Objective::The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of tolvaptan, as well as the impact of its treatment dose and duration in heart failure patients with congestive signs.Methods::The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched to collect data from all randomized controlled trials (RCT) examining the efficacy and safety of tolvaptan in heart failure patients with congestive signs compared with placebo or blank control until March 4, 2021. Urine volume, change in body weight, improvement in dyspnea, and reduction of edema were evaluated as efficacy indicators. All-cause mortality, worsening heart failure, and adverse events were considered safety indicators. The quality of eligible publications was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias for RCTs.Results::Ten RCTs with 5,980 patients were included in this analysis. Compared with control, tolvaptan significantly reduced weight in the short term (day 1, 7 RCTs, weighted mean difference (WMD): -1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.27 to -0.91; day 2, 2 RCTs, WMD: -1.67, 95% CI: -3.00 to -0.33; day 7, 4 RCTs, WMD: -0.95, 95% CI: -1.25 to -0.66), increased urine volume (WMD: 1,825.72, 95% CI: 1,438.38-2,213.07), and relieved dyspnea (risk ratio (RR): 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05-1.19) without increasing the mortality rate (RR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.87-1.06). Furthermore, the weight loss and increase in urine volume were not dose-dependent effects, and prolonged medication did not lead to sustained weight loss. In addition, there seemed to be more adverse events (RR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.03-1.32) after treatment with tolvaptan. Further analysis revealed that patients treated with tolvaptan were more likely to report thirst (RR: 6.09, 95% CI: 3.37-11.00) and dry mouth (RR: 6.36, 95% CI: 4.09-9.90), as well as develop hypernatremia (RR: 12.76, 95% CI: 3.52-46.32).Conclusions::The meta-analysis shows that tolvaptan can improve congestion with no increase in mortality rate, but should be used to guard against adverse events. Deserve to be mentioned, the number of RCTs included was limited, suggesting that the observed results should be interpreted with caution. Additional robust clinical studies are warranted to validate the present findings.

Objective::The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of tolvaptan, as well as the impact of its treatment dose and duration in heart failure patients with congestive signs.Methods::The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched to collect data from all randomized controlled trials (RCT) examining the efficacy and safety of tolvaptan in heart failure patients with congestive signs compared with placebo or blank control until March 4, 2021. Urine volume, change in body weight, improvement in dyspnea, and reduction of edema were evaluated as efficacy indicators. All-cause mortality, worsening heart failure, and adverse events were considered safety indicators. The quality of eligible publications was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias for RCTs.Results::Ten RCTs with 5,980 patients were included in this analysis. Compared with control, tolvaptan significantly reduced weight in the short term (day 1, 7 RCTs, weighted mean difference (WMD): -1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.27 to -0.91; day 2, 2 RCTs, WMD: -1.67, 95% CI: -3.00 to -0.33; day 7, 4 RCTs, WMD: -0.95, 95% CI: -1.25 to -0.66), increased urine volume (WMD: 1,825.72, 95% CI: 1,438.38-2,213.07), and relieved dyspnea (risk ratio (RR): 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05-1.19) without increasing the mortality rate (RR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.87-1.06). Furthermore, the weight loss and increase in urine volume were not dose-dependent effects, and prolonged medication did not lead to sustained weight loss. In addition, there seemed to be more adverse events (RR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.03-1.32) after treatment with tolvaptan. Further analysis revealed that patients treated with tolvaptan were more likely to report thirst (RR: 6.09, 95% CI: 3.37-11.00) and dry mouth (RR: 6.36, 95% CI: 4.09-9.90), as well as develop hypernatremia (RR: 12.76, 95% CI: 3.52-46.32).Conclusions::The meta-analysis shows that tolvaptan can improve congestion with no increase in mortality rate, but should be used to guard against adverse events. Deserve to be mentioned, the number of RCTs included was limited, suggesting that the observed results should be interpreted with caution. Additional robust clinical studies are warranted to validate the present findings.

Objective:To investigate the protective effect of N-acetylcysteine(NAC)on right ventricular remodeling in a rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension ( PAH ) .Methods: PAH rats were induced by a single injection of monocrotaline(60 mg/kg,sc)and were ad ministered with NAC[500 mg/(kg? d)]for 6 weeks.At the end of 4 weeks,the right ventricular systolic pressure ( RVSP ) and mean pulmonary artery pressure ( mPAP ) were monitored via the right jugular vein catheterization into the right ventricle .Right ventricle ( RV ) to left ventricle ( LV )+septum ( S ) were calculated.Right ventricular morphological change was observed by HE staining .Sirius red was used to demonstrate collagen deposition .The expressions of collagenⅠ,collagen Ⅲ, NADPH oxidase 4 ( NOX4 ) and nuclear factor-kappa B ( NF-κB ) were analyzed by RT-PCR and ( or ) Western blot.Results:NAC attenuated RVSP ,mPAP and right ventricular remodeling index ( RV/LV+S) of PAH rats induced by monocrotaline after treatment for 4 weeks.Furthermore ,monocrotaline-induced right ventricular collagen accumulation and collagen Ⅰand collagenⅢexpression were both significantly suppressed by NAC .The expressions of NOX 4 and NF-κB were obviously decreased in right ventricule from PAH rats with NAC treatment.Conclusion:NAC ameliorates right ventricular remodeling of PAH induced by monocrotaline in rats through down regulating the expression of NOX 4 and antioxidant activity ,and inhibiting activation of NF-κB and collagen accumulation .

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship of the fragmented QRS (fQRS) and the fQRS time limit with ventricular arrhythmia in old myocardial infarction (OMI) patients through contrasting the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia in OMI patients whether fQRS or not and ventricular arrhythmia in different fQRS time limit.MethodsAccording to the routine electrocardiogram,321 OMI patients were divided into group A (fQRS appearance,167 cases) and group B(fQRS non-appearance,154 cases).The lead with fQRS extense was ehosen and traced another 50 mm/s electrocardiogram,and 3 consecutive fQRS time limit were measured and them average was taken in group A.According to the fQRS time limit,the patients in group A were divided into 3 groups: group X( ≤0.100 s,96 cases),group Y (0.101-0.119 s,54 cases) and group Z( ≥0.120 s,17 cases).All the patients were continuously monitored with 24 hours dynamic electrocardiogram,and the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia was analyzed.ResultsThe incidence of ventricular arrhythmia in group A [ 78.4％ ( 131/167 ) ] was higher than that in group B [ 63.6％(98/154) ] (P＜ 0.01 ).The incidence of premature ventricular contraction(PVC) ＞ 720/24 hours in group A [ 28.7％(48/167 ) ] was higher than that in group B[ 17.5％(27/154) ] (P ＜ 0.05 ).The incidence of multifocal PVC,coupled PVC,nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and Lown 3-5 grades PVC was 16.2％ (27/167),33.5％ (56/167),12.0％ (20/167),34.1％ (57/167) in group A,7.8％ (12/154),21.4％ (33/154),4.5％(7/154),23.4％(36/154) in group B,there were significant differences between two groups (P＜ 0.05 ).The incidence of ventricular arrhythmia in group Z [ 100.0％( 17/17 ) ] was significantly higher than that in group Y [79.6％(43/54)] and group X [74.0％(71/96)](P＜ 0.05).The incidence of Lown 3-5 grades PVC in group Z[ 70.6％( 12/17 )] was significantly higher than that in group Y[ 42.6％(23/54)] and group X [ 22.9％(22/96) ],and the incidence of Lown 3-5 grades PVC in group Y was significantly higher than that in group X (P＜ 0.05).ConclusionsOMI patients with fQRS have higher incidence and severe degree in ventricular arrlhythmia than those without fQRS.With the fQRS time limit widened,PVC and Iown 3-5 grades PVC significantly increased.So fQRS is a new predicting index of OMI,and fQRS time limit has definite value in predicting the heart event for OMI patients.

Two hundred and twenty-four patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) and 200 subjects as normal controls were included in this study.Genotyping of +276G/T,+45T/G SNPs in apM1 gene was made by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique,and then the distribution and differences in genotypes and allele frequencies in the population were observed.It was found that the G/T polymorphism of +276 site was associated with MS,while +45 T/G polymorphism had nothing to do with MS.It is suggested that the +276G/T polymorphism may be a predisposing factor of MS.

AIM:To investigate the expression and significance of thrombospondin-1(TSP-1)in left ventricular myocardium of type 2 diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM).METHODS:The rat model of DCM was established by eating a high-fat diet together with injection of low dose streptozocin(30 mg/kg)intrapertoneally.After 12 weeks,the content of collagen was quantified by Masson staining.The mRNA level of TSP-1 was determined by quantification real-time RT-PCR,while the protein level of TSP-1 was analyzed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:Compared with the control group,the content of collagen in the DCM group was increased greatly(11.01?3.05 vs 16.92?3.18,P