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Psychogeriatrics 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Division of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.

Background: In China, quality of life (QOL) of the elderly with hypertension was lower than that of normal elderly and lower self-perceptions of aging (SPA) in the elderly with chronic diseases have been shown. Previous studies showed that SPA played a key role in QOL of the elderly. We hypothesised that SPA were associated with QOL in Chinese elderly with hypertension, with more negative SPA predicting lower QOL. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA.

Background: Unexpected admissions of term neonates to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and unexpected postnatal complications have been proposed as neonatal-focused quality metrics for intrapartum care. Previous studies have noted significant variation in overall hospital NICU admission rates; however, little is known about the influence of obstetric practices on these rates or whether variation among unanticipated admissions in low risk, term neonates can be attributed to systemic hospital practices.

Objective: To examine the relative effects of patient characteristics and intrapartum events on unexpected NICU admissions, and to quantify the between-hospital variation in NICU admission rates among this group of neonates. Read More

BJOG 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Objective: To assess the separate and combined associations of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain with the risks of pregnancy complications and their population impact.

Design: Individual participant data meta-analysis of 39 cohorts.

Setting: Europe, North America and Oceania. Read More

Hemodial Int 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥25 mmHg is a common complication in hemodialysis occurring in up to 58% of patients. PH is classified according to its etiology. We report in a patient with severe PH of mixed etiology (connective tissue disease and left-sided heart failure) who improved after initiation of intensive home hemodialysis. Read More

J Cell Physiol 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Department of Cardiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Hypoxia-induced excessive pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation plays an important role in the pathology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Berberine (BBR) is reported as an effective antiproliferative properties applied in clinical. However, the effect of BBR on PAH remains unclear. Read More

PLoS One 2019 20;14(2):e0212519. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Semmelweis University, Department of Neurology, Budapest, Hungary.

Introduction: Hungary has a single payer health insurance system offering free healthcare for acute cerebrovascular disorders. Within the capital, Budapest, however there are considerable microregional socioeconomic differences. We hypothesized that socioeconomic deprivation reflects in less favorable stroke characteristics despite universal access to care. Read More

PLoS One 2019 20;14(2):e0211228. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (CHLN), CAML, Centro Cardiovascular da Universidade de Lisboa-CCUL, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, Lisboa, Portugal.

Introduction: Ibrutinib is an oral covalent inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase approved for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), mantle cell lymphoma and Waldenstrӧm's macroglobulinemia. Ibrutinib has an increased risk of atrial fibrillation but the mechanism is unknown, and hypertension may play a role in the pathogenesis of this adverse drug reaction.

Methods: We aimed to review the risk of hypertension and atrial fibrillation as adverse events associated with ibrutinib through a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) retrieved in December 2018 on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and ClinicalTrials. Read More

PLoS One 2019 20;14(2):e0211857. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a serious cardiac disorder occurring late in pregnancy or early in the postpartum period. We examined associations between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP: preeclampsia and gestational hypertension) and PPCM, accounting for other pregnancy-related risk factors for PPCM.

Methods: Using nationwide Danish register data, we constructed a cohort of all women with ≥1 live birth or stillbirth in Denmark between 1978 and 2012. Read More

PLoS One 2019 20;14(2):e0211759. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, Thailand.

Under the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) with payment per capita for outpatient (OP) services, hospitals' financial risks will rise if access to essential drugs increases. This study examined trends in access to and price of essential drugs for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and an overall purchasing price index (PPI) for an OP drug basket from public hospitals. To examine drug access, OP prescription data from 2010-2012 were obtained from the UCS. Read More

Int Braz J Urol 2018 Dec 18;44. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Division of Urology, Department of Regenerative and Transplant Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.

Purpose: The purposes of the present study were to evaluate growth rate of nonfunctioning adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) and their development to hormonal hypersecretion on follow-up.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from the electronic medical records. A total of 314 patients were diagnosed with adrenal tumors between 2000 and 2016. Read More

Klin Lab Diagn 2018 ;63(12):732-740

Moscow State University M.V. Lomonosov, 119991, Moscow.

Somatic cells at the early stages of phylogenesis realized the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids (FA), primarily palmitic saturated FA. It dominated the construction of a bilayer cell membrane and as a substrate for oxidation in mitochondria during energy production. Later, polyene FAs became involved in the construction of the cell membrane, the membranes of intracellular organelles, and became the substrate for the synthesis of biologically active eicosanoids. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2019 Feb;15(639):439-443

Service de chirurgie thoracique, Département Cœur-Vaisseaux, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne.

The most frequent dialysis modality in Switzerland is hemodialysis. Patients need a proper vascular access for this modality. There are three types of vascular access for hemodialysis : arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous graft and central venous catheters. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2019 Feb;15(639):427-431

Service de néphrologie et hypertension, Département de médecine interne, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne.

Prescribing intravenous fluids in a hospital setting is a task that each clinician has to endorse in an everyday practice. This task is universal to the point that it is often undervalued, or even neglected during clinical teaching. However, one shouldn't underestimate the risks related to excessive fluid administration, of which the clinician often doesn't know the exact composition. Read More

Health Rep 2019 Feb;30(2):14-21

Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

Background: Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major cause of disability and the leading risk factor for death around the world. Ongoing surveillance is necessary to monitor and assess the population burden of hypertension in Canada.

Data And Methods: Using measured data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, this analysis estimates average systolic blood pressure (BP), average diastolic BP, and hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in the population aged 20 to 79 years in the period from 2012 to 2015 by sex and age group. Read More

Health Rep 2019 Feb;30(2):3-13

Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and the Institute of Clinical and Evaluative Sciences, Ottawa, Ontario.

Background: Hypertension (or high blood pressure) affects almost one in four adults in Canada. Quantifying risk factors associated with hypertension may help to inform prevention efforts.

Data And Methods: Data from the first four cycles of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (including 13,407 respondents) were used to identify hypertension status by systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and the use of antihypertensive medications. Read More

JAMA Dermatol 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Importance: Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is a rare granulomatous condition. Current knowledge of its key features is based on a limited number of studies and case reports, leading to wide variability in the characterization of its defining features, with limited comparison of patients with or without diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the epidemiologic characteristics, clinical features, and disease associations of NL in patients with or without type 1 or 2 diabetes. Read More

Arq Bras Cardiol 2019 Feb;112(2):204-210

Instituto do Coração (Incor) - Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), São Paulo, SP - Brazil.

Arq Gastroenterol 2018 Oct-Dec;55(4):324-328

Nossa Senhora das Graças Hospital, Unidade de Gastroenterologia, Hepatologia e Transplante de Fígado, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.

The disease and the case reported here are relevant especially because of their varied clinical presentation, possibility of being associated with other disorders affecting several organs and possible differential diagnoses. Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease due to mutation in the PKHD1 gene, which encodes the fibrocystin/polyductine protein. It is a cholangiopathy, characterized by varying degrees of periportal fibrosis and irregular proliferation of bile ducts. Read More

Elife 2019 Feb 20;8. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.

SETD3 is a member of the SET (Su(var)3-9, Enhancer of zeste, and Trithorax) domain protein superfamily and plays important roles in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, muscle differentiation, and carcinogenesis. Previously we identified SETD3 as the actin-specific methyltransferase that methylates the N of His73 on β-actin (Kwiatkowski et al. 2018). Read More

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Pathophysiology, Tongji Medical College, China.

Monocrotaline has been widely used to establish an animal model of pulmonary hypertension, most frequently in rats. An important feature of this model resides in the selectivity of monocrotaline injury towards the pulmonary vascular endothelium versus the systemic vasculature when administrated at standard dosage. The toxic metabolite of monocrotaline, monocrotaline pyrrole, is transported by erythrocytes. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Oct 25;71(2):218-224. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland. Electronic address:

Background: Gastric mucosal injury appears when acid and pepsin production, simultaneously with inadequate mucosal response, overwhelms protective mechanism in stomach. Here we aimed to explore the linkage between gastric lesion formation and endogenous opioid system activity.

Methods: Two mouse lines bidirectionally selected for high (HA) and low (LA) swim stress-induced analgesia associated with high and low endogenous opioid system activity were used. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2019 Feb 20;112:108651. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, PR China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, PR China. Electronic address:

The protective role of alkaloids from Nelumbinis Plumula (AFNP) on the aorta during hypertension is not yet fully understood. We hypothesize that AFNP exerts protective effects against Ang II-induced hypertension by mediating RhoA/ROCK pathway and phenotypic switching during hypertension. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of AFNP on angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced actin cytoskeleton reorganization and aorta remodeling, as well as the involvement of RhoA/Rho-associated coiled kinase (ROCK) pathway in protecting against hypertension. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2019 Feb 18;112:108580. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Respiratory, Affiliated Wuxi Fifth People's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214016, China. Electronic address:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and high salt content in modern diet has been particularly implicated in systemic hypertension, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Gut dysbiosis, associated with increased risk of systemic immunological imbalance, plays a causal role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Here, we investigated the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (LGG) on the development of hypertension induced by OSA and high salt diet. Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2019 Feb 1;5(2):231-241. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Center for Digital Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California. Electronic address:

Objectives: In this study the authors investigated effectiveness and safety of an initial treatment strategy with class IC or class III antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) for newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL).

Background: There is limited evidence to guide optimal AAD selection for rhythm control in newly diagnosed AF/AFL.

Methods: Using data from TREAT-AF (The Retrospective Evaluation and Assessment of Therapies in AF), the authors performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with AF/AFL from 2004 to 2014 and class IC or class III AAD prescription within 90 days following diagnosis. Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2019 Feb 1;5(2):223-230. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

CHU Rouen, Rouen, France.

Objectives: This study hypothesized that the association of D-dimer blood level and several clinical items in a new risk score could predict the absence of atrial thrombus.

Background: Symptomatic and drug resistant atrial fibrillation (AF) can be treated by catheter ablation. The procedure-related risk of thromboembolism is limited by the pre-operative use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to detect atrial thrombi. Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2019 Feb 30;5(2):162-170. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom.

Objectives: This study sought to report periprocedural outcomes and intermediate-term follow-up of hemodialysis patients undergoing Micra implantation.

Background: Leadless pacemakers may be preferred in patients with limited vascular access and high-infection risk, such as patients on hemodialysis.

Methods: Patients on hemodialysis at the time of Micra implantation attempt (n = 201 of 2,819; 7%) from the Micra Transcatheter Pacing Study investigational device exemption trial, Micra Transcatheter Pacing System Continued Access Study Protocol, and Micra Transcatheter Pacing System Post-Approval Registry were included in the analysis. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2019 Feb;73(7):826-867

Each week, I record audio summaries for every article in JACC, as well as an issue summary. Although this process is quite time-consuming, I have become familiar with every paper that we publish. Thus, I have personally selected the top 100 papers (both Original Investigations and Review Articles) from 15 distinct specialties each year. Read More

Kidney Int 2019 Mar;95(3):718

Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Renal Transplantation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Electronic address:

Kidney Int 2019 Mar;95(3):498-500

Peggy and Harold Katz Family Drug Discovery Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA; Katz Family Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA. Electronic address:

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis is a glomerular disorder with a high rate of recurrence. Although kidney biopsies remain the gold standard to diagnose recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, non-invasive prognostic assays could facilitate preventive treatments and offer insight into disease pathogenicity and heterogeneity. Srivastava et al. Read More

Kidney Int 2019 Mar;95(3):495-498

Division of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

The number of obese and morbidly obese patients is increasing and so is the burden of renal disease in these patients. In a large series of biopsies from the morbidly obese patient population, Choung et al. show that there is heterogeneity in the renal disease affecting this population. Read More

Kidney Int 2019 Mar;95(3):484-486

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale 1059, Université de Lyon, Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address:

Int J Med Inform 2019 Apr 29;124:78-85. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Department of Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand; Department of Nephrology, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Objectives: To describe the range of patients' beliefs, attitudes, expectations, and experiences of remote monitoring for chronic conditions across different healthcare contexts and populations.

