No abstract available.
Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Hepcidins

Objectives: To determine the relationship between obesity and cardiac autonomic nerve activity in healthy children. Methods: 16 healthy male children comprising of 9 nonobese and 7 obese subjects (body mass index > 19.1 kg/m2) aged 8−9 years were selected. Electrocardiograms were measured for 10 min. under controlled ventilation (0.25 Hz) in the supine position. Consecutive 256-second RR interval data were transformed by the Fast Fourier Transform method into power spectral data. Very low frequency (VLF; 0.003−0.04 Hz), low frequency (LF; 0.04−0.15 Hz), high frequency (HF; 0.15−0.40 Hz), and total power (TP; 0.003−0.40 Hz) were calculated and transformed into a natural logarithm (ln). Normalized units (nu) were also calculated as follows: LFnu = LF / (TP - VLF) x 100. HFnu = HF / (TP - VLF) x 100. Low/high-frequency ratio (LHR) was calculated as LF divided by HF. Unpaired t test was performed to compare the 2 groups. Results: TP ln and HFnu, reflecting cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity, in obese children were significantly lower than those in nonobese children. In contrast, LFnu and LHF, reflecting cardiac sympathetic nerve activity, in obese children were significantly higher than those in nonobese children. Conclusions: These findings suggest that obese children have higher sympathetic nerve activity and lower parasympathetic nerve activity than nonobese children.
Child ; Hz ; Cardio- ; Nerve ; With frequency

Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans

Westernization of lifestyles among Japanese, in particular among young generations, is a matter of concern for future increase in coronary heart disease. We surveyed a total of 349 male university students to examine changes in lifestyles and coronary risk factors in campus life. We compared dietary habits and serum fatty acid compositions as well as other coronary risk characteristics between freshmen (n=171) and fourth-year (senior) students (n=178). Serum fatty acid compositions and dietary intakes of selected foods as well as serum lipids, blood pressures and physical characteristics were examined at the 1996 and 1997 annual health examinations. Compared to freshmen, senior students had a lower frequency of fish, vegetable, milk and egg intake, and a higher frequency of oil and fat intake. The proportions of serum saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher among senior students than among freshmen, whereas the proportion of serum polyunsaturated fatty acids was significantly lower among senior students than among freshmen. Senior students also had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures, percent body fat, smoking rate and alcohol usage than freshmen. Mean body weight and mean body mass index were not different between the two groups. Senior students generally showed Westernized dietary habits and higher coronary risk profiles than freshmen as indicated by the change of serum fatty acid compositions. Modification of these dietary habits and lifestyles may be important for the prevention of future CHD among Japanese young adults.
Serum ; Fatty Acids ; seconds ; Cardio- ; Risk

Epidemiological studies in the last 40 years suggest that omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish and fish oil decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke, and their complications. The beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids include effects on lipids, blood pressure, cardiac and vascular function, eicosanoids, coagulation, and immunological responses. However, not all population studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids are associated with reduced rates of coronary mortality. Such studies suffer either from small numbers of subjects or the population already had a high intake of fish. When comparing the highest intake of fish to that of the lowest fish intake, the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown. In population-based case-control studies, the patients consuming modest amounts of fish, the equivalent of one fatty fish meal per week, had a significant lower risk of primary cardiac arrest compared with those who did not eat fish at all. In case-control studies, the intake of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid as reflected in adipose tissue content is inversely associated with risk of myocardial infarction.
Fishes ; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 ; Risk ; control ; Cardio-

