Prevalence of urinary and fecal incontinence in Chinese women during and after their first pregnancy.

Introduction And Hypothesis: This study evaluated factors and their prevalence associated with urinary (UI) and fecal (FI) incontinence during and after a woman's first pregnancy.

Methods: Nulliparous Chinese women with no UI or FI before pregnancy were studied with a standardized questionnaire for UI and FI from early pregnancy until 12 months after childbirth. Maternal characteristics and obstetric data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent sample t test, chi-square test, and logistic regression.

Angiographic and clinical outcomes of everolimus-eluting stent in the treatment of extra long stenoses (AEETES).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the angiographic and clinical results of stent full metal jacket in treating long lesions using everolimus-eluting stents (EES).

Background: Data are lacking regarding the use of EES for this lesion subgroup.

Methods: From 2007 to 2011, 77 symptomatic patients who had severe coronary stenoses necessitating implantation of stents with total length longer than 60 mm were treated with overlapping EES.

Lycopene protects against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis by preventing mitochondrial dysfunction in primary neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes.

Background: Hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R)-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes plays an important role in myocardial injury. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant carotenoid that has been shown to have protective properties on cardiovascular system. The aim of the present study is to investigate the potential for lycopene to protect the cardiomyocytes exposed to H/R.

Myocardial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: role of endothelial progenitor cells and oxidative stress.

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are responsible for angiogenesis and maintenance of microvascular integrity, the number of EPCs is correlated with oxidative stress. Their relation to myocardial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is nonetheless unknown.

Methods: Eighty-seven patients with T2DM and no history of coronary artery disease were recruited.

Periodontal therapy decreases serum levels of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein in systemically healthy subjects: a pilot clinical trial.

Background And Objective: Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) is expressed in adipocytes, macrophages and microvascular endothelial cells, and it plays a central role in inflammation, atherosclerosis and metabolic responses. This pilot study investigated the effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on the serum levels of A-FABP in subjects with chronic periodontitis.

Material And Methods: A pilot clinical trial was conducted in 24 otherwise healthy Chinese subjects with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis.

Prevalence and extent of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis.

Objective: Patients with psoriasis are prone to premature atherosclerosis and increased risk of cardiovascular disease events. However, the prevalence and extent of atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis are unknown.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Cyclometalated iridium(III)-polyamine complexes with intense and long-lived multicolor phosphorescence: synthesis, crystal structure, photophysical behavior, cellular uptake, and transfection properties.

A new class of phosphorescent cyclometalated iridium(III)-polyamine complexes [{Ir(N^C)(2)}(n)(bPEI)](PF(6))(n)(bPEI=branched poly(ethyleneimine), average M(w =25 kDa, n=15.6-27.4; HN^C=2-phenylpyridine Hppy (1a), 2-((1,1'-biphenyl)-4-yl)pyridine Hpppy (2a), 2-phenylquinoline Hpq (3a), 2-phenylbenzothiazole Hbt (4a), 2-(1-naphthyl)benzothiazole Hbsn (5a)) and [Ir(N^C)(2)(en)](PF(6)) (en=ethylenediamine; HN^C=Hppy (1b), Hpppy (2b), Hpq (3b), Hbt (4b), Hbsn (5b)) have been synthesized and characterized.

Increased dietary fruit intake was associated with lower burden of carotid atherosclerosis in Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated that high fruit consumption was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the relationship between fruit intake and carotid atherosclerosis in these patients is unknown. We studied the relationship between dietary fruit intake and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Prognostic implications of surrogate markers of atherosclerosis in low to intermediate risk patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular events. Unfortunately traditional risk assessment scores, including the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), have only modest accuracy in cardiovascular risk prediction in these patients.

Methods: We sought to determine the prognostic values of different non-invasive markers of atherosclerosis, including brachial artery endothelial function, carotid artery atheroma burden, ankle-brachial index, arterial stiffness and computed tomography coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in 151 T2DM Chinese patients that were identified low-intermediate risk from the FRS recalibrated for Chinese (<20% risk in 10 years).

Jeopardised Inferior Myocardium (JIM) score: an arithmetic electrocardiographic score to predict the infarct-related artery in inferior myocardial infarction.

Introduction: A few electrocardiographic criteria have been described to identify the infarct-related artery in inferior myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to devise an arithmetic score to further improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Materials And Methods: From 2004 to 2006, 78 patients who underwent primary angioplasty for inferior myocardial infarction within 6 hours from symptom onset were recruited for electrocardiographic and angiographic analysis.

Association of lower habitual physical activity level with mitochondrial and endothelial dysfunction in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Background: Exercise training improves endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) through unclear mechanisms. We hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction related to a lower habitual physical activity level (PAL) is associated with endothelial dysfunction.

Methods And Results: We assessed habitual PAL by a validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire, brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and serum lactate, pyruvate, fasting glucose and lipid profiles in 105 CAD patients (age 68±10; 87% men).

Myocardial structural alteration and systolic dysfunction in preclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutation carriers.

Background: To evaluate the presence of myocardial structural alterations and subtle myocardial dysfunction during familial screening in asymptomatic mutation carriers without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) phenotype.

