Intracoronary administration of nicorandil during primary percutaneous coronary intervention: Impact on restoration of regional myocardial perfusion in reperfused myocardium during the subacute phase of myocardial infarction.

Background: The impact of nicorandil as adjunctive therapy for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is controversial. We performed O-labeled water positron emission tomography (PET) to quantify regional myocardial perfusion in patients with STEMI who received nicorandil or no adjunctive therapy during PCI.

Methods: PCI was performed within 8 h after STEMI onset in 33 patients.

Prognostic value of circulating regulatory T cells for worsening heart failure in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in the negative regulation of immune responses. Recent studies suggest that Tregs are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and myocarditis. Here, we investigated the involvement of Tregs on worsening heart failure (HF) in patients with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF).