24 results match your criteria: "Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht[Affiliation]"

Isolated tricuspid regurgitation: a new entity to face. Prevalence, prognosis and treatment of isolated tricuspid regurgitation.

Minerva Cardiol Angiol

April 2023

Interventional Cardiology Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.

In recent years the tricuspid is no longer considered the "forgotten valve," but nowadays, specialists focused the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) especially at the time of left heart valve (LHV) surgery, overlooking the emerging entity of isolated TR. Its incidence appears to be rising along with the higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), intracardiac devices and intravenous drug users. Hence, the aim of the present review is to summarize the available evidences in terms of natural history, clinical presentation and treatment of isolated TR.

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Scope: Obesity is a principal causative factor of metabolic syndrome. Niacin potently regulates lipid metabolism. Replacement of saturated fatty acids by MUFAs or inclusion of omega-3 long-chain PUFAs in the diet improves plasma lipid levels.

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This study was performed to gain further insight in the heterogeneity of monocytes in the different categories of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), especially between patients with unstable angina pectoris, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). For this purpose, blood samples were collected in the acute phase from patients presenting with an ACS. These samples were examined with multiparameter flow cytometry to identify the different monocyte subsets and to analyze the expression of monocyte-associated molecules.

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Rationale And Objective: Arginase-1 is an important component of the intricate mechanism regulating arginine availability during immune responses and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. In this study Arg1(fl/fl)/Tie2-Cre(tg/-) mice were developed to investigate the effect of arginase-1 related arginine depletion on NOS2- and NOS3-dependent NO production and jejunal microcirculation under resting and endotoxemic conditions, in mice lacking arginase-1 in endothelial and hematopoietic cells.

Methods And Results: Arginase-1-deficient mice as compared with control mice exhibited higher plasma arginine concentration concomitant with enhanced NO production in endothelial cells and jejunal tissue during endotoxemia.

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From neutrophil extracellular traps release to thrombosis: an overshooting host-defense mechanism?

J Thromb Haemost

September 2011

Laboratory for Clinical Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Department of Internal Medicine and Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

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The hemostatic system as a modulator of atherosclerosis.

N Engl J Med

May 2011

Laboratory for Clinical Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

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VEGF resistance as a molecular basis to explain the angiogenesis paradox in diabetes mellitus.

Biochem Soc Trans

December 2009

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Maastricht, and Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.

The action of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) is essential to maintain proper endothelial and vascular function. VEGF stimulates virtually all aspects of endothelial function, namely proliferation, migration, permeability and nitric oxide production and release. In addition, the action of VEGF makes the endothelium anti-apoptotic.

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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of hedgehog (Hh) signaling molecules and the chemotactic activity of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in monocytes from control (CTR) and diabetic patients with or without coronary artery disease (CAD). Previously several studies demonstrated that exogenous administration of Shh can induce angiogenesis and accelerate repair of ischemic myocardium and skeletal muscles. Blood samples were collected from (1) CTR (n = 25); (2) patients with stable CAD without diabetes mellitus (CAD-DM, n = 10); and (3) with stable CAD with DM (CAD+DM, n = 15).

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The molecular basis of VEGFR-1 signal transduction pathways in primary human monocytes.

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol

February 2008

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Maastricht, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, P.Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Objective: Arteriogenesis, the growth of preexisting arterioles into functional arteries, is dependent on the proper function of monocytes. Likewise, wound healing is monocyte-dependent. The activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) in monocytes induces a chemotactic response, triggers the expression of tissue factor, and gene expression of cytokines and chemokines.

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Novel insights into an old controversy: is coronary artery ectasia a variant of coronary atherosclerosis?

Clin Res Cardiol

June 2007

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Maastricht and Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, University of Maastricht, P. Debyelaan 25, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as a localized or diffuse non-obstructive lesion of the epicardial coronary arteries with a luminal dilation exceeding 1.5-fold the diameter of the normal adjacent arterial segment. The incidence of CAE has been reported to range between 2% and 4%, which might be an overestimation of the true frequency.

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Smoking-induced monocyte dysfunction is reversed by vitamin C supplementation in vivo.

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol

January 2007

Department of Cardiology, University of Maastricht, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, P. Debyelaan 25, NL-6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Objective: The role of antioxidants in preventing vascular disease remains controversial. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) is important for endothelial and monocyte function. This study investigated the negative effects of smoking on monocyte migratory responsiveness to VEGF-A and the usefulness of vitamin C to prevent smoking-induced monocyte dysfunction.

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Mechanisms of target organ damage caused by hypertension: therapeutic potential.

Pharmacol Ther

July 2006

Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Universiteitssingel 50, PO BOX 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity through its effects on target organs like the brain, heart, and kidney. Structural alterations in the microcirculation form a major link between hypertension and target organ damage. In this review, we describe damages related to hypertension in these target organs and the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension-induced cardiovascular diseases such as dementia, cardiac ischemia and remodeling, or nephropathy.

