The effects of electric currents applied during absolute refractory period (ARP) on the cardiac function of rabbits with heart failure due to myocardial infarction (MI), and the safety of this method were investigated. Thirty rabbits were randomly assigned equally to 3 groups: sham-operated group, LV-anterior wall cardiac contractility modulation (LV-CCM) group, and septum-CCM (S-CCM) group. A thoracotomy was performed on all the rabbits. Electric pulses were delivered during the ARP on the anterior wall of left ventricle in CCM group and in the septum in S-CCM group, respectively. The left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and maximum positive left ventricular pressure change (+dp/dt(max)), heart rates, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation were observed. It was found that, as compared with the baseline, LVSP, and +dp/dtmax were significantly increased, on average, by 15.2% and 19.5% in LV-CCM group (P<0.05), and by 8.5% and 10.8% in S-CCM group (P<0.05). LVEDP was significantly decreased and -dp/dt(max) increased both in LV-CCM group and S-CCM group (P<0.05). CCM had no effect on heart rate and induced no arrhythmia in short time. It is concluded that electric currents delivered during the ARP could significantly enhance the contractility of myocardium safely, suggesting that CCM stimulation is a novel potent method for contractility modulation.

Objective To observe the effect of intravenous thrombolysis on TIMI flow of acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods A total of 229 patients with AMI analysed retrospectively were divided into two groups:intravenous thrombolysis(IVT)group(n=131)and primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)group(n=98).The treatment time and acute-phase outcomes were compared between the IVT group and the PCI group;104 patients in the IVT group received rescued or delayed PCI(IVT+PCI);TIMI flow was analysed between the IVT+PCI group and the PCI group.Results The time from the emergency room door to initiation of treatment was shorter in the IVT group than in the PCI group(67.79 min vs 134.54 min,P=0.000).At the initial coronary angiography,TIMI 3 flow and TIMI 2+3 flow were higher in the IVT+PCI group than in the PCI group(40.4% vs 24.5%,P=0.016;63.5% vs 36.7%,P=0.000 respectively).There was no significant difference between the IVT group and the PCI group in terms of major adverse cardiac events(MACE).Conclusion IVT as an initial treatment for AMI might achieve earlier reperfusion at TIMI≥2 flow,and it should be popularized in the primary hospitals.

The research on fastigial nucleus could be traced back to 19th century. However the great achievements on cerebrum overshadowed the importance of cerebellum and its nucleus. In recent 30 years, with the finding of brain protection effect of fastigial nucleus stimulation, much attention has been given to this field. Now its widely accepted that electrical stimulation of fastigial nucleus has brain protection effect and concrete mechanisms can be concluded as: improving the electrical instability around the infarct zone, reducing peri-infarction depolarizing wave and cortical spreading depression; suppressing microvessels inflammatory reaction; inhibiting cell apoptosis; reducing the neurons damage and facilitates neovascularization and so on. These new discoveries was reviewed and further expectation on this field was put forward by the authors.

With water immersion, the water exerts a pressure on the body surface. Thus there is a blood volume shift from the periphery to the central circulation, resulting in marked volume loading of the thorax and heart. This article illustrated hemodynamic and hurohumoral responses of hydrotherapy, and dicussed whether patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) or chronic heart failure (CHF) can immerse, take balneotherapy, exercise in the water and swimming. A positive effect of therapeutic warm-water tub bathing has been observed in patients with LVD and CHF, which was assumed to be from afterload reduction due to peripheral vasodilatation caused by the warm water. Optimal swimming as used for cardiovascular training programs may be allowed exclusively for NYHA class Ⅱ patients with myocardial infarction older than 6 weeks, myocarditis suffered more than 6 months ago, and cardiomyopathy. Patients with previous severe myocardial infarctions and/or CHF may bathe in a half sitting position, but immersed no deeper than the xiphoid process, because immersion up to the neck could produce abnormal increase in mean pulmonary pressure and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure temporarily. In coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with reduced LV function the heart is working more efficiently with mild cycling in water than cycling outside of water. Decompensated heart failure is the absolute contraindication to hydrotherapy.

Purpose:To evaluate the significance of surgery for pulmonary metastases and investigate the adverse factors of prognosis.Methods:Forty six patients with pulmonary metastases were studied. Operation was performed through conventional thoracotomy ( in 30 patients) and video assisted thoracoscopic surgical techniques (in 16 patients). Patients were followed up. Survival rate was calculated with Kaplan Meier method. Logistic regressive analysis was done to identify adverse prognostic factors.Results:Three year and five year survival rates were 33.8% and 15.8% respectively. Logistic multivariate regressive analysis revealed that multiple lobes metastases and metastases with lymph nodal metastases were adverse factors for prognosis.Conclusions:Surgery might cure some selected patients with pulmonary metastases. Multiple lobes metastases and metastases with mediastinal lymph nodal metastases are indicators of poor prognosis.

Objective To explore the relationship of the presence and severity of anxiety and depression with the increased inflammatory activity,as marked by the serum levels of high sensitivity C reactive protein(hs-CRP)after acute coronary syndrome(ACS).Methods Serum hs-CRP levels were measured in 647 ACS patients within 36 hours after onset of event.Depression and anxiety were evaluated by self-reporting standardized questionnaire,using a validated Chinese version of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS)(14 items)within 7 days.Results In ACS patients,serum levels of hs-CRP(mg/L)were lower in those with anxiety than those in control group[(10.43?3.55)mg/L vs(13.19?4.90)mg/L,P0.05].Conclusion Presence and severity of depression is associated with increased activity of inflammation in patients with ACS;however,anxiety does not have such an association with inflammation in patients with ACS.

