Although there are still controversies about whether hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, recent analysis reported hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity are independent risk factors for coronary artery disease. However, the prognostic impact of hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are still remained unclear. In this issue, Han et al. investigated the prognostic impact of hypertriglyceridemia and/or central obesity on baseline in AMI patients treated with PCI. In this editorial, we have reviewed the role of hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity on the prognosis after PCI in AMI patients. Although hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity on baseline in this study had no role on the prognosis following PCI in AMI patients, to confirm for these results, further studies on this topic will be warranted in the future.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Hypertriglyceridemia* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Obesity, Abdominal* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

Although there are still controversies about whether hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, recent analysis reported hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity are independent risk factors for coronary artery disease. However, the prognostic impact of hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are still remained unclear. In this issue, Han et al. investigated the prognostic impact of hypertriglyceridemia and/or central obesity on baseline in AMI patients treated with PCI. In this editorial, we have reviewed the role of hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity on the prognosis after PCI in AMI patients. Although hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity on baseline in this study had no role on the prognosis following PCI in AMI patients, to confirm for these results, further studies on this topic will be warranted in the future.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Hypertriglyceridemia* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Obesity, Abdominal* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
*Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; Humans

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease, characterized by optic neuritis and myelitis. NMO is a very uncommon and serious neurologic manifestation of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). We report a 28-year-old man with NMO as neuropsychiatric manifestation of SLE. He was diagnosed as lupus nephritis at 16-year-old. He had optic neuritis at three years and seven months ago. Oral prednisolone was tapered off according to the improved eye symptoms. Two months later, he visited rheumatology clinics for urinary disturbance and paresthesia on both feet. A spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed increased signal intensity in T2-weighted images from second to sixth cervical level and from eleventh to twelfth thoracic level. We diagnosed neuromyelitis optica and treated with intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy monthly for three times. He was discharged without any neurological deficits and has been followed up.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Cyclophosphamide ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Foot ; Humans ; Lupus Nephritis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelitis ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Neuromyelitis Optica* ; Optic Neuritis ; Paresthesia ; Prednisolone ; Rheumatology

No abstract available.
Myocardial Infarction

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is one of the most severe forms of peripheral artery diseases, but current treatment strategies do not guarantee complete recovery of vascular blood flow or reduce the risk of mortality. Recently, human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been reported to have a paracrine influence on angiogenesis in several ischemic diseases. However, little evidence is available regarding optimal cell doses and injection frequencies. Thus, the authors undertook this study to investigate the effects of cell dose and injection frequency on cell survival and paracrine effects. MSCs were injected at 10⁶ or 10⁵ per injection (high and low doses) either once (single injection) or once in two consecutive weeks (double injection) into ischemic legs. Mice were sacrificed 4 weeks after first injection. Angiogenic effects were confirmed in vitro and in vivo, and M2 macrophage infiltration into ischemic tissues and rates of limb salvage were documented. MSCs were found to induce angiogenesis through a paracrine effect in vitro, and were found to survive in ischemic muscle for up to 4 weeks dependent on cell dose and injection frequency. In addition, double high dose and low dose of MSC injections increased vessel formation, and decreased fibrosis volumes and apoptotic cell numbers, whereas a single high dose did not. Our results showed MSCs protect against ischemic injury in a paracrine manner, and suggest that increasing injection frequency is more important than MSC dosage for the treatment CLI.
Animals* ; Bone Marrow* ; Cell Count ; Cell Survival ; Extremities* ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ischemia* ; Leg ; Limb Salvage ; Macrophages ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mice ; Models, Animal* ; Mortality ; Peripheral Arterial Disease

No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

0.9 between all observers). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the predictive power for CAD was improved when max-CIMT and plaque information (plaque≥2) was added [area under the curve (AUC): 0.838] to the traditional clinical CV risk factors (AUC: 0.769). The cutoff values for CAD prediction with the standard device and the WHUS device were 1.05 mm (AUC: 0.807, sensitivity: 0.78, specificity: 0.53) and 1.10 mm (AUC: 0.725, sensitivity: 0.98, specificity: 0.27), respectively.CONCLUSION: max-CIMT measured by a WHUS device showed excellent agreement and repeatability, compared with standard ultrasound. Combined max-CIMT and plaque information added predictive power to the traditional clinical CV risk factors in detecting high-risk CAD patients.]]>
Carotid Artery, Common ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Risk Factors ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography ; Wireless Technology