0.05). H/R injury significantly decreased the GSH level (P

Objective The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of combined irbesartan and amiodarone to maintain sinus rhythm in patients with rheumatic heart disease after valve replacement. Methods One hundred and sixteen patients of rheumatic heart disease after valve replacement operation complicated with persistent atrial fibrillation were randomized to amiodarone monotherapy (n=55) or irbesartan plus amiodarone group(n=61). Electrical cardioversion was administered 2 weeks after of pharmaceutical treatment. Patients were followed up for 18 months. Left atrial diameter was measured at before and 6, 12, 18 months after treatment. Results After 12 months, the left atrial diameter in amiodarone monotherapy group was significantly greater than irbesartan plus amiodarone combined group (P

Objective To explore clinical characteristics of patients with cerebral infarction(CI) complicated with metabolic syndrome(MS) and their correlation with severity of cerebrovascular stenosis. Methods A total of 585 cases with CI were retrospectively studied. The patients were catogorized in to groups with and without MS according to NCEP-ATPⅢ diagnostic criteria. Severity of cerebrovascular were evaluated by CT. ResultsTwo hundred ninty cases(49.6%) complicated with MS showed higher body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, serum total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride (TG), uric acid (UA), fasting blood glucose (FBG), two hours postprandial blood glucose (2 h PBG), glucosylated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c), and lower high-densitylipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C) than those without MS. Larger size and multiple infarcts and more serious score of neurological deficit were shown in patients complicated with MS. Severity of cerebrovascular disease disclosed by CT was positively related to levels of waist circumferene, blood pressure, TC, TG, HbA1c, FBG and 2 h PBG while in versely related to the levels of HDL-C (r=-1.23, P

Objective To investigate the effect of C reactive protein on receptor of advanced glycation end-products protein (RAGE) and mRNA expression in human endothelial cells. Methods Human saphenous vein endothelial cells (HSVECs) were incubated with CRP. RAGE protein levels were determined by flow cytometry, and RAGE mRNA levels were assessed by RT-PCR. Results (1)Compared with control group (100%), CRP caused a significant increase in RAGE protein expression at a dose as low as 5 ?g/mL (175.2%?8.1%, P0.05). Conclusion C-reactive protein upregulates RAGE protein and mRNA expression in human endothelial cells in a dose and time dependent manner.

Objective To explore whether combined olmesartan angiotensin Ⅱ receptor type 1 blocker(ARB) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI) temocapril have synergistic effect on reversal of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRsp). Methods Fourty-four SHRsps and 11 Wistar-Kyoto rats(WKY) were divided randomly into 5 groups:WKY-control group, SHRsp-control group, SHRsp-olmesartan 10 mg/(kg?d)group, SHRsp-temocapril 10 mg/(kg?d)group, and SHRsp-Olmesartan 3 mg/(kg?d)+temocapril 3 mg/(kg?d) group for 6 weeks. Hearts weight were measured and histologically studied. The mRNA expression of angiotensin Ⅱ receptor type 1(AT1R) and integrin ?1 in myocardium was detected by RT-PCR. Results Olmesartan, temocapril and the their combination significantly reduced systolic blood pressure in a similar magnitude. Combination therapy was shown not greater effect in reversal of LVH than by olmesartan alone, although the effect by both of them was greater than temocapril monotherapy. The mRNA levels of AT1R and integrin ?1 in SHRsp were significantly decreased by treatment with olmesartan, temocapril, or combination therapy. Olmesartan and combination therapy result in greater decreases in expression of AT1R and integrin ?1 mRNA in myocardium than that by temocapril. Conclusion Compared with olmesartan alone, the combination of ARS and ACEI didn't show synergistic effect on reversal of left ventricular hypertrophy as were down-regulation of AT1R and suppression of integrin ?1 mRNA in myocardium.