Design: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and CINAHL, Google Scholar, and reference lists of related studies through to July 2017. Thematic synthesis was used to analyse the findings of the primary studies. Read More

Int J Med Inform 2019 Apr 21;124:13-23. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Universitat de València, Facultad de Psicología, Valencia, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Carlos III, Spain. Electronic address:

Introduction: Changes in unhealthy lifestyles are key elements in the prevention and treatment of obesity and hypertension. Internet-based programs offer great potential for the implementation of evidence-based interventions focused on promoting healthy habits. We evaluate the efficacy of an Internet-based self-administered program ("Living Better") that addresses people diagnosed as being overweight or having type I obesity and hypertension. Read More

Adv Clin Exp Med 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Dermatology and Immunodermatology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune bullous disease associated with higher mortality and coexisting comorbidities. The strongest relationship has been reported with neurological diseases (NDs) but the particular type of ND differed depending on the study. There are some doubts on the prevalence of other comorbidities. Read More

Am J Hematol 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States.

Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies demonstrated responses (≥50,000/μL) to fostamatinib in adults with long-standing immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). The long-term safety and efficacy of fostamatinib was evaluated in a follow-on, open-label-extension (OLE) study. Patients received double-blind fostamatinib in the randomized trials, and responders continued the same dose, 100-150mg BID, in the OLE. Read More

J Clin Monit Comput 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.

Intraoperative vasopressor and fluid application are common strategies against hypotension. Use of processed electroencephalographic monitoring (pEEG) may reduce vasopressor application, a known risk factor for organ dysfunction, in elective cardiac surgery patients. Randomized single-centre clinical trial at Jena University Hospital. Read More

Clin Exp Nephrol 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Ulmenweg 18, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.

Background: Sympathetic nerve activity is a hallmark of hypertension in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). An initial proof-of-concept study implies that renal denervation (RDN) is feasible and safe in RDN, but overall data are limited.

Methods: In this single-centre prospective pilot study six patients with ESRD and treatment resistant hypertension were consecutively included. Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2019 Feb 19;186(3):195. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Analytical Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, P.O. Box 98135-674, Zahedan, 98167-45845, Iran.

Two dimensional single-crystal hexagonal gold nanosheets (SCHGNSs) were prepared by microwave heating of a solution of HAuCl in an ionic liquid. The SCHGNSs were characterized by field emission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The SCHGNSs were then used to modify a graphite paste electrode for voltammetric determination of the hypertension drug captopril (CAP). Read More

Bull Exp Biol Med 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Research Center for Family Health and Human Reproduction Problems, Irkutsk, Russia.

We present prognostic risk models for structural and functional cardiovascular disorders in Caucasian adolescents (Russians) with essential hypertension aged 14-17 years (15.92±1.12) taking into account biochemical (catecholamines and cortisol) and genetic parameters (carriage of polymorphic variants of α2A-adrenergic receptor gene ARA2A (-1291С>G), norepinephrine transporter NET (-1287G>A), and D2-dopamine receptor DRD2 (-141C Ins/Del) and the data of psychological testing. Read More

Acta Diabetol 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Maccabi National Juvenile Diabetes Center, Raanana, Israel.

Aim: To examine the effectiveness and safety over a 12-month period of a telemedicine intervention in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) treated with insulin pumps.

Methods: 74 T1D patients on insulin pumps for at least 1 year (mean 19.5 [11. Read More

J Neurol 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Autonomic Unit and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, via Genova 3, 10126, Turin, Italy.

Introduction: We sought to analyze the blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythm in Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and pure autonomic failure (PAF) and to evaluate the effect of vasoactive and dopaminergic medications on BP fluctuations during activities of daily living.

Methods: We analyzed data from patients with PD (n = 72), MSA (n = 18), and PAF (n = 17) evaluated with 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) at our Center between 1996 and 2015. Comparisons between groups were performed according to (a) clinical diagnosis and (b) pharmacological treatment. Read More

Clin Neuroradiol 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Straße 1, 66421, Homburg, Germany.

