Detecting intimal tear and subintimal blood flow of thrombosed acute aortic dissection with ulcer-like projections using non-obstructive angioscopy.

A 73-year-old man reporting severe chest and back pain for 20 min was admitted to our hospital. The pain occurred 3 days before admission. Computed tomography angiography showed a hazy-surfaced low-density area in the aortic arch with aneurysmal formation of unknown etiology.

Exploring inside a shaggy aorta using non-obstructive angioscopy.

A shaggy aorta is reportedly related to atheromatous embolisation, which causes serious ischaemic damage to various organs. However, its characteristics are poorly understood. Non-obstructive angioscopy (NOA) has been developed to safely detect aortic plaques and injuries.

Reduction in morning blood pressure is a key factor for ameliorating urinary albumin excretion in patients with morning hypertension irrespective of treatment regimen.

Background:  The Morning Hypertension and Angiotensin Receptor Blocker/Hydrochlorothiazide Combination Therapy (MAPPY) study has shown that losartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) combination is superior to high-dose losartan in not only reducing morning systolic blood pressure (SBP) but also ameliorating urinary albumin excretion (UAE) after 3-month treatment. The purpose of the present study was to investigate factors associated with UAE reduction in on-treatment patients with morning hypertension.

Methods And Results:  A total of 95 patients registered in the MAPPY study were analyzed.

Platelet-derived microparticles augment the adhesion and neovascularization capacities of circulating angiogenic cells obtained from atherosclerotic patients.

Objective: The neovascularization-related capacities of circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) are impaired in atherosclerotic patients, which may explain the unsatisfactory effects of therapeutic angiogenesis with atherosclerotic patient-derived CACs. Platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) were reported to augment the re-endothelialization capacity of CACs. Accordingly, we investigated whether PMPs could augment the neovascularization-related capacities of atherosclerotic patient-derived CACs in vitro and in vivo and if so, the associated mechanisms.

Coronary endothelial dysfunction distal to stent of first-generation drug-eluting stents.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the relationship between coronary endothelial function and neointimal coverage after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation.

Background: The mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction after DES implantation remain to be fully elucidated. We hypothesized that poor neointimal coverage after DES implantation may be associated with endothelial dysfunction distal to the stent site.

Ultrasound stimulation restores impaired neovascularization-related capacities of human circulating angiogenic cells.

Aims: Unsatisfactory effects of therapeutic angiogenesis in critical limb ischaemia may be ascribed to use of circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) derived from atherosclerotic patients with impaired neovascularization-related capacities. We tested whether ultrasound cell stimulation can restore the impaired capacities.

Methods And Results: During culture of human peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells for 4 days to achieve CACs, we stimulated the cells in culture daily with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation (LIPUS).

Augmented neovascularization with magnetized endothelial progenitor cells in rats with hind-limb ischemia.

Augmenting neovascularization with the use of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) is a therapeutic option to rescue critical limb ischemia (CLI). However, the outcomes have been not so satisfactory. The detectable number of injected EPCs at the ischemic site is rather small.

Early outgrowth EPCs generation is reduced in patients with Buerger's disease.

Background: Buerger's disease often shows poor collateral artery generation (i.e. neovascularization) in the ischemic limbs.