Low-dose naproxen interferes with the antiplatelet effects of aspirin in healthy subjects: recommendations to minimize the functional consequences.

Objective: To investigate whether low-dose naproxen sodium (220 mg twice a day) interferes with aspirin's antiplatelet effect in healthy subjects.

Methods: We performed a crossover, open-label study in 9 healthy volunteers. They received for 6 days 3 different treatments separated by 14 days of washout: 1) naproxen 2 hours before aspirin, 2) aspirin 2 hours before naproxen, and 3) aspirin alone.

Strong association of the APOA5-1131T>C gene variant and early-onset acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Epidemiological studies support the role for a strong genetic component in the occurrence of early-onset myocardial infarction (MI), although the specific genetic variants responsible for familial clustering remain largely unknown.

Methods: The Italian study of early-onset MI is a nationwide case-control study involving 1864 case patients <45 years old who were hospitalized for a first MI, and age/sex/place of origin-matched controls (n = 1864). We investigated the association between early-onset MI, lipid levels and 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the candidate genes ADIPOQ, APOA5, ALOX5AP, CYBA, IL6, LPL, PECAM1, PLA2G2A and PLA2G7, chosen because of previously reported associations with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or with CHD risk factors.

Age-dependent impairment of number and angiogenic potential of adipose tissue-derived progenitor cells.

Background: Adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) are being recognized as a source of stem cells potentially useful for cardiovascular repair. We analysed the abundance and angiogenic activity of adipose tissue-derived progenitor cells (PCs) in elderly patients most likely to benefit from this novel source of stem cells.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-two subjects (aged 68 ± 13 years) with variable degrees of cardiovascular risk underwent abdominal surgery for intercurrent diseases.

Differential involvement of somatosensory and interoceptive cortices during the observation of affective touch.

Previous studies suggested that the observation of other individuals' somatosensory experiences also activates brain circuits processing one's own somatosensory experiences. However, it is unclear whether cortical regions involved with the elementary stages of touch processing are also involved in the automatic coding of the affective consequences of observed touch and to which extent they show overlapping activation for somatosensory experiences of self and others. In order to investigate these issues, in the present fMRI study, healthy participants either experienced touch or watched videos depicting other individuals' inanimate and animate/social touch experiences.

Altered intrinsic functional connectivity of anterior and posterior insula regions in high-functioning participants with autism spectrum disorder.

Impaired understanding of others' sensations and emotions as well as abnormal experience of their own emotions and sensations is frequently reported in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is hypothesized that these abnormalities are based on altered connectivity within "shared" neural networks involved in emotional awareness of self and others. The insula is considered a central brain region in a network underlying these functions, being located at the transition of information about bodily arousal and the physiological state of the body to subjective feelings.

Glycaemic control in acute coronary syndromes: prognostic value and therapeutic options.

Type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are widely interconnected. Individuals with type 2 diabetes are more likely than non-diabetic subjects to experience silent or manifest episodes of myocardial ischaemia as the first presentation of coronary artery disease. Insulin resistance, inflammation, microvascular disease, and a tendency to thrombosis are common in these patients.

Treatment of central and sensorineural tinnitus with orally administered Melatonin and Sulodexide: personal experience from a randomized controlled study.

Since very little is understood about the exact aetiology of tinnitus, this has made treatment of the condition difficult. Even though approximately 10-15% of the general population suffer from tinnitus, only 2% consider it serious enough to warrant any treatment. The main problem arising from tinnitus is the disturbance it causes not only in day to day life but also in sleep, leading to fatigue and general discomfort.

New anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation.

Although warfarin and other vitamin K antagonists have clearly the greatest efficacy among treatments commonly available in preventing stroke in atrial fibrillation, their use is associated with a substantial risk of major bleedings and are unpractical and difficult to use because of their narrow therapeutic window, their interaction with drugs and foods, and the need of frequent coagulation monitoring. Several new anticoagulants are now undergoing phase III clinical trials in atrial fibrillation with the aim of demonstrating noninferiority compared with vitamin K antagonists or superiority compared with aspirin in patients in whom vitamin K antagonists are contraindicated or not tolerated. These drugs fall in different pharmacological categories of oral direct thrombin inhibitors, parenteral long-lived indirect factor Xa inhibitors, and oral direct factor Xa inhibitors.

Prolonged exposure to high insulin impairs the endothelial PI3-kinase/Akt/nitric oxide signalling.

Hyperinsulinemia predicts future cardiovascular events, but may also contribute to atherosclerosis. We therefore studied the consequences of prolonged insulin treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) on the phosphatidylinositol-3'-kinase(PI3K)/Akt/nitric oxide(NO)-dependent insulin signaling, together with the expression of the pro-atherogenic molecule vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1. HUVEC were incubated with insulin (10(-11) to 10(-7) M) in short- (30 min) and long-term (24 h to 3 days) incubations.

Accelerated antioxidant bioavailability of OPC-3 bioflavonoids administered as isotonic solution.

