OBJECTIVETo investigate the syndrome property of myocardial ischemic (MI) model rats, and to objectively evaluate the blood stasis pattern related information in them.

METHODSSD rats were established to MI model by left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. Global physical signs observation, colorimetric analysis on images of auricle, plantar and tongue, as well as the hemorrheologic indices detection were conducted dynamically at various time points after modeling. LARS regression was subjected to calculate the correlation between the color and hemorrheologic indices.

RESULTSBoth colorimetric and hemorrheologic indices in MI rats were significantly different to those in sham-operated rats (control) on day 7-28 after operation, showing significant difference between them in terms of plantar R on day 7 (176.29 +/- 4.96 vs. 182.04 +/- 6.35, P < 0.05); R, G and B values of plantar on day 14, 21 and 28; G and R values of tongue on day 14 and G value of auricle on day 21 (130.38 +/- 7.52 vs. 138.02 +/- 9.32, P < 0.05), as well as B value of tongue on day 28 (93.70 +/- 4.79 vs. 85.80 +/- 6.60, P < 0.01). Results of hemorrheologic indices showed that hematocrit in MI rats was higher than that in control on day 14 and 28 (P < 0.05), it was even higher on day 21 (45.38 +/- 1.96 vs. 41.50 +/- 2.12, P < 0.01); and platelet aggregation rate (PAR) was significantly higher in MI on day 7 (49.35 +/- 6.74 vs. 37.83 +/- 9.94, P < 0.01) and day 14 (58.19 +/- 7.57 vs. 48.00 +/- 10.44, P < 0.05). Besides, various degree of changes could also be seen in whole blood apparent viscosity and reduced viscosity at different shear rate on day 7-28 in the model group. LARS regression showed there existed correlation of local colorimetric indices with levels of hematocrit and PAR.

CONCLUSIONMI model rat induced by LAD ligation can be diagnosed as the qi-deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, indications of the syndromes could be seen on 7-28 days after operation; the change of colorimetric indices of local images in MI rats might be related with their levels of hematocrit and PAR.

Animals ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hematocrit ; Hemorheology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Myocardial Ischemia ; blood ; physiopathology ; Platelet Aggregation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We examined the ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) level during exercise in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Forty patients with a history of chest pain underwent both symptom-limited treadmill exercise stress testing and coronary angiography within one week. During the treadmill tests, blood samples were obtained at baseline and 5 min after exercise to measure the serum IMA level. RESULTS: Of the 40 patients, fourteen (35%, CAD group) had significant coronary artery stenosis, while the other 26 (65%, non-CAD group) did not. The baseline and post-exercise IMA levels in the two groups did not differ significantly (105.2+/-7.2 vs. 107.7+/-6.7 U/mL at baseline and 93.1+/-10.1 vs. 94.8+/-5.7 U/mL at post-exercise in the CAD and non-CAD groups, p=0.29 and 0.57, respectively). The changes in IMA after exercise did not differ either (-10.4+/-7.5 vs. -14.0+/-7.6 U/mL in the CAD and non-CAD groups, respectively, p=0.10). Similarly, the change in IMA between the exercise ECG test positive (TMT positive, n=9) and negative (TMT negative, n=20) groups did not differ (-14.63+/-5.19, vs -8.50+/-9.01 U/mL, p=0.15, in the TMT positive and negative groups, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that IMA has limitation in detecting myocardial ischemia during symptom-limited exercise stress tests.
Aged ; Albumins/*diagnostic use/metabolism ; *Chest Pain ; Electrocardiography ; *Exercise Test/instrumentation ; Female ; Humans ; Lactic Acid/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia/blood/*diagnosis/physiopathology ; Pilot Projects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene and exercise-induced silent myocardial ischemia (SI) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODSOne hundred and eight patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus with normal rest electrocardiograph and 50 healthy individuals were selected randomly. SI was diagnosed with treadmill exercise test and ACE genotypes were detected with PCR.

RESULTS(1) The control group and type 2 diabetes mellitus group had similar distribution of ACE genotypes and alleles (P>0.05). Compared with the non-SI group, the SI group had significantly higher ACE D allele prevalence (Chi-square=4.501, P<0.05); however, the two groups had similar prevalence of ACE genotypes (P>0.05). (2) There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics and serum lipoproteins among the three ACE genotypes (II, DD,ID) of type 2 diabetes mellitus (P>0.05). (3) The prevalence of SI in DD group was found to be 68.2%, which was significantly higher than that in II genotype group (39.5%, Chi-square=4.593, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONACE D allele increases the risk of SI in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Adult ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; genetics ; Exercise ; physiology ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia ; diagnosis ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to evaluate the dose-effect relationship of statins in patients with ischemic congestive heart failure (CHF), since the role of statins in CHF remains unclear. METHODS: The South koreAn Pitavastatin Heart FaIluRE (SAPHIRE) study was designed to randomize patients with ischemic CHF into daily treatments of 10 mg pravastatin or 4 mg pitavastatin. RESULTS: The low density lipoprotein cholesterol level decreased by 30% in the pitavastatin group compared with 12% in the pravastatin (p < 0.05) group. Left ventricular systolic dimensions decreased significantly by 9% in the pitavastatin group and by 5% in the pravastatin group. Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) improved significantly from 37% to 42% in the pitavastatin group and from 35% to 39% in the pravastatin group. Although the extent of the EF change was greater in the pitavastatin group (16% vs. 11%) than that in the pravastatin group, no significant difference was observed between the groups (p = 0.386). Exercise capacity, evaluated by the 6-min walking test, improved significantly in the pravastatin group (p < 0.001), but no change was observed in the pitavastatin group (p = 0.371). CONCLUSIONS: Very low dose/low potency pravastatin and high dose/high potency pitavastatin had a beneficial effect on cardiac reverse remodeling and improved systolic function in patients with ischemic CHF. However, only pravastatin significantly improved exercise capacity. These findings suggest that lowering cholesterol too much may not be beneficial for patients with CHF.
Aged ; Biological Markers/blood ; Cholesterol, LDL/*blood ; Down-Regulation ; Dyslipidemias/blood/diagnosis/*drug therapy/epidemiology ; Exercise Tolerance/drug effects ; Female ; Heart Failure/diagnosis/*drug therapy/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia/diagnosis/*drug therapy/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Pravastatin/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Prospective Studies ; Quinolines/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Recovery of Function ; Republic of Korea ; Stroke Volume/drug effects ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Ventricular Function, Left/drug effects ; Ventricular Remodeling/drug effects