18 years of age were enrolled. The blood pressure measurements at the wrist were compared with the results obtained by auscultatory measurement on left upper arm. Both measurements were taken 3 times in each person. A total 273 measurements were obtained in 91 participants. The evaluation of the accuracy was assessed by 2 statistical methods. (1)The differences between the 2 devices for a given measurement. (2) The differences between the 2 devices for a given person. Results Method 1 showed the sample mean errors and standard deviation of errors were 0.5?7.1 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure(SBP) and -1.6?6.1 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure(DBP). Method 2 showed they were 0.5?6.1 mm Hg for SBP and -1.6?5.3 mm Hg for DBP. Blood pressure level and the wrist circumferences had no influence on the measurement errors. Conclusion The HEM-6000 wrist blood pressure device apparently met the AAMI criteria and is valid for patient self-measurement.

0.05). After treatment the incidence of ED in therapy group was decreased to 46.3% vs control group of 63.7%(P

Background FIZZ1 is a newly found protein associated with pulmonary inflammation. It has been shown to involve in proliferation of pulmonary arterial vascular smooth cells, contriction of vascular vessels, and stimulation of fibroblasts. Objective This study was designed to investigate the expression of FIZZ1 in atherosclerotic plaque of C57BL/6J ApoE-/-mice and the role of FIZZ1 on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells obtained from aorta. Methods Nine C57BL/6J ApoE-/-mice were fed with high fat diet and nine C57BL/6J wild type mice with normal chow for 24 weeks. All mice were euthanized and the aortas were collected. HE stain histological examination and FIZZ1 immunohistochemistry were used in vivo study. In vitro, smooth muscle cells were treated with normal saline (control groups) or recombinate FIZZ1 at different concentrations (final concentration 3?10-6, 9?10-6, 2.7?10-5 mmol/L) respectively. The proliferation of smooth muscle cells were detected by MTT. Results After 24 weeks of high fat diet treatment, large atherosclerotic plaques were found in aortic root of ApoE-/-mice. FIZZ1 was found in atherosclerotic plaques of C57BL/6J ApoE-/-mice, however, no FIZZ1 was expressed in the arteries of C57BL/6J wild type mice. Cell culture study showed FIZZ1 promoted the proliferation of smooth muscle cells in a dose dependent manner(P

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with low-dose pravastatin and fenofibrate in patients with combined hyperlipidemia. Methods One hundred eighty nine patients with combined hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to receive 10 mg pravastatin (n=64) or 200 mg fenofibrate (n=63), or a combination of 10 mg pravastatin and 200 mg fenofibrate (n=62) for 12 weeks. The patients in the monotherapy groups (n=35) whose lipid levels were not controlled after 12 weeks were randomly assigned to receive 20 mg pravastatin, or 200 mg fenofibrate, or a combination of 10 mg pravastatin and 200 mg fenofibrate for another 12 weeks. Lipid levels and adverse effects were assessed. Results After 12 weeks treatments, serum TC, LDL-C and TG levels were reduced and HDL-C was increased more significantly in combination therapy group, compared with 2 monotherapy groups (all P

Objective To investigate alexithymia , personality characteristic and mental condition in patients with essential hypertension. Methods Fifty-one patients with essential hypertension were assessed using Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ), Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20) and the symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90). The results were compared with those of Chinese ordinary model. Results The E score of EPQ of the patients with essential hypertension was lower than that of the Chinese ordinary model, while the N, P and L scores was higher. The total score and the scores of all factors of SCL-90 were significantly higher than that of Chinese ordinary model. The total score of TAS-20 and score of factor 1, factor 2 were positively correlated with the scores of all factors of SCL-90, while factor 3 score had no significant correlation with SCL-90. The E score of EPQ was negatively correlated with the scores of all factors of SCL-90, while N and P score were positively correlated with them. Conclusion Patients with essential hypertension were inner personality, unstable psychological status and neuroticism showing alexithymia and obvious psychological symptoms.