Background: Complete revascularization has demonstrated better outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and multivessel disease. However, in the case of left main (LM) culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease, there is limited evidence to suggest that complete revascularization is better. Methods: We reviewed 16,831 patients in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry who were treated from July 2016 to June 2020, and 399 patients were enrolled with LM culprit lesion AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. We categorized the patients as those treated with complete revascularization (n=295) or incomplete revascularization (n=104). The study endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, stent thrombosis, and stroke. We performed propensity score matching (PSM) and analyzed the incidence of MACCE at 1 year. Results: After PSM, the two groups were well balanced. There was no significant difference between the two groups in MACCE at 1 year (12.1% vs. 15.2%; hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.60–2.74; p=0.524) after PSM. The components of MACCE and major bleeding were also not significantly different. Conclusion There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the groups treated with complete or incomplete revascularization for LM culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor usually involved in the survival, differentiation, and growth of sensory neurons and nociceptive function. Yet, it has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Previous studies suggested a possible relationship between NGF and OA; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the impact of NGF in chondrogenesis using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs)-derived chondrogenic pellets. To investigate how NGF affects the cartilage tissue, hiPSC-derived chondrogenic pellets were treated with NGF on day 3 of differentiation, expression of chondrogenic, hypertrophic, and fibrotic markers was confirmed. Also, inflammatory cytokine arrays were performed using the culture medium of the NGF treated chondrogenic pellets. As a result, NGF treatment decreased the expression of pro-chondrogenic markers by approximately 2∼4 times, and hypertrophic (pro-osteogenic) markers and fibrotic markers were increased by approximately 3-fold or more in the NGF-treated cartilaginous pellets. In addition, angiogenesis was upregulated by approximately 4-fold or more, bone formation by more than 2-fold, and matrix metalloproteinase induction by more than 2-fold. These inflammatory cytokine array were using the NGF-treated chondrogenic pellet cultured medium.Furthermore, it was confirmed by Western blot to be related to the induction of the glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β) pathway by NGF. In Conclusions, these findings provide valuable insights into the multifaceted role of NGF in cartilage hypertrophy and fibrosis, which might play a critical role in OA progression.

Background: Complete revascularization has demonstrated better outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and multivessel disease. However, in the case of left main (LM) culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease, there is limited evidence to suggest that complete revascularization is better. Methods: We reviewed 16,831 patients in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry who were treated from July 2016 to June 2020, and 399 patients were enrolled with LM culprit lesion AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. We categorized the patients as those treated with complete revascularization (n=295) or incomplete revascularization (n=104). The study endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, stent thrombosis, and stroke. We performed propensity score matching (PSM) and analyzed the incidence of MACCE at 1 year. Results: After PSM, the two groups were well balanced. There was no significant difference between the two groups in MACCE at 1 year (12.1% vs. 15.2%; hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.60–2.74; p=0.524) after PSM. The components of MACCE and major bleeding were also not significantly different. Conclusion There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the groups treated with complete or incomplete revascularization for LM culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor usually involved in the survival, differentiation, and growth of sensory neurons and nociceptive function. Yet, it has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Previous studies suggested a possible relationship between NGF and OA; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the impact of NGF in chondrogenesis using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs)-derived chondrogenic pellets. To investigate how NGF affects the cartilage tissue, hiPSC-derived chondrogenic pellets were treated with NGF on day 3 of differentiation, expression of chondrogenic, hypertrophic, and fibrotic markers was confirmed. Also, inflammatory cytokine arrays were performed using the culture medium of the NGF treated chondrogenic pellets. As a result, NGF treatment decreased the expression of pro-chondrogenic markers by approximately 2∼4 times, and hypertrophic (pro-osteogenic) markers and fibrotic markers were increased by approximately 3-fold or more in the NGF-treated cartilaginous pellets. In addition, angiogenesis was upregulated by approximately 4-fold or more, bone formation by more than 2-fold, and matrix metalloproteinase induction by more than 2-fold. These inflammatory cytokine array were using the NGF-treated chondrogenic pellet cultured medium.Furthermore, it was confirmed by Western blot to be related to the induction of the glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β) pathway by NGF. In Conclusions, these findings provide valuable insights into the multifaceted role of NGF in cartilage hypertrophy and fibrosis, which might play a critical role in OA progression.

