Structural alterations in fibroelastic components of the penile corpus cavernousum (CC) may impair its compliance, resulting in venous leakage and erectile dysfunction (ED). Our study evaluated the effectiveness of noninvasive two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2-D SWE) in quantifying penile CC lesions in rabbits with hyperlipidemia-induced ED. A total of 12 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups. Six were fed a high-cholesterol diet containing 2% cholesterol and 8.5% lard for 10 weeks and the other six were fed normal diet as controls. We measured the shear-wave elastic quantitative (SWQ) value of penile CC by 2-D SWE. Erectile function was investigated by intracavernous injection of papaverine, and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and the western blot analysis to determine the penile CC lesions. After 10 weeks, the SWQ values obtained from penile CC were remarkably higher in the high-cholesterol-fed compared with the control group, and the ΔICP (ICP plateau minus ICP baseline)/MAP (ICP: intracavernous pressure, MAP: mean arterial pressure) was markedly decreased. The IHC staining and western blot revealed extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation in penile cavernous tissues, and the smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotypic transition was affected, as indicated by reduced alpha-smooth muscle actin and calponin-1 expression and increased phospho-myosin light chain₂₀ (p-MLC₂₀)/MLC₂₀ and osteopontin expression. Hyperlipidemia resulted in ECM accumulation accompanied with SMC phenotypic transition in penile CC and impaired the erectile function eventually. These might, in turn, lead to variations in the SWQ values. It suggests that 2-D SWE may be a novel, noninvasive and effective approach that distinguishes penile CC lesions secondary to hyperlipidemia from normal.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods* ; Erectile Dysfunction/etiology* ; Hyperlipidemias/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Penile Erection/physiology* ; Penis/diagnostic imaging* ; Rabbits

Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bone Density Conservation Agents ; therapeutic use ; China ; Denosumab ; therapeutic use ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; Hypertension ; complications ; Middle Aged ; Osteitis Deformans ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Pelvic Bones ; diagnostic imaging ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; complications ; Singapore ; Tibia ; diagnostic imaging ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To analyze cerebral hemodynamic changes by means of transcranial Doppler (TCD) and generally to explore the clinical application of this method in hyperlipemia patients. METHODS: Cerebral hemodynamics were detected by TCD in 63 patients with hyperlipidemia and compared with the hemodynamics of 64 health people. RESULTS: No statistically significant changes were found in the cerebral artery blood flow velocity and pulsatility index between the hyperlipidemic and control groups (P>0.05). Spectral shape, however, was abnormal in 52 patients in the hyperlipemia group (82.54%), which was statistically different (P<0.005) from controls. These abnormalities were classed as follows: 22 patients had abnormal spectra of the vertebrobasilar system, 2 patients had abnormal spectrum of the internal carotid arterial system, and 28 patients had abnormal spectra of both systems. The incidence of the abnormal spectra in vertebrobasilar system was significantly higher than the internal carotidartery (P<0.005). CONCLUSION TCD examination can reveal abnormal spectral shape in the cerebralartery and vertebrobasilar arterial systems in hyperlipidemia patients, and thus has some clinical value in determining changes in the brain of patients with high cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis.
Adult ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; physiology ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic value of the integrated backscatter (IBS) technique for carotid artery atherosclerosis (AS), to investigate the correlation between IBS of carotid artery and the serum level of matrix metalloprotease-9(MMP-9), and to explore the effect of simvastatin on the IBS value of the carotid artery and serum MMP-9 level in hyperlipemia patients. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with hyperlipemia and 26 normal controls were enrolled in this study. Patients with hyperlipemia were randomly divided into 2 groups: a simvastatin treatment group (20 mg/d) and a control group (without simvastatin treatment). Twenty-six healthy people were served as normal control group(n=26).The corrected IBS values(C-IBS) in carotid arteries,the intima-media thickness (IMT), and the serum MMP-9 levels were measured in the normal control group and the patients with hyperlipemia before and 8 weeks after the simvastatin therapy. RESULTS: The C-IBS of the simvastatin treatment group and the control group was significantly lower than that in the normal control group (all P<0.05). The IMT and MMP-9 in the simvastatin treatment group and the control group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (all P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between the C-IBS of carotid arteries and the serum MMP-9 levels in the patients with hyperlipemia (r=-0.76,P<0.05). Eight weeks after the simvastatin treatment, the serum MMP-9 levels decreased significantly(P<0.05). CONCLUSION There is a negative correlation between the decreased C-IBS of carotid arteries and the increased serum MMP-9 levels in patients with hyperlipemia.The decreased C-IBS of carotid arteries and the increased serum MMP-9 levels may be the early indicators of atherosclerosis in hyperlipemia patients. The anti-atherosclerosis effect of simvastatin may partly attribute to its ability to lower the serum MMP-9.
Adult ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Carotid Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Simvastatin ; therapeutic use ; Tunica Intima ; diagnostic imaging ; drug effects ; Tunica Media ; diagnostic imaging ; drug effects ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Tribuli saponins (TS) on left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rats with hyperlipemia.

METHODSA composite model of myocardial infarction and hyperlipemia was established and treated with TS to observe its effect on cardiac structure and function by echocardiography.

RESULTS(1) Cardiac function: As compared with the model group, the fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) got increased, and the left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) and systolic volume (LVESV) got lower in the groups treated with high dose TS and simvastatin (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but difference between the two treated groups was insignificant. (2) Cardiac structure: As compared with the model group, the left ventricular dimension end diastole (LVDd) and systole (LVDs) in the groups treated with high dose TS and simvastatin got lower (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). No treatment showed any effect on the thickness of ventricular wall. (3)Ventricular weight index: Both high dose TS and simvastatin could decrease the left ventricular weight index (LVWI) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTS could attenuate the left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction to certain extent, and improve cardiac function in the early phase after AMI, thus playing an important role in controlling morbidity and mortality of cardiac events and long-term prognosis.

Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Echocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Tribulus ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

AIMTo evaluate the plasma TGF-beta1 level in erectile dysfunction (ED) patients of various causes.

METHODSSixty-two patients with ED and 26 potent men were subjected to the study. Based on multidisciplinary work-ups, including medical history, physical examinations, blood tests with lipid profile and hormones, penile duplex Doppler ultrasonogram and neurophysiological tests, causes for ED were classified as psychogenic (n=15), neurogenic (n=16) and vasculogenic (n=31). The plasma TGF-beta1 level was measured by the ELISA method.

RESULTSThe plasma TGF-beta1 level was significantly increased in the ED group (6.7+/-4.9 ng/mL), compared to the control (4.0 +/-2.1 ng/mL) (P<0.01). In the ED groups, there was a significant increase in the vasculogenic group (9.0 +/-5.5 ng/mL), compared to the psychogenic (3.8 +/-1.8 ng/mL) and neurogenic groups (4.8+/-3.2 ng/mL) (P<0.01). Of the vascular risk factors, both the smoking (7.5 +/-4.7 ng/mL) and dyslipidemia groups (7.4+/-4.4 ng/mL) showed significantly increased plasma TGF-beta1 levels, compared to the non-smokers (5.5+/-2.8 ng/mL), and those without dyslipidemia (4.8+/-2.8 ng/mL) (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONVascular risk factors are associated with an elevated plasma TGF-beta1 level, which may contribute to cavernous fibrosis and ED.

Adult ; Aged ; Arteriosclerosis ; complications ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus ; physiopathology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Erectile Dysfunction ; blood ; etiology ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; physiopathology ; Hypertension ; complications ; physiopathology ; Impotence, Vasculogenic ; blood ; psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penis ; diagnostic imaging ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; physiopathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; blood ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Ultrasonography