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Comparison of the effects of dexmedetomidine and esmolol on myocardial oxygen consumption in dogs.

Eur J Anaesthesiol

December 2004

University Hospital Maastricht, Department of Anaesthesiology, The Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Background And Objective: The beta-adrenergic blocker esmolol and the alpha 2-adrenergic agonist dexmedetomidine have the potential to decrease perioperative myocardial ischaemia. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in these anti-ischaemic properties have not been thoroughly studied. We compared the effects of esmolol and dexmedetomidine on two indices of overall myocardial oxygen demand and on directly measured myocardial oxygen consumption of the left anterior coronary artery territory.

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Growth factor signal transduction defects in the cardiovascular system.

Cardiovasc Res

February 2005

Department of Cardiology, University of Maastricht, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht CARIM, P. Debyelaan 25, P.O. Box 5800, NL-6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Growth factors are important molecules mediating both the development as well as adaptive and pathological changes within the cardiovascular system. Growth factors therefore mediate both beneficial and nonbeneficial effects. The beneficial actions include the improvement of endothelial function, stimulation of vascular repair, the formation of new capillaries (angiogenesis), and the growth of collateral arteries (arteriogenesis).

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The hemostatic activity of plasma is determined by platelet activation and coagulation, which processes are mutually stimulatory. We studied this interaction by measuring the cleavage of fluorescent thrombin substrate in platelet-rich plasma (PRP), using the calibrated thrombogram method. In freshly isolated human plasma, thrombin formation triggered by tissue factor was fully dependent on the presence of platelets.

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Risk stratification for adverse outcome in cardiac surgery.

Eur J Anaesthesiol

July 2003

University Hospital Maastricht, Department of Anesthesiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Risk-adjusted outcome prediction is mainly important in two separate fields. The first is quality monitoring: measuring actual versus predicted mortality in an institution allows assessment of the clinical surgical and anaesthesia performance while adjusting for the risk profile of the patients. Without risk stratification, surgeons and hospitals treating high-risk patients will appear to have worse results than others.

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Chlamydia pneumoniae has been associated with cardiovascular disease and the detection of C. pneumoniae antibodies has subsequently challenged many cardiovascular investigators. The micro-immunofluoresence (MIF) test is considered the gold standard for detection of C.

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Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are characterized by extensive transmural inflammation and C-reactive protein (CRP) has emerged as an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, we evaluated a possible association between serum CRP and aneurysm dimension in patients with asymptomatic AAA. Furthermore, the possibility of CRP production by aneurysmal tissue has been examined.

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Activated platelets are implicated in the development of premature arterial vascular diseases, in particular ischemic stroke. Since elevated cytosolic [Ca(2+)](i) is an integrative marker of platelet activation, we determined the generation of Ca(2+) signal in stimulated platelets from 26 young patients recuperating from stroke, 20 patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, and 56 healthy volunteers. Even in the presence of aspirin, the platelets from various individuals showed highly different thrombin-induced Ca(2+) responses.

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Background And Purpose: Chlamydia pneumoniae has repeatedly been associated with atherosclerotic disease. Our study was designed to clarify whether this association is based on C pneumoniae-induced transformation of a stable into an unstable atherosclerotic plaque or on stimulation of hypercoagulability leading to increased thrombotic arterial occlusions by C pneumoniae infection. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonographic monitoring of the middle cerebral artery during carotid endarterectomy offers the opportunity to study, before removal of the plaque, atherothrombotic emboli dislodging from an unstable carotid plaque (plaque-related emboli) and emboli related to (excessive) thrombus formation at the endarterectomy site after removal of the plaque and restoration of flow (thrombosis-related emboli).

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Arteriolar and capillary remodelling in hypertension.

Drugs

December 1999

Department of Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands.

The major haemodynamic abnormality underlying elevated blood pressure in hypertension is an increase in vascular resistance. The microcirculation is a key site of increased vascular resistance in hypertension. A reduced density of arterioles and capillaries is an important common characteristic of various microvascular beds in many forms of hypertension.

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Arteriolar and capillary remodelling in hypertension.

Drugs

November 1999

Department of Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands.

The major haemodynamic abnormality underlying elevated blood pressure in hypertension is an increase in vascular resistance. The microcirculation is a key site of increased vascular resistance in hypertension. A reduced density of arterioles and capillaries is an important common characteristic of various microvascular beds in many forms of hypertension.

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Vascular impedance is defined as the ratio between the frequency components of the local blood pressure waveform and those of the local blood volume flow waveform. Assessment of vascular impedance is, for example, important to study heart load and distal vascular bed vasomotricity. However, only a few studies on vascular impedance have been performed in humans because pulsatile pressure and volume flow waveforms, simultaneously recorded at the same location, are difficult to obtain noninvasively.

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