Background: Complete revascularization has demonstrated better outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and multivessel disease. However, in the case of left main (LM) culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease, there is limited evidence to suggest that complete revascularization is better. Methods: We reviewed 16,831 patients in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry who were treated from July 2016 to June 2020, and 399 patients were enrolled with LM culprit lesion AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. We categorized the patients as those treated with complete revascularization (n=295) or incomplete revascularization (n=104). The study endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, stent thrombosis, and stroke. We performed propensity score matching (PSM) and analyzed the incidence of MACCE at 1 year. Results: After PSM, the two groups were well balanced. There was no significant difference between the two groups in MACCE at 1 year (12.1% vs. 15.2%; hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.60–2.74; p=0.524) after PSM. The components of MACCE and major bleeding were also not significantly different. Conclusion There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the groups treated with complete or incomplete revascularization for LM culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor usually involved in the survival, differentiation, and growth of sensory neurons and nociceptive function. Yet, it has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Previous studies suggested a possible relationship between NGF and OA; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the impact of NGF in chondrogenesis using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs)-derived chondrogenic pellets. To investigate how NGF affects the cartilage tissue, hiPSC-derived chondrogenic pellets were treated with NGF on day 3 of differentiation, expression of chondrogenic, hypertrophic, and fibrotic markers was confirmed. Also, inflammatory cytokine arrays were performed using the culture medium of the NGF treated chondrogenic pellets. As a result, NGF treatment decreased the expression of pro-chondrogenic markers by approximately 2∼4 times, and hypertrophic (pro-osteogenic) markers and fibrotic markers were increased by approximately 3-fold or more in the NGF-treated cartilaginous pellets. In addition, angiogenesis was upregulated by approximately 4-fold or more, bone formation by more than 2-fold, and matrix metalloproteinase induction by more than 2-fold. These inflammatory cytokine array were using the NGF-treated chondrogenic pellet cultured medium.Furthermore, it was confirmed by Western blot to be related to the induction of the glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β) pathway by NGF. In Conclusions, these findings provide valuable insights into the multifaceted role of NGF in cartilage hypertrophy and fibrosis, which might play a critical role in OA progression.

Background: Complete revascularization has demonstrated better outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and multivessel disease. However, in the case of left main (LM) culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease, there is limited evidence to suggest that complete revascularization is better. Methods: We reviewed 16,831 patients in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry who were treated from July 2016 to June 2020, and 399 patients were enrolled with LM culprit lesion AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. We categorized the patients as those treated with complete revascularization (n=295) or incomplete revascularization (n=104). The study endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, stent thrombosis, and stroke. We performed propensity score matching (PSM) and analyzed the incidence of MACCE at 1 year. Results: After PSM, the two groups were well balanced. There was no significant difference between the two groups in MACCE at 1 year (12.1% vs. 15.2%; hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.60–2.74; p=0.524) after PSM. The components of MACCE and major bleeding were also not significantly different. Conclusion There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the groups treated with complete or incomplete revascularization for LM culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease.

The main mechanism of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is catecholamine-induced acute myocardial stunning. Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-secreting tumor, can cause several cardiovascular complications, including hypertensive crisis, myocardial infarction, toxic myocarditis, and TCM. A 29-year-old woman presented to our hospital with general weakness, vomiting, dyspnea, and chest pain. The patient was nullipara, 28 weeks’ gestation, and had a cachexic morphology. Her cardiac enzyme levels were elevated and bedside echocardiography showed apical akinesia, suggesting TCM. The next day, she could not feel the fetal movement, and an emergency cesarean section was performed. After delivery, the patient experienced cardiac arrest and was transferred to the intensive care unit for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Spontaneous circulation returned after 28 minutes of CPR, but cardiogenic shock continued, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was initiated. On the third day of ECMO maintenance, left ventricular ejection fraction improved and blood pressure stabilized. On the eighth day after ECMO insertion, it was removed. However, complications of the left leg vessels occurred, and several surgeries and interventions were performed. A left adrenal gland mass was found on computed tomography and was removed while repairing the leg vessels. Pheochromocytoma was diagnosed and left adrenalectomy was performed.

The main mechanism of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is catecholamine-induced acute myocardial stunning. Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-secreting tumor, can cause several cardiovascular complications, including hypertensive crisis, myocardial infarction, toxic myocarditis, and TCM. A 29-year-old woman presented to our hospital with general weakness, vomiting, dyspnea, and chest pain. The patient was nullipara, 28 weeks’ gestation, and had a cachexic morphology. Her cardiac enzyme levels were elevated and bedside echocardiography showed apical akinesia, suggesting TCM. The next day, she could not feel the fetal movement, and an emergency cesarean section was performed. After delivery, the patient experienced cardiac arrest and was transferred to the intensive care unit for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Spontaneous circulation returned after 28 minutes of CPR, but cardiogenic shock continued, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was initiated. On the third day of ECMO maintenance, left ventricular ejection fraction improved and blood pressure stabilized. On the eighth day after ECMO insertion, it was removed. However, complications of the left leg vessels occurred, and several surgeries and interventions were performed. A left adrenal gland mass was found on computed tomography and was removed while repairing the leg vessels. Pheochromocytoma was diagnosed and left adrenalectomy was performed.

The main mechanism of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is catecholamine-induced acute myocardial stunning. Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-secreting tumor, can cause several cardiovascular complications, including hypertensive crisis, myocardial infarction, toxic myocarditis, and TCM. A 29-year-old woman presented to our hospital with general weakness, vomiting, dyspnea, and chest pain. The patient was nullipara, 28 weeks’ gestation, and had a cachexic morphology. Her cardiac enzyme levels were elevated and bedside echocardiography showed apical akinesia, suggesting TCM. The next day, she could not feel the fetal movement, and an emergency cesarean section was performed. After delivery, the patient experienced cardiac arrest and was transferred to the intensive care unit for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Spontaneous circulation returned after 28 minutes of CPR, but cardiogenic shock continued, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was initiated. On the third day of ECMO maintenance, left ventricular ejection fraction improved and blood pressure stabilized. On the eighth day after ECMO insertion, it was removed. However, complications of the left leg vessels occurred, and several surgeries and interventions were performed. A left adrenal gland mass was found on computed tomography and was removed while repairing the leg vessels. Pheochromocytoma was diagnosed and left adrenalectomy was performed.