Thymosin beta4 (Tβ4) has been shown to have an important role in healing of damaged tissues and promoting cardiomyocyte survival in acute coronary syndromes. We evaluated endogenous Tβ4 levels in ...patients presenting with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) before and after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
The study included 24 consecutive patients (7 females, 17 males; mean age 55.0±10.9 years) who underwent successful primary PCI for STEMI and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (13 females, 11 males; mean age 57.5±11.7 years) with angiographically normal coronary arteries. To determine Tβ4 levels, blood samples were obtained from STEMI patients on admission and 48 hours after successful PCI, and from controls immediately after coronary angiography.
Compared to controls, baseline levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (46.2±8.9 vs. 34.2±7.2 mg/dl, p<0.001) and Tβ4 (2.9±1.5 vs. 1.5±1.0 µg/ml, p<0.001) were significantly lower, and white blood cell counts (7.6±2.2 vs. 11.4±3.0 10³/µl, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the STEMI group. After 48 hours of PCI, the mean Tβ4 level increased significantly to 2.3±0.8 µg/ml (p<0.001) and became similar to that of the control group (p=0.068). There was a significant negative correlation between serum Tβ4 and white blood cell count (r=-0.347, p=0.016).
Considering the significant increase in serum Tβ4 levels following successful primary PCI in patients with STEMI, Tβ4 may prove to be a new marker in the assessment of reperfusion success in addition to those used currently.
High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and neopterin are associated with atherosclerosis. We aimed to evaluate the association between hsCRP and neopterin, and myocardial ischemia during ...exercise stress test (EST) in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and to assess the predictive value of these mediators in obstructive coronary artery disease.
Forty-five patients with SAP were included in this prospective observational study. EST- positive group included 23 patients (15 males, mean age 54 ± 10 years) and EST-negative group-22 patients (14 males, mean age 52 ± 9 years). In each patient, blood samples were obtained 1 hour before and 30 minutes after EST. In EST-positive group, coronary angiography was performed to determine the presence and severity of coronary artery lesions as assessed by Gensini score. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square, unpaired t, Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon rank tests. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the predictive value of tests.
Before EST, hsCRP and neopterin levels were similar between the two groups, however, hsCRP levels were higher in EST-positive group after EST (p=0.03). There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to neopterin levels after EST (p=0.4). In EST-positive group, EST resulted in significant increases in both hsCRP and neopterin levels (from 3.8 ± 2.8 mg/L to 4.3 ± 3.1 mg/L, p=0.001; from 8.7 ± 4.0 nmol/L to 13.1 ± 10.0 nmol/L, p=0.001, respectively). In EST-negative group only neopterin levels significantly increased after EST (from 6.9 ± 1.8 nmol/L to 9.0 ± 3.9 nmol/L, p=0.001). No relation was observed between the obstructive coronary lesions and the levels of hsCRP or neopterin at any point.
In SAP patients, independent with the existence of obstructive coronary lesion, elevated levels of hsCRP after EST might be an indicator of immune activation caused by myocardial ischemia.
The present trial was designed to investigate the effects of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) on plasma oxidant/antioxidant balance and to determine the relation between the PTX3 levels and the oxidative ...stress parameters in patients with IDA.
Anomalies of the coronary arteries are often asymptomatic and uncommon in general population. In this report we describe a case of a 48-year-old male patient with ventricular septal defect and double ...right coronary artery originating from the left main coronary artery and the right coronary sinus.
Abstract The rupture of the guide wire is a very uncommon complication that may produce important consequences as occlusion of the artery of systemic embolism. The management of this event may be ...interventional or conservative, depending on the clinical situation of the patient and the position of the guide wire inside vessel. Here we present a case that we decided to leave the fragment in the artery. The retained filament and the coronary stenotic lesion was stented successfully.
Blood samples from patients of the study group were obtained before and 6 months after the surgery, and from the control group immediately after coronary angiography to measure serum PON and ...arylesterase activities.
This study evaluated plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a specific marker of inflammation, in 32 patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and compared the results with those of 32 ...patients with obstructive coronary artery disease without coronary artery ectasia and 30 subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries. CRP levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with isolated CAE (p <0.001), suggesting that more severe inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of CAE.
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