Impaired Right Ventricular Mechanics at Rest and During Exercise Are Associated With Exercise Capacity in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background Impaired right ventricular ( RV ) function indicates RV involvement in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ( HCM ). We aimed to assess RV function at rest and during exercise in HCM patients and to examine the association between impaired RV mechanics and exercise capacity. Methods and Results A total of 76 HCM patients (48 without and 28 with RV hypertrophy) and 30 age- and sex-matched controls were prospectively recruited.

Decreased biventricular mechanics and functional reserve in nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients: implications for exercise capacity.

The present study investigated the changes of biventricular mechanics at rest and during exercise and examined the association between exercise capacity and biventricular mechanics and functional reserve in nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (NHCM) patients. A total of 50 NHCM patients and 25 controls were consecutively recruited for this study. Using echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging, an experienced echocardiographer determined the following indices: RV free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS), LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), strain rate (SR), and functional reserve of strain values.

A Simplified Ultrasound Comet Tail Grading Scoring to Assess Pulmonary Congestion in Patients with Heart Failure.

Ultrasound lung comets (ULCs) are a nonionizing bedside approach to assess extravascular lung water. We evaluated a protocol for grading ULC score to estimate pulmonary congestion in heart failure patients and investigated clinical and echocardiographic correlates of the ULC score. Ninety-three patients with congestive heart failure, admitted to the emergency department, underwent pulmonary ultrasound and echocardiography.

High-Resolution Transthoracic Ultrasonography for Assessment of Pleural Lines in Patients With Dyspnea With CT Comparison: An Observational Study.

Objectives: Detection of B-line in dyspneic patients is often accompanied by abnormal changes of pleural line on transthoracic ultrasonography (TUS). The aim of the study was to evaluate the relevance and diagnostic performance of pleural line abnormalities and B-lines detected on high-resolution TUS against the computed tomography (CT) findings.

Methods: Transthoracic ultrasonography was performed in patients admitted to the emergency department with dyspnea.

Integrative Cardiopulmonary Ultrasound for Interstitial Lung Disease Assessment: Correlation between Lung Ultrasound Performance and Cardiac Involvement.

The aims of this study were to apply integrative cardiopulmonary ultrasound (thoracic ultrasound) to the evaluation of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and to determine the relationship between lung ultrasound signs and echocardiographic parameters such as systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) and various right ventricular parameters. ILD patients and healthy controls underwent lung ultrasound (LUS) and echocardiographic tests. In addition to traditional echocardiographic parameters, right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain (RVLS_FW) was measured using 2-D speckle-tracking echocardiography.

Effect of switching from treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogs to pegylated interferon α-2a on virological and serological responses in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of switching to pegylated interferon-α-2a (PegIFNα-2a) treatment in nucleos(t)ide analog (NA)-treated chronic hepatitis B (CHB) responder patients.

Methods: A 48-wk prospective and retrospective treatment trial of NA-treated CHB patients who had received entecavir (ETV) for at least 48 wk and had serum hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA < 500 IU/mL, serum hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg) < 100 S/CO, serum alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels < 2 × the upper limit of normal of 40 IU/L was performed. The effects on virological and serological responses and adverse reactions to 0.

In vitro characterization and inhibition of the interaction between ciprofloxacin and berberine against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Ciprofloxacin is a quinolone antibiotic used to treat Klebsiella pneumoniae infections in the clinic. Previous studies have demonstrated that berberine exhibits antibacterial activity and less acquired resistance related to efflux pumps. The multidrug efflux pump acrAB-tolC can be stimulated to expel as much toxic material as possible from the cells, but a detrimental effect can be produced owing to an overcrowded periplasm with excess expression products, which inhibits bacterial growth.

Vitamin D Level is Associated with Increased Left Ventricular Mass and Arterial Stiffness in Older Patients with Impaired Renal Function.

BACKGROUND Impaired renal function is common among older patients. Deficiency of vitamin D is a frequent phenomenon among patients with impaired renal function, who are likely to develop cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to explore the association of 25 (OH) D levels with left ventricular mass and arterial stiffness in older patients with impaired renal function.

Effects of entecavir and lamivudine for hepatitis B decompensated cirrhosis: meta-analysis.

Aim: To compare the effects of entecavir (ETV) and lamivudine (LAM) for the treatment of hepatitis B decompensated cirrhosis using a meta-analysis.

Methods: We conducted a literature search for all eligible studies published prior to May 30, 2013 using PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the VIP database, the Wanfang database and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ETV with LAM for the treatment of hepatitis B decompensated cirrhosis were included.

Effects of telbivudine and entecavir for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B: a meta-analysis.

Aim: To compare the effects of telbivudine (LDT) and entecavir (ETV) in treatment of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B by meta-analysis.

Methods: We conducted a literature search using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the VIP database, the Wanfang database and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register for all relevant articles published before April 1, 2012. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing LDT with ETV for treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B were included.

[Relationship between the genetic polymorphism of CYP3A5 gene and the clinical response to bicyclol in chronic hepatitis B].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the genetic polymorphisms of CYP3A5 and the clinical effectiveness of Bicyclol on patients with chronic hepatitis B to make individual medication possible.

Methods: 34 cases of chronic hepatitis B were treated by bicyclol tablets for 24 weeks. Liver function indexes (ALT and AST) were determined before and after treatment.

[Clinical observation of liver damages in epidemic hemorrhagic fever].

Objective: To study the changes in liver function in patients with epidemic hemorrhagic fever (EHF).

Method: A retrospective analysis of the laboratory tests of liver function in 103 patients with EHF and control subjects was carried out.

Results: The alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum bilirubin (SB) and albumin levels in patients with severe and critical liver damages significantly differed from those in milder cases, and more sever liver damages were found in the death cases of EHF than in survived patients in terms of ALT and SB increment (P=0.