Relation of uric acid levels to aortic root dilatation in hypertensive patients with and without metabolic syndrome.

Objective: Uric acid (UA) is considered to be a powerful predictor of cardiovascular risk and hyperuricemia might be involved in the metabolic syndrome (MS). This study aims to investigate the relation between UA levels and aortic root dilatation.

Methods: A total of 348 hypertensive patients [age (67.

Relationship of heavy drinking, lipoprotein (a) and lipid profile to infrarenal aortic diameter.

The objective of this study was to examine the association of alcohol drinking and lipid profile with infrarenal aortic dimension. The diameter of the infrarenal aorta was measured using ultrasound in 395 individuals (mean 66.6 +/- 10.

[Losartan's effects on the protein expression of the kidney of spontaneous hypertension rat].

Aim: To analyse the alterations of protein expression in the kidney of spontaneously hypertensive rat with losartan.

Methods: The proteins of the kidney were isolated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The protein spots with significant changes were selected for further identification by LC-MS/MS.

Matrix metalloproteinase-1, -3, and -9 gene polymorphisms and the risk of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in a Chinese Han population.

Objectives: To investigate the association between matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1(-1607 1G/2G), MMP-3(-1171 5A/6A), and MMP-9(-1562 C/T) polymorphism and susceptibility to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM).

Design And Methods: MMP-1, -3, -9 genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP analysis.

Results: Genotype frequency of MMP-3, but not MMP-1 and MMP-9 in IDCM patients, was significantly different from that in healthy controls.

Proteomic analysis of the serum in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology. The exact pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension is still not well known. In the past decades, many protein molecules have been found to be involved in the development of IPAH.