T-Cell Mineralocorticoid Receptor Deficiency Attenuates Pathologic Ventricular Remodelling After Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists have been widely used to treat heart failure (HF). Studies have shown that MR in T cells plays important roles in hypertension and myocardial hypertrophy. However, the function of T-cell MR in myocardial infarction (MI) has not been elucidated.

CASZ1 loss-of-function mutation contributes to familial dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: The zinc finger transcription factor CASZ1 plays a key role in cardiac development and postnatal adaptation, and in mice, deletion of the CASZ1 gene leads to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, in humans whether genetically defective CASZ1 contributes to DCM remains unclear.

Methods: The coding exons and splicing junction sites of the CASZ1 gene were sequenced in 138 unrelated patients with idiopathic DCM.

TBX5 loss-of-function mutation contributes to atrial fibrillation and atypical Holt-Oram syndrome.

Previous genome-wide association studies have demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphisms in T‑box (TBX)5 are associated with increased susceptibility to atrial fibrillation (AF), and a recent study has causally linked a TBX5 mutation to atypical Holt-Oram syndrome and paroxysmal AF. However, the prevalence and spectrum of TBX5 mutations in patients with AF remain to be elucidated. In the present study, a cohort of 190 unrelated patients with idiopathic AF were prospectively recruited, with 400 unrelated healthy individuals recruited as controls.

A HAND2 Loss-of-Function Mutation Causes Familial Ventricular Septal Defect and Pulmonary Stenosis.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common developmental abnormality, and is the leading noninfectious cause of mortality in neonates. Increasing evidence demonstrates that genetic defects play an important role in the pathogenesis of CHD. However, CHD exhibits substantial heterogeneity, and the genetic determinants for CHD remain unknown in the overwhelming majority of cases.

A Novel TBX1 Loss-of-Function Mutation Associated with Congenital Heart Disease.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent type of birth defect in humans and is the leading non-infectious cause of infant death worldwide. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that genetic defects play an important role in the pathogenesis of CHD. However, CHD is a genetically heterogeneous disease and the genetic basis underpinning CHD in an overwhelming majority of patients remains unclear.

TBX5 loss-of-function mutation contributes to familial dilated cardiomyopathy.

The cardiac T-box transcription factor TBX5 is crucial for proper cardiovascular development, and mutations in TBX5 have been associated with various congenital heart diseases and arrhythmias in humans. However, whether mutated TBX5 contributes to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) remains unclear. In this study, the coding exons and flanking introns of the TBX5 gene were sequenced in 190 unrelated patients with idiopathic DCM.

Traditional chinese medicine tongxinluo improves cardiac function of rats with dilated cardiomyopathy.

The study aimed at testing the hypothesis that tongxinluo capsule might exert its cardioprotective effect by preventing ventricular remodeling and improving coronary microvascular function in a rat model of doxorubicin-induced dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Rats that survived DCM induction were randomly divided into three groups to be given 1.5 g·kg(-1)·day(-1) (TXL-H, n = 9) or 0.

A novel NKX2.5 loss-of-function mutation associated with congenital bicuspid aortic valve.

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common form of congenital cardiovascular defect in humans and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidence demonstrates that genetic risk factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of BAV. However, BAV is a genetically heterogenous disorder, and the genetic defects underpinning BAV in most patients remain to be identified.

Safety and effectiveness of drug-eluting stents in Chinese patients with coronary artery disease with off- and on-label indications: results from a single-centre registry.

Background: Off-label use of drug-eluting stents (DES) is more common than on-label use and may be associated with a persistently higher rate of adverse angiographic and clinical outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of unrestricted use of DES in everyday practice in a Chinese population.

Methods: Between January 2004 and May 2009, we retrospectively enrolled 1209 consecutive patients who received DES in our single centre.

Clinical characteristics associated with high on-treatment platelet reactivity of patients undergoing PCI after a 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel, measured by thrombelastography.

Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin is the standard of care for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics associated with high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) of patients undergoing PCI after a 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel, measured by thrombelastography (TEG).

Methods And Results: 394 consecutive patients were enrolled in this prospective observational study.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis after percutaneous coronary intervention: which drug is the culprit?

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a serious, usually drug-induced, dermatosis characterized by extensive erythema, necrosis, bullous detachment of the epidermis, constitutional symptoms, and visceral involvement. We report a 62-year-old man who was diagnosed TEN after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). After consulting with a cardiologist, all pre-hospital medication was discontinued except clopidogrel.

Eighteen-month clinical safety and efficacy outcomes of sirolimus-, paclitaxel- and zotarolimus-drug eluting stents in diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for complex coronary artery stenosis.

Introduction: This was a single centre registry study on clinical efficacy and safety of drug-eluting stent (DES) in diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for complex coronary lesions.

Materials And Methods: A total of 288 diabetic patients who underwent elective PCI between September 2003 and June 2006 in our centre were enrolled and followed-up for 18 months. Among them, 79 (27.

A novel drug-eluting stent using bioabsorbable polymer technology: two-year follow-up of the CURAMI registry.

Background: There are safety concerns on drug-eluting stents (DESs) using durable polymer. The long-term outcome of next generation DESs using bioabsorbable polymer technology remains unknown.

Methods: From March to June, 2005, a novel sirolimus-eluting (170 microg/cm2), bioabsorbable polymer (PLA and PLGA, eroded over 45 days) coated stent was implanted for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 49 patients (male 86%, age 55+10 years, diabetes 31%).