The degree of absorption of bioflavonoids, a diverse and complex group of plant derived phytonutrients, has been a frequent debate among scientists. Monomeric flavonoid species are known to be absorbed within 2 h. The kinetics of plasma reactive oxygen species, a reflection of bioactivity, of a commercial blend of flavonoids, OPC-3 was investigated.

Improvement in circulation and in cardiovascular risk factors with a proprietary isotonic bioflavonoid formula OPC-3.

This study investigated the efficacy of isotonic bioflavonoid supplementation, OPC-3 on 61 individuals presenting with risk factors meeting the criteria for metabolic syndrome. Subjects were supplemented with a proprietary isotonic bioflavonoid OPC-3 or placebo over 2 months. Plasma oxidative stress status was significantly lowered by 10.

Insulin potentiates cytokine-induced VCAM-1 expression in human endothelial cells.

Hyperinsulinemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events and may contribute to cardiovascular disease. Low-grade chronic inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We aimed at determining the impact of pathophysiologically high insulin concentrations on cytokine-induced endothelial activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

Myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries: a conundrum with multiple aetiologies and variable prognosis: an update.

The existence of myocardial infarction despite angiographically normal coronary arteries was recognized more than 30 years ago. Since then, various series of such patients have been described, but the aetiology and pathogenesis of the condition are still a source of debate. Evidence exists for a role of coronary vasospasm, thrombosis, embolization and inflammation, per se or combined, in determining the occurrence of myocardial infarction in the presence of angiographically normal coronary arteries.

Optical coherence tomography accurately identifies intermediate atherosclerotic lesions--an in vivo evaluation in the rabbit carotid artery.

Objective: We tested the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to identify very early stages of atherosclerosis in vivo.

Methods: Twelve New Zealand white male rabbits (weight 3.5-4.

Prostacyclin improves transcoronary myocardial delivery of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells.

Aims: Heart transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) is under evaluation as a therapy for cardiac repair. Prostacyclin (PGI2), a vasodilator with additional effects on platelet aggregation and blood cell adhesion, exerts cardioprotection and might favour the myocardial delivery of ADSCs. We investigated the engraftment and influence on cardiac function of the transcoronary delivery of ADSCs and the effects of PGI2 compared with nitroglycerin (NTG) and adenosine (Ado) in isolated-perfused mouse hearts.

Aspirin overprescription in primary cardiovascular prevention.

Introduction: Aspirin overprescription is of some concern, especially in still-healthy individuals, and estimates of the magnitude of this problem are lacking. We evaluated the inappropriateness of aspirin prescription by primary care physicians in primary cardiovascular prevention.

Materials And Methods: Out of 20,599 patients screened by 16 primary care physicians in the Abruzzi region, central Italy, 400 patients were on treatment with aspirin for primary prevention.

Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cytokines and adhesion molecules.

The dietary intake of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids has emerged, over the past 20 years, as an important way to modify cardiovascular risk. This likely occurs through beneficial effects at all stages in the natural history of vascular disease, from the inception of atherosclerotic lesions, to their growth and acute complications (plaque rupture in most instances), up to protection of myocardium from the consequences of ensuing acute myocardial ischemia. This review specifically focuses on the modulating effects of n-3 fatty acids on biologic events involved in early atherogenesis, including important properties of these natural substances on endothelial expression of adhesion molecules and cytokines, processes collectively denoted as "endothelial activation.

Insulin enhances vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression in human cultured endothelial cells through a pro-atherogenic pathway mediated by p38 mitogen-activated protein-kinase.

Aims/hypothesis: Although hyperinsulinaemia in Type 2 diabetes in states of insulin resistance is a risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease, underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that insulin increases monocyte-endothelial interactions, which are implicated in atherosclerosis.

Methods: We treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells with insulin (10(-10) to 10(-7) mol/l) for 0 to 24 h.

Relationship between gastric and gallbladder emptying and refilling in normal subjects and patients with H. pylori-positive and -negative idiopathic dyspepsia and correlation with symptoms.

Gastric and gallbladder emptying and refilling was studied in 10 normal subjects and in 38 dyspeptic patients. H. pylori was determined in each dyspeptic on mucosal antral biopsy performed during endoscopy.

Short- and long-term omeprazole for the treatment and prevention of duodenal ulcer, and effect on Helicobacter pylori.

Objective: This study analyzes the effect of short- and long-term omeprazole (OM) on duodenal ulcer healing, recurrence, and H. pylori status.

Methods: Patients affected by active duodenal ulcer were randomly allocated to treatment with OM 20 mg or 40 mg once daily for 4 wk.

Gallbladder hypokinesia and normal gastric emptying of liquids in patients with dyspeptic symptoms. A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with cisapride.

Gastric and gallbladder emptying after a standard liquid meal were studied in 65 patients with early satiety, bloating, pain at the right hypochondrium or the epigastrium, nausea, and occasionally vomiting. Fifty normal subjects were studied as a control group. Gastric and gallbladder emptying were evaluated by means of real-time ultrasonography (RUS).