OBJECTIVEIt was suggested that coronary stent design and coating may affect stent performance and hence induce varying degrees of thrombogenesis and neointimal hyperplasia. The purpose of this study is to compare the 6-month follow-up results between old and new Multilink stents with the method of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging.

METHODSWe have performed old (n = 40) and new (n = 35) Multilink stent implantations on 75 patients with coronary artery disease. Coronary angiography was performed before, immediately after, and 6 months after the in-stent procedure respectively. Six-month follow-up IVUS imaging was performed and analyzed off-line.

RESULTSMinimal lumen cross sectional area (CSA) of new Multilink stents was significantly larger than that of old Multilink stents (P = 0.0053). Mean stent lumen area of new Multilink stents was significantly larger than that of old Multilink stents (P = 0.040). Similarly, minimal lumen diameter (MLD) of new Multilink stents was larger than that of old Multilink stents (P = 0.011). Old Multilink stents had a higher percentage of plaque area than new Multilink stents.

CONCLUSIONThe new Multilink stent is obviously superior to old Multilink stents, in particular, in the stent MLD and lumen CSA--major determinants of the restenosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Coronary Restenosis ; prevention & control ; Coronary Vessels ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the trends in incidence and long-term recurrence rate of pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) within the German Armed Forces, and analyse the influence of variable factors, such as different surgical methods, body constitution and smoking amount, to incidence and long-term recurrence rate of PSD.

METHODSInformation of all the patients being admitted with primary PSD to the surgical departments of three hospitals of the German Armed Forces between 1980 and 1996 was collected and analyzed, 500 patients of which were interviewed.

RESULTSTwo of the 500 patients were dead, and every one of the rest 498 patients agreed to take part in the interview. The incidence of PSD rose from 0.3/1000 in 1985 to 2.4/1000 in 2007. The recurrence rates were decreasing within 16 years of treatment from 33% in 1981 via 23% in 1986 to 12% in 1996 (P = 0.01). Recurrence rates of primary open wound healing (16.8%) compared to primary suture (31.0%) differ significantly (P < 0.01). While the mean body weight within the army rose 1 kg per decade, population shows an increase of 1.9 kg per decade though not being an influencing factor on the recurrence rate (P = 0.72). Smoking of more than 20 cigarettes per day proved to be a significant factor on the recurrence rate of PSD (P = 0.015).

CONCLUSIONWhile the recurrence rates-especially of primary open wound treatment-decreased, the incidence of PSD rose nearly tenfold.

Adult ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Germany ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel ; Pilonidal Sinus ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Recurrence ; Smoking ; epidemiology

Objective: Impaired cardiac efficiency is a hallmark of diabetic cardiomyopathy in models of type 2 diabetes. Adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) deficiency impairs cardiac efficiency in non-diabetic mice, suggesting that hypoadiponectinemia in type 2 diabetes may contribute to impaired cardiac efficiency due to compromised AdipoR1 signaling. Thus, we investigated whether targeting cardiac adiponectin receptors may improve cardiac function and energetics, and attenuate diabetic cardiomyopathy in type 2 diabetic mice. Methods: A non-selective adiponectin receptor agonist, AdipoRon, and vehicle were injected intraperitoneally into Eight-week-old db/db or C57BLKS/J mice for 10 days. Cardiac morphology and function were evaluated by echocardiography and working heart perfusions. Results: Based on echocardiography, AdipoRon treatment did not alter ejection fraction, left ventricular diameters or left ventricular wall thickness in db/db mice compared to vehicle-treated mice. In isolated working hearts, an impairment in cardiac output and efficiency in db/db mice was not improved by AdipoRon. Mitochondrial respiratory capacity, respiration in the presence of oligomycin, and 4-hydroxynonenal levels were similar among all groups. However, AdipoRon induced a marked shift in the substrate oxidation pattern in db/db mice towards increased reliance on glucose utilization. In parallel, the diabetes-associated increase in serum triglyceride levels in vehicle-treated db/db mice was blunted by AdipoRon treatment, while an increase in myocardial triglycerides in vehicle-treated db/db mice was not altered by AdipoRon treatment. Conclusion AdipoRon treatment shifts myocardial substrate preference towards increased glucose utilization, likely by decreasing fatty acid delivery to the heart, but was not sufficient to improve cardiac output and efficiency in db/db mice.