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and coronary risk factor profiles in Japanese women. The subjects were 1, 483 women (ages 30 to 69) who participated in a practical health promotion program. After medical examination, physical fitness was evaluated by conducting a symptom limited maximal exercise test by ergometer to measure maximum oxygen uptake (peakVO2) with an expired gas analyzer. The subjects were classified into 3 groups (high fitness, moderate fitness, and low fitness) according to age and physical fitness level. The results showed that the subjects in higher fitness groups had lower levels in: body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, waist−hip ratio, resting blood pressure, and atherogenic index, and higher HDL−cholesterol compared to those in lower fitness group. Even after adjustment for the effects of age and BMI, the subjects in the higher fitness groups had better coronary risk factor profiles. These results suggest that among Japanese women a high level of physical fitness is related to favorable coronary risk factor profiles.
Physical Fitness ; Risk Factors ; Japanese language ; Cardio- ; Human Females

Cardio- ; Pulmonary evaluation ; Preventive monitoring ; Conferences ; physiological aspects

PURPOSE: We evaluated clinical outcomes in patients with type 2 cardiorenal syndrome who were treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) or hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: A retrospective database of PD or HD patients with type 2 cardiorenal syndrome from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2010 was established. We evaluated the mean survival on dialysis, days of hospitalizations and NYHA class changes. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with mean age at the start of dialysis of 68.4+/-10.8 years had mean survival on dialysis of 20.5+/-14.4 months (median survival 17.8 months). Survival after starting dialysis is highly variable, but long term survival was proved possible. The days of hospitalization for cardiovascular causes were reduced (25.1+/-17.7, predialysis vs. 9.5+/-32.8 days/patient/month, postdialysis, p=0.013). All patients showed improvement in NYHA functional class. Kidney function stabilized, while significant improvement in hemoglobin (+16.5%, p<0.001) were achieved. CONCLUSION: After starting dialysis for Type 2 cardiorenal syndrome, the chances of hospitalization for cardiovascular causes were reduced for all patients. Survival on dialysis in these patients was highly variable.
Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Dialysis ; Hemoglobins ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Kidney ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Renal Dialysis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo review the current knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms, preclinical models, novel contributors and potential therapies of cardiorenal syndrome.

DATA SOURCESThe literature concerning cardiorenal syndrome in this review was collected from PubMed published in English up to January 2014.

STUDY SELECTIONOriginal articles and critical reviews related to cardiorenal syndrome were selected and carefully analyzed.

RESULTSCardiorenal syndrome is a condition characterized by kidney and heart failure where failure of one organ worsens the function of the other thus further accelerating the progressive failure of both organs. The pathophysiology of cardiorenal syndrome is not fully understood, but may be caused by a complex combination of neurohormonal system activation, endothelial dysfunction, proteinuria, oxidative stress, uremic toxins and other factors. Managing cardiorenal syndrome is still a major therapeutic challenge in clinical practice because many of the drugs used to control heart failure can worsen renal function, and vice versa. Non-dialyzable uremic toxins, such as indoxyl sulfate, causing detrimental effects on the heart and kidney as well as stimulation of inflammatory responses, may be an effective therapeutic target for cardiorenal syndrome.

CONCLUSIONSSuitable disease models of cardiorenal syndrome are urgently needed to investigate the pathophysiology and effective therapeutic approaches to the condition. Non-dialyzable protein-bound uremic toxins that may have cardiac and renal effects may provide therapeutic benefit to cardiorenal syndrome patients.

During treatment of acute heart failure (AHF), worsening renal function is often complicated and results in a complex clinical course. Furthermore, renal dysfunction is a strong independent predictor of long-term adverse outcomes in patients with AHF. Traditionally, the predominant cause of renal dysfunction has been attributed to impairment of cardiac output and relative underfilling of arterial perfusion. Recently, emerging data have led to the importance of venous congestion and elevated intra-abdominal pressure rather than confining it to impaired forward cardiac output as the primary driver of renal impairment. Relief of congestion is a major objective of AHF treatment but therapy is still based on the administration of loop diuretics. The results of the recently performed controlled studies for the assessment of new treatments to overcome resistance to diuretic treatment to protect kidneys from untoward effects have been mostly neutral. Better treatment of congestion in heart failure remains a major problem.
Cardiac Output ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Kidney ; Perfusion ; Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors