The non-invasive evaluation of heart function in patients with an acute myocardial infarction: The role of impedance cardiography.

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze hemodynamic changes in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at an early stage of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and at 1-month follow-up.

Methods: Patients with AMI (n = 27) who underwent PCI were analyzed using impedance cardiography (ICG). ICG data were collected continuously (beat by beat) during the whole PCI procedure and thereafter at every 60 s for the next 24 h.

Polyhedral erythrocytes in intracoronary thrombus and their association with reperfusion in myocardial infarction.

Objective: The tightly packed arrays of polyhedral erythrocytes, polyhedrocytes, formed during thrombus contraction, have been detected in some intracoronary thrombi (ICT) obtained from patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to investigate determinants of polyhedrocyte content in ICT and its association with reperfusion in STEMI.

Methods: We assessed the composition of ICT obtained during thrombectomy within 12 h since the symptom onset in 110 STEMI patients, following 300 mg of aspirin (n = 110) and 600 mg of clopidogrel (n = 75).

Prognostic significance of red cell distribution width and its relation to increased pulmonary pressure and inflammation in acute heart failure.

Background: Red cell distribution width (RDW) in acute heart failure (AHF) is accepted as a prognostic indicator with unclear pathophysiological ties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of RDW in AHF patients in relation to clinical and echocardiographic data.

Methods: 170 patients with AHF were retrospectively studied.

Mast cell derived carboxypeptidase A3 is decreased among patients with advanced coronary artery disease.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) affects milions of people and can result in myocardial infarction (MI). Previously, mast cells (MC) have been extensively investigated in the context of hypersensitivity, however as regulators of the local inflammatory response they can potentially contribute to CAD and/or its progression. The aim of the study was to assess if serum concentration of MC proteases: carboxypeptidase A3, cathepsin G and chymase 1 is associated with the extension of CAD and MI.

Elevated Serum Tryptase and Endothelin in Patients with ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Preliminary Report.

Unlabelled: An inflammatory response plays a crucial role in myocardial damage after an acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To measure serum concentrations of several mediators in patients with an acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) and to assess their potential relationship with a risk of coronary instability.

Patients And Methods: The 33 patients with STEMI and 19 healthy volunteers were analyzed.

High serum chemerin level in CKD patients is related to kidney function, but not to its adipose tissue overproduction.

Chemerin is an adipokine modulating inflammatory response and affecting glucose and lipid metabolism. These disturbances are common in CKD. The aim of the study was: (a) to evaluate circulating chemerin level at different stages of CKD; (b) to measure subcutaneous adipose tissue chemerin gene expression; (c) to estimate the efficiency of renal replacement therapy in serum chemerin removal.

Xience SBA bifurcation stent for treating distal left main disease in NSTEMI patient.

A 74-year-old female diagnosed with a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction was referred to our coronary care unit for urgent coronary angiography. Angiography revealed severe distal left main stenosis and a chronic total occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery in its distal portion. Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed via the right femoral artery approach with a 7 Fr arterial sheath and EBU 3.