Heart ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction/etiology* ; Thromboembolism/etiology*

Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; classification ; etiology

Anaphylaxis ; complications ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; etiology

Abscess/etiology* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction/complications*

Heart Rupture/etiology* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction/therapy*

OBJECTIVETo establish a convenient method for preparing rabbit models of ischemic cerebral infarction using autologous clot embolism.

METHODSIschemic cerebral infarction was induced in rabbits by embolizing the middle cerebral artery using autologous clot emboli. Clinical and histological observations were carried out to evaluate the validity of the animal model.

RESULTSHemiplegia of different severities was observed in the rabbits after the operation. TTC and HE staining of the brain sections confirmed ischemic cerebral infarction 6 h after obstructing the middle cerebral artery with the autologous clot emboli.

CONCLUSIONEmbolizing the middle cerebral artery using the autologous emboli is convenient to induce focal ischemic cerebral infarction in rabbits. This model has practical value in the study on the mechanism of ischemic cerebrovascular disease and in developing new strategies for prevention and treatment of the relevant diseases in human.

Animals ; Cerebral Infarction ; etiology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; etiology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation

Adult ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; etiology ; Coronary Aneurysm ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; etiology ; Wounds and Injuries ; complications

OBJECTIVETo review the recent research progress in lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) including its protein, ligands, expression and pathophysiological significance. Data sources Information included in this article was identified by searching of PUBMED (1997 - 2006) online resources using the key term LOX-1.

STUDY SELECTIONMainly original milestone articles and critical reviews written by major pioneer investigators of the field were selected.

RESULTSThe key issues related to the LOX-1 protein as well as ligands for LOX-1. Factors regulating the expression of LOX-1 were summarized. The pathophysiological functions of LOX-1 in several diseases were discussed.

CONCLUSIONSIdentification of LOX-1 and a definition of its biological role in pathophysiologic states provide deeper insight into the pathogenesis of some cardiovascular diseases especially in atherosclerosis and provide a potential selective therapeutic approach. LOX-1 is unlocking and drugs targeting LOX-1 might be a promising direction to explore.

Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; etiology ; Atherosclerosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Ligands ; Myocardial Infarction ; etiology ; Osteoarthritis ; etiology ; Scavenger Receptors, Class E ; chemistry ; genetics ; physiology

Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; therapy ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; therapy

BACKGROUNDSmall case series have suggested an association of coronary myocardial bridge (MB) with myocardial infarction (MI). However, the relationship between MB and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between MB and MACE involving MI.

METHODSWe performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, PreMEDLINE, and all EMB Reviews as well as a reference list of relevant articles according to the SPICO (Study design, Patient, Intervention, Control-intervention, and Outcome) criteria using the following keywords: myocardial bridging, myocardial bridge, intramural coronary artery, mural coronary artery, tunneled coronary artery, coronary artery overbridging, etc. Bibliographies of the retrieved publications were additionally hand searched. Studies were included for the meta-analysis if they satisfied the following criteria: (1) they evaluate the association of MB with cardiovascular endpoint event; (2) they included individuals with MB and those without MB; 3) they excluded individuals with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Studies were reviewed by a predetermined protocol including quality assessment. Dates were pooled using a random effect model.

RESULTSSeven observational studies that followed 5 486 patients eligible for the enrolled criteria were included from 7 136 initially identified articles. The prevalence of MB was 24.8% (1 363/5 486). During 0.5-7.0 years of follow-up of this cohort of population, crude outcome rates were 8.0% in the MB group and 7.7% in the non-MB group. The odds ratio of overall MACE and MI were 1.34 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57-3.17, P = 0.51, n = 7 studies) and 2.75 (95% CI: 1.08-7.02, P < 0.03, n = 5 studies) respectively for subjects of MB compared to non-MB.

CONCLUSIONRelationship between MB and MI appears to be a real one, although the study did not reveal a connection of MB to MACE, suggesting whether the necessity of antiplatelet therapy needs to be further studied in a larger cohort of patients with MB prospectively.

Humans ; Myocardial Bridging ; complications ; epidemiology ; Myocardial Infarction ; epidemiology ; etiology