Background And Purpose: Endovascular treatment represents a well-established therapeutic option in patients with vertebral artery origin (VAO) stenosis. Our aim was to determine which factors affect short- and long-term restenosis rates after endovascular VAO therapy.

Methods: We conducted a single center analysis of 52 patients (36 men; age 64 ± 9. Read More

SAGE Open Med 2019 4;7:2050312119828261. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

Background: We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the benefit of patent foramen ovale closure in stroke prevention.

Methods: We searched Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane central database for randomized control trials assessing the incidence of recurrent stroke after patent foramen ovale closure when compared to medical therapy. Pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a random effects model. Read More

Pulm Circ 2019 Jan-Mar;9(1):2045894019826043. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.

Heart failure due to diastolic dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension are frequent comorbid conditions with significant morbidity and mortality. Identifying the presence and etiology of diastolic dysfunction in the setting of pulmonary hypertension remains challenging despite profound therapeutic and prognostic implications. Additionally, there is little guidance in identifying and parsing etiology of diastolic dysfunction in patients found to have pulmonary hypertension. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Mar 28;17(3):1855-1862. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Qingdao Hiser Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266000, P.R. China.

Hypertension is a very common cardiovascular disorder, however, the molecular mechanism underlying this disease remains poorly understood. Recently, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that mitochondrial (mt)DNA mutations serve important roles in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The current study reported the clinical and molecular characterization of a Chinese family with maternally inherited hypertension (the penetrance of hypertension was 71. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Mar 18;17(3):1756-1760. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Emergency, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261000, P.R. China.

Expression of homocysteine (Hcy) and blood lipid levels in serum of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (CHD) patients was investigated and the related risk factors were analyzed. A total of 148 CHD patients were selected as study group and another 120 healthy people attending Weifang People's Hospital for physical examination in the same period as control group. Hcy and blood lipid levels in serum were measured in the two groups, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Mar 17;17(3):1728-1736. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Preventive Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathological and Physiological Technology, Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have a great potential as clinical biomarkers; however, specific circRNAs with a diagnostic value for essential hypertension (EH) largely remain to be identified. In the present study, the potential application of (hsa)_circ_0014243, which was identified to be significantly upregulated in whole blood samples of EH patients in a previous microarray profiling study by our group, in the diagnosis of EH was evaluated. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to determine the expression levels of hsa_circ_0014243 and hsa-microRNA (miR)-10a-5p in a total of 178 blood samples collected from 89 healthy controls and 89 patients diagnosed with EH. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Mar 21;17(3):1717-1727. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Department of Cardiology, Zaozhuang Municipal Hospital, Zaozhuang, Shandong 277101, P.R. China.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3 (PI3KC3) in the peripheral blood in patients with hypertension. A total of 28 patients with primary hypertension and 20 healthy control subjects were included. Peripheral blood samples were collected. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Mar 17;17(3):1551-1562. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, P.R. China.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Xin-Ji-Er-Kang (XJEK) on high salt-induced hypertensive mice. Mice with high-salt diet-induced hypertension were divided into four groups: Control (standard diet alone for 8 weeks), model (diet containing 8% NaCl for 8 weeks and intragastric administration of distilled water for the last 4 weeks), XJEK + high-salt-treated (diet containing 8% NaCl for 8 weeks and intragastric administration of XJEK for the last 4 weeks) and irbesartan + high-salt-treated (diet containing 8% NaCl for 8 weeks with intragastric administration of irbesartan for the last 4 weeks). The hemodynamic index and cardiac pathological changes in the hypertensive mice were then examined. Read More

ARYA Atheroscler 2018 Sep;14(5):205-211

Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.

Background: There has been a change in the risk factor profile of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in the western world. We sought to compare the risk factor profile of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in northern part of Iran in 2010 and 2016.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, medical records of 296 CABG patients in 2010 and 500 patients in 2016 were collected from a referral university hospital in Guilan province, Iran. Read More