Analysis of clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary hypertension in Chaya County, Chamdo, Tibet.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a critical health issue marked by high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, with limited data on its clinical characteristics in the Tibetan population. The objective of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics of PH patients among Tibetan population residing in Chaya County, Changdu, Tibet.

Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Ultrasound Microvessel Visualization in Cervical Cancer: Association Between Novel Ultrasound Techniques and Histologic Microvessel Densities.

Objective: The aim of the work described here was to evaluate the feasibility of superb microvascular imaging (SMI) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-targeted microbubble (MB)-based ultrasound molecular imaging (USMI) for visualizing microvessels in cervical cancer.

Methods: Hela cells were used to establish subcutaneous cervical cancer models. SMI and MB-based USMI were performed, and the results were compared with intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) in four groups based on tumor diameter (<3 mm, 3-5 mm, 5-7 mm and ≥7 mm).

Relationship Between Symptom Burden and Self-Management Among Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a cardiovascular disease that seriously jeopardizes global human health. Studies indicate that good self-management can be effective in controlling disease symptoms. However, there is still insufficient evidence on the association between self-management and symptom burden among CHF patients.

Apolipoprotein B is associated with CT-angiographic progression beyond low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Accumulating evidence indicated that apolipoprotein B (apoB) was the principal lipid determinant of coronary artery disease (CAD). Nevertheless, the connection between apoB and angiographic progression of CAD remained undetermined.

Methods: Five hundred and forty-four CAD patients with twice coronary computed tomography angiography experiences were enrolled.

lncRNA NBR2 attenuates angiotensin II-induced myocardial hypertrophy through repressing ER stress via activating LKB1/AMPK/Sirt1 pathway.

Myocardial hypertrophy leads to heart failure (HF), and emerging researchers have illustrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) modulate myocardial hypertrophy. Here, we explored the role and mechanism of a novel lncRNA, NBR2, in modulating angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced myocardial hypertrophy. First, we examined plasma NBR2 levels in 25 patients with HF and myocardial hypertrophy and ten healthy donors and analyzed the correlation between NBR2 profiles and patients' clinical indicators.

Association of serum sclerostin and osteoprotegerin levels with the presence, severity and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Bone-related proteins (such as sclerostin and osteoprotegerin [OPG]) are involved in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between bone-related proteins and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been extensively evaluated. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of serum sclerostin and OPG with the presence, severity and prognosis in patients with AMI.

Association of Atherogenic Index of Plasma With Angiographic Progression in Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease.

The present study aimed to explore the correlation of atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) with angiographic progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). AIP was defined as the base 10 logarithm of the ratio of the triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration. The extent of coronary lesion was assessed by the Gensini Score (GS) system and angiographic progression was defined as the GS rate of change per year >1 point.

Folic Acid Attenuates Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With Hyperhomocysteinemia Undergoing Coronary Catheterization: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for contrast-induced nephropathy. Folic acid can attenuate such nephropathies in rats. The protective effect of folic acid against contrast-induced nephropathy has not been studied in humans.

Elevated serum lipoprotein(a) is significantly associated with angiographic progression of coronary artery disease.

Background: Lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)] has been considered as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study aimed to evaluate the association between baseline serum Lp(a) and CAD progression determined by angiographic score.

Methods: A total of 814 patients who had undergone two or more coronary computed tomography angiography at least 6 months apart were consecutively enrolled and the coronary severity was determined by the Gensini score system.

Lacidipine Ameliorates the Endothelial Senescence and Inflammatory Injury Through CXCR7/P38/C/EBP-β Signaling Pathway.

Lacidipine, a third-generation calcium channel blocker, exerts beneficial effects on the endothelium of hypertensive patients in addition to blood pressure lowering. However, the detailed mechanism underlying Lacidipine-related endothelial protection is still elusive. Sixteen spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs) were randomly divided into two groups: Lacidipine-treated SHR group and saline-treated control group.

Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors for the Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence After Ablation - A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence remains a tricky problem in patients undergoing ablation. This meta-analysis aimed to summarize the current literature to clarify whether renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASIs) prevent AF recurrence after ablation.

Methods and results: Relevant studies were searched on Pubmed and EMBASE through December 2019.