Reduction in the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy using enhanced external counter-pulsation in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of EECP in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: A prospective trial was undertaken in the participants. A total of 280 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <60 ml/min/1.

Association of education attainment and risk of connective tissue diseases.

Objective: We employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the genetic causal relationship between educational attainment (EA) and risk of five common connective tissue diseases (CTDs).

Methods: Educational attainment (self-reported at age ≥30 years) was obtained from a meta-analysis of years of schooling in 766 345 participants of European ancestry from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). A total of 1265 signals associated with EA were identified.

The effects of rate pressure product at admission on cardiopulmonary function during hospitalization in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the correlation between the rate pressure product (RPP) and cardiopulmonary function during hospitalization in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: A total of 362 patients with AMI were selected for the study, and the median admission RPP was used as the cutoff point to divide the patients into a low-RPP group ( = 181) and a high-RPP group ( = 181). The relationship between the RPP at admission and the cardiopulmonary function during hospitalization was analyzed.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage following wasp stings.

Three days after being stung by wasps in a rural area, a 60-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with headaches. The physical examination showed that the patient was conscious, had moderate pain, had four head and back stings with local edema and erythema around the wounds, and had a stiff neck. Brain computed tomography upon admission revealed no abnormalities.

Safety of Bivalirudin Combined with Ticagrelor in the Emergency PCI in Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the application safety of bivalirudin combined with ticagrelor in the emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: From October 1, 2018, to December 30, 2019, 210 patients with STEMI admitted to the Department of Cardiology who underwent emergency PCI were randomly divided into the bivalirudin group (group A, N = 105) and the unfractionated heparin group (group B, N = 105). Before the emergency PCI operation after admission, the loading dose of aspirin (300 mg) was given orally, and then 100 mg/d.

Reduction in risk of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus by enhanced external counterpulsation.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with combined chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) by comparing the changes in renal function-related indicators in patients before and after coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: There were 230 subjects consecutively included in the study. Of these, 30 cases with DM underwent rehydration therapy, and 200 cases underwent EECP therapy in addition to rehydration therapy, comprising 53 patients with DM and 147 patients without.

Acute myocardial infarction with no chest pain following a Trimeresurus stejnegeri snakebite: a case report.

A 74-year-old female was bitten by a Trimeresurus stejnegeri, which is an unusual but dangerous type of snakebite. After the snakebite, the patient developed oedema, pain and numbness in the injured limb, and acute myocardial infarction, but no chest pain. The patient received base treatment, including anti-venom serum, statins and wound cleaning.

Cardiopulmonary exercise test-based assessment of the effects of sacubitril/valsartan on the blood pressure response to exercise in patients with acute myocardial infarction during hospitalization.

Objective: To investigate the effects of sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) on cardiopulmonary function and blood pressure response to exercise during hospitalization in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) based on the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET).

Methods: A total of 265 AMI patients were treated with either perindopril or S/V within 24 hours of admission. CPET was completed for all patients before discharge.

Thrombus aspiration catheter improve the myocardial reperfusion of STEMI patients with high thrombus load during the emergency PCI operation.

Objective: This study aims to discuss the efficacy and safety of the application of thrombus aspiration catheters during emergency PCI operations for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with high thrombus load.

Methods: A total of 204 patients diagnosed with acute STEMI and high thrombus load in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 were selected for the present study. These patients were randomly divided into two groups: thrombus catheter aspiration group (group A, n = 101), and balloon dilatation group (group B, n = 103).

Value of the expression of miR-208, miR-494, miR-499 and miR-1303 in early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

Aims: This study aims to investigate the value of the expression of miR-208, miR-494, miR-499 and miR-1303 in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Main Methods: Patients were divided into two groups: AMI group (n = 41), and Stable angina pectoris (SAP) group (n = 32). Peripheral venous blood was sampled from these patients at the time of admission (T0), 6 h after onset (T6) and 12 h after onset (T12), while blood was sampled once from healthy subjects who underwent physical examination in the same time period (control group, n = 10).