Methods And Findings: Sixteen HCM families with pathogenic mutation were studied and 46 patients with phenotype expression (Mut+/Phen+) and 47 patients without phenotype expression (Mut+/Phen-) were observed. Twenty-five control subjects, matched with the Mut+/Phen- group, were recruited for comparison.

Undetectable HBV DNA at month 12 of entecavir treatment predicts maintained viral suppression and HBeAg-seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B patients at 3 years.

Background: On-treatment monitoring of serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA to guide treatment strategy for patients on entecavir has received little attention.

Aim: To investigate the predictive value of on-treatment HBV DNA levels for responses to entecavir.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study among nucleos(t)ide analogue-naïve HBV-infected patients on entecavir with a minimum follow-up of 2 years.

Prospective observational study of isoflavone and the risk of stroke recurrence: potential clinical implications beyond vascular function.

Background: Whether isoflavone has any effect on recurrent cardiovascular events is unknown.

Objective: To investigate the relations between isoflavone intake and the risk of stroke recurrence.

Subjects And Methods: We recruited 127 consecutive patients with prior history of atherothrombotic/ hemorrhagic stroke (mean age: 67 ± 11 years, 69% male) and prospectively followed up for a mean duration of 30 months.

Prognostic role of coronary calcification in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: To study the predictive value of coronary calcification score (CCS) for future cardiovascular (CVS) events as detected by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: A total of 152 patients with RA and SLE, and 106 healthy controls underwent MDCT to measure CCS. All patients were prospectively followed up for major CVS events.

Symptoms, quality of life, and factors affecting women's treatment decisions regarding pelvic organ prolapse.

Introduction And Hypothesis: We performed an investigation of symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and factors affecting women's treatment choice of pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Methods: Three hundred and eight women presenting with POP were assessed by Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI), Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ), Short Form-36 (SF-36), Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system, and urodynamic studies. Treatment was arranged according to each woman's preference after counseling.

Changes in left ventricular function after mitral valve repair for severe organic mitral regurgitation.

Background: Limited data are available on the changes in left ventricular (LV) contractile function at long-term follow-up after mitral valve repair (MVr). Moreover, assessment of LV systolic function in patients undergoing MVr is troublesome with current methods, given that mitral regurgitation is characterized by increased preload and decreased afterload, potentially masking LV dysfunction. The aim of this study was to assess the value of LV global strain (longitudinal and circumferential) measured by speckle tracking analysis for detecting changes in contractile function after MVr.

Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction revealed by circumferential 2D strain imaging in patients with coronary artery disease and fragmented QRS complex.

Background: Fragmented QRS (fQRS) complexes on a routine 12-lead electrocardiogram were associated with adverse cardiac events, including sudden death in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the fQRS complex and global and regional left ventricular (LV) functions in patients with CAD.

Methods: The study consisted of 176 patients (68 ± 9 years; 145 [82%] men) with CAD with narrow QRS duration and preserved LV ejection fraction (>45%).

Left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony impairs exercise capacity in patients with coronary artery disease with preserved left ventricular systolic function and a QRS duration ≤ 120 ms.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) mechanical dyssynchrony can lead to impairment of LV function and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. The impact of LV dyssynchrony on exercise capacity (EC) in patients with CAD was investigated.

Methods And Results: An echocardiographic examination with tissue Doppler imaging and exercise treadmill testing in 151 CAD patients with normal LV ejection fraction was performed.

Adverse systemic arterial function in patients with selenium deficiency.

Background: Experimental studies have shown that selenium is involved in the synthesis of selenoproteins which might contribute to cardiovascular protection. However, the relationship between selenium deficiency and vascular function in clinical context remains unknown.

Objective: To investigate for any relationship between selenium deficiency and systemic arterial function in patients with high risk of vascular events.

Impact of glycemic control on circulating endothelial progenitor cells and arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) have increased risk of endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness. Levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are also reduced in hyperglycemic states. However, the relationships between glycemic control, levels of EPCs and arterial stiffness are unknown.

Diagnosis of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis using liver stiffness measurement: comparison between M and XL probe of FibroScan®.

Background & Aims: Unreliable results of liver stiffness measurement are obtained in 16% of cases and are independently associated with body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m(2). A new FibroScan® probe (XL probe) was designed specifically for obese patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of liver stiffness measurement using M and XL probes of Fibroscan® for the diagnosis of fibrosis and cirrhosis in a large cohort of patients.

Hypertension and atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, pathophysiology and therapeutic implications.

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and increased the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with AF. However, the pathophysiological link between hypertension and AF is unclear. Nevertheless, this can be explained by the hemodynamic changes of the left atrium secondary to long standing hypertension, resulting in elevated left atrium pressure and subsequently left atrial enlargement.

Left ventricular dysfunction assessed by speckle-tracking strain analysis in patients with systemic sclerosis: relationship to functional capacity and ventricular arrhythmias.

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by vascular inflammation and fibrosis. Visceral involvement, including cardiac manifestations, can lead to severe clinical complications, such as congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and sudden death. Conventional echocardiography parameters have limited sensitivity to detect subtle myocardial dysfunction in patients with SSc.