Cardiovascular Diseases ; prevention & control ; Consensus ; Humans ; Risk Factors

Objective: To investigate the value of computed tomography (CT) texture analysis in differential diagnosis of inflammatory and malignant pulmonary nodules. Methods: The image data of 54 patients with lung cancer and 36 patients with pulmonary inflammatory nodules were retrospectively collected in our hospital. All the patients received chest CT scan. CT texture analysis of entropy, correlation degree and contrast ratio were performed by the MaZda software. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was established and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the value of CT texture analysis in differential diagnosis of inflammatory and malignant pulmonary nodules. Results: In the lung cancer group, the value of entropy, correlation degree and contrast ratio were 1.58±0.07, 0.02±0.17 and 8.79±2.59, respectively. In the inflammatory nodules group, the value of entropy, correlation degree and contrast ratio were 1.51±0.04, 0.22±0.16 and 12.53±2.24, respectively. The differences were all statistically significant (P values were 0.008, 0.027, and 0.006, respectively) between two groups. There was not statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in the CT values between the lung cancer group and the inflammatory nodule group based on the non-contrast enhanced CT scan. Meanwhile, there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in the value of entropy, correlation degree or contrast ratio between two groups based on arterial phase or venous phase of contrast enhanced CT. The ROC analysis showed that the AUC in differentiating the lung cancer and inflammatory nodules was 0.821, 0.778 and 0.875, respectively. The AUC of combination of three phases was 0.931, which was higher than the AUC of entropy, correlation degree and contrast ratio respectively (P<0.01). The sensitivity was 88.9%, and the specificity was 87.5%. Conclusion CT texture analysis is a high-potential image analysis method, which can provide more information for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules.

The atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability may be related to inflammation,immunity,metabolism and blood clotting.One of the key factors affecting plaque stability is inflammatory reaction.This study was to investigate the relationship between vulnerability of coronary artery plaque evaluated with coronary angiography (CAG),intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and the levels of plasma inflammatory markers.Methods Fifty-eight consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome who had coronary lesion of a single vessel were divided into 3 groups based on angiographic morphology of the lesions:type Ⅰ lesion group (n =16),type Ⅱ lesion group (n =25) and type Ⅲ lesion group (n =17).The control group consisted of 17 patients with stable angina.Plasma levels of high sensitivity C reaction protein (hs-CRP),matrix metalloproteinase (MMP,including MMP-2 and MMP-9),CD40 ligand (CD40L) and pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) were measured by ELISA.A subgroup of 28 patients (including 18 ACS patients and 10 stable angina control patients) who underwent IVUS study,were analyzed.Results The plasma levels of MMP-2,MMP-9 and PAPP-A in type Ⅱ lesion group were significantly higher than those in other groups (all P＜0.05).In type Ⅱ lesion group,linear correlation analyses showed significant positive correlation between levels of hs-CRP and MMP-2 (r=0.508);MMP-2 and MMP-9,CD40L,PAPP-A (r=0.647,0.704 and 0.751,respectively);MMP-9 and CD40L,PAPP-A (r=0.491 and 0.639,respectively);CD40L and PAPP-A (r=0.896).IVUS subgroup analysis showed that the area of plaques and plaque burden in culprit lesion,the incidence of high-risk plaques,remodeling index (RI) and positive remodeling percentage in ACS patients were significantly greater than those in control subgroup (P=0.000,0.037,0.028,0.015 and 0.040,respectively).Compared with control subgroup,the plasma levels of hs-CRP,MMP-2,MMP-9 and PAPP-A were markedly elevated (P=0.033,0.000,0.000 and 0.027,respectively).Conclusions CAG and IVUS combined with study on plasma levels of inflammation mediators are helpful in judging the vulnerability of coronary artery plaques.(J Geriatr Cardiol 2008;5:207-211)

Objective To examine the use of reperfusion strategies in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and investigate the factors affecting its use. Methods This survey population consisted of 338 consecutive elderly patients with AMI( t65 years) who were admitted to the department of cardiology of Beijing Military General Hospital between December 2003 and November 2007. The patients were divided into two groups based on the receiving of reperfusion strategies : a reperfusion group ( n = 252) and a non-reperfusion therapeutic group ( n = 86). Qualitative data were compared between the two groups using Chi-square tests and multiple binary logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between various patient-related factors with the probability of choosing reperfusion therapies or not. Results About 74. 6% of the elderly patients with AMI recevied reperfusion strategies [62. 2% pereutaneons coronary intervention (PCI) and 12.4% thrembelysis]. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that age ≥ 75 years( OR = 0. 255, P = 0. 000), history of angina ( OR = 0. 570, P = 0. 016 ) and high Killip classification ( OR =0. 671 ,P =0. 012) were confirmed factors for receiving less reperfusion therapy. Meanwhile, inferior wall myocardial infarction (MI) with complicating right ventricular MI( OR =4. 585,P =0. 002) ,sweating ( OR = 1. 970, P = 0. 016), unbearable symptoms ( OR = 1. 836, P = 0. 038 ) and medical insurance ( OR =1. 968,P =0. 029) were independent predictors for receiving reperfusion therapy. Intracranial hemorrhage (2.8% vs 7. 1%,P =0.000), left ventricular ejection time <45% (12% vs 31%,P =0.016) and mortality rate within 1 year(2. 3% vs 4. 7%, P = 0. 039) were obviously decreased in the PCI group as compared with the thrembelysis group. Conclusions Aging, medical history of angina, high Killip classification, inferior MI with complicating fight ventricular MI, sweating, unbearable symptoms and medical insurance were independent predictors for receiving reperfusion strategies.