follow up between the groups (TAP technique group 13.

[Safety and feasibility of transradial coronary angiography at the outpatient clinic].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of transradial coronary angiography at the outpatient clinic.

Methods: From February 2007 to June 2007, 100 outpatients who received transradial coronary angiography in Anzhen hospital were included in this analysis, 100 inpatients underwent coronary angiography were selected as control group. Primary endpoints included success rate, percent of angiographic catheter use with different diameters, adverse events during the procedure (such as death, malignant arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery spasm, coronary artery dissection, perforation or occlusion, etc.

[Comparison between drug eluting stent and coronary artery bypass grafting surgery for the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery disease in elderly patients].

Objective: To compare the 2 years outcome of elderly patients with ULMCA stenosis undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or drug eluting stent (DES).

Methods: From January 2004 to June 2006, 295 patients with ULMCA stenosis and age > or = 70 years undergoing coronary revascularization with either CABG (n = 206) or DES (n = 89) were enrolled in this analysis. All-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularization (TLR) were recorded during 2 years follow-up.

Feasibility and safety of transcatheter intervention for complex patent ductus arteriosus.

We evaluated the transcatheter intervention of complex patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in Chinese adults. Between January 2004 and April 2008, 112 adult patients (43 males, 69 females, mean age 31 +/- 19 years) underwent intervention. Coils were used for patients with small PDA, and Amplatzer duct occluders or China-made mushroom-shaped occluders were used for patients with moderate-to-large PDA.

[Effects of upstream tirofiban versus downstream tirofiban on platelet aggregation and clinical outcomes in patients with high-risk acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions].

Objective: To observe the effects of upstream versus downstream application of tirofiban on platelet aggregation and clinical outcomes (major adverse cardiovascular event, MACE) in patients with high-risk non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: From July 2006 to July 2007, 160 high-risk NSTE-ACS patients undergoing PCI were randomized to receive upstream (4-6 h prior PCI) tirofiban and downstream (immediately prior to PCI) tirofiban. Platelet aggregation inhibition was determined at admission, before coronary angiography and after PCI.

Comparison of drug-eluting stents and coronary artery bypass grafting for the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a strong predictor of mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), but the relative efficacy of the 2 revascularization strategies in this context remains unknown.

Methods And Results: The 1,069 patients with CKD undergoing revascularization for multivessel coronary disease were evaluated. Of them, 532 patients were treated for 2-vessel disease (97 CABG, 435 PCI) and 537 for 3-vessel disease (248 CABG, 289 PCI).

Impact of clopidogrel resistance on thrombotic events after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent.

Objectives: This study examines whether patient resistance to clopidogrel is associated with long-term thrombotic events after elective coronary drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 386 patients with stable angina who received elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with DES. Before the procedure, platelet reactivity was measured by light transmittance aggregometry (LTA) at baseline and approximately 24 h after the 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel.

A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial on the efficacy and cardiorenal safety of iodixanol vs. iopromide in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing coronary angiography with or without percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: This study was undertaken to compare the renal safety as well as cardiovascular (CV) effects and diagnostic image quality of iso-osmolar iodixanol vs. low-osmolar iopromide in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing coronary interventions.

Background: With the growing number of contrast-enhanced procedures being performed for coronary artery disease management, the safety and efficacy of iodinated contrast media (CM) have come under increased scrutiny.

Long-term outcome of patients of over 85 years old with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary stenting: a comparison of bare metal stent and drug eluting stent.

Background: Patients aged over 85 years have been under-represented in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) trials despite an increase in referrals for PCI. The long-term safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary stenting in patients aged over 85 years with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remain unclear. Moreover it is unknown whether there are differences between bare metal stent (BMS) and drug eluting stent (DES) in this special population.

Safety and feasibility of transradial approach for primary percutaneous coronary intervention in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Transradial coronary intervention has been widely used because of its effects in lowering the incidence of complications in vascular access site and improving patient satisfaction compared to the femoral approach. This study aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of transradial approach for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: A total of 103 consecutive elderly patients (age = 65 years) who were diagnosed as having AMI were indicated for PCI.

[Incidence and risk factors of acute radial artery occlusion following transradial percutaneous coronary intervention].

Objective: To elucidate the incidence and risk factors of acute radial artery occlusion (RAO) following transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (TRI).

Methods: A total of 7215 patients who underwent TRI were divided into normal group and RAO group, according to whether the patient without and with RAO. Risk factors of RAO were analyzed by logistic regression model.

[Aike mixture has good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects on mice].

Objective: To study the anti-inflammatory and analgesic actions of Aike Mixture (AKM).

Methods: A total of 100 male mice were randomly assigned into 5 groups: a normal control group, a drug control group (a hydrocortisone subgroup and an atropine subgroup), a high-dose AKM group, a mid-dose AKM group and a low-dose AKM group. Xylene was spread on the left ear of the experimental mice to induce inflammation, and 1% acetic acid solution injected into the abdominal cavity to produce pain so as to cause the body bend.