著者
Mayuko Ishikawa Naohiko Kobayashi Fumihiro Sugiyama Sho Onoda Toshihiko Ishimitsu
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.54, no.2, pp.98-106, 2013 (Released:2013-04-03)
参考文献数
29
被引用文献数
14 20

Tolvaptan is a highly selective and orally effective arginine vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, and is potentially useful for the treatment of heart failure (HF) patients. However, the renoprotective effect of long-term tolvaptan therapy and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We evaluated the effects of chronic treatment with tolvaptan on renal dysfunction, podocyte injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, Rho-kinase, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK1/2) pathway in the renal cortex of Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive (DS) rats with end-stage severe HF. DS and Dahl salt-resistant rats were fed a high-salt diet at 6 weeks of age. DS rats were treated with vehicle and tolvaptan (0.05% concentration in diet) from the age of 11 to 18 weeks. Vehicle-treated DS rats developed proteinuria, renal dysfunction, glomerulosclerosis, and interstitial fibrosis, which were ameliorated by tolvaptan without changing blood pressure. Decreased expression of nephrin and podocin and increased desmin-positive area in failing rats were restored by tolvaptan. Upregulation of NAD(P)H oxidase p22phox, p47phox, and gp91phox, EMT markers such as transforming growth factor-β1, vimentin, and fibronectin expression, and Rho-kinase and ERK1/2 phosphorylation in DS rats were significantly suppressed by tolvaptan. Tolvaptan administration resulted in significant inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression, and nuclear factor-κB phosphorylation. We concluded that long-term tolvaptan therapy may improve renal dysfunction, glomerulosclerosis, podocyte injury, and inflammation associated with oxidative stress, as well as EMT, ERK, and the Rho-kinase pathway in the failing heart of DS rats. Thus, tolvaptan may be a therapeutic strategy for end-stage severe HF.
著者
Yicong Ye Xiliang Zhao Chenchen Tu Quan Li Yong Zeng
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.20-285, (Released:2020-10-28)
参考文献数
31
被引用文献数
1

The elevated serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) serve as independent predictors of stent thrombosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Our study aims at investigating the relationship between the serum ALP and the responsiveness to clopidogrel. Patients undergoing elective PCI were enrolled for the study, and all participants received a 300-mg clopidogrel loading dose. The responsiveness to clopidogrel was determined by thromboelastography (TEG), and low responsiveness to clopidogrel was defined based on two aspects: (1) adenosine diphosphate (ADP) -induced platelet-fibrin clot strength (MAADP) of > 47 mm and (2) ADP-induced platelet inhibition rate of < 50%. A logistic regression model analysis was used to calculate the risks of responsiveness to clopidogrel as odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Overall, 809 patients were considered for the study. They were divided into four quartile groups based on the serum ALP levels. A positive linear trend was observed in MAADP across the ALP quartiles (P for linear trend < 0.001), whereas ADP-induced platelet inhibition rate decreased across the ALP quartiles (P for linear trend = 0.007). When multiple confounders were adjusted, the highest ALP quartile correlated with an increased risk of low responsiveness to clopidogrel compared to the lowest ALP quartile (OR, 1.423; 95% CI, 1.017-1.991; P = 0.039). In the sensitivity analysis, the association remained significant for different definitions of low responsiveness to clopidogrel. The elevated serum levels of ALP are independently associated with an increased risk of low responsiveness to clopidogrel.
著者
Naoko Kato Koichiro Kinugawa Etsuko Nakayama Takako Tsuji Yumiko Kumagai Teruhiko Imamura Hisataka Maki Taro Shiga Masaru Hatano Atsushi Yao Chikako Miura Issei Komuro Ryozo Nagai
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.54, no.6, pp.382-389, 2013 (Released:2013-12-03)
参考文献数
36
被引用文献数
26 45

Self-care is a cornerstone for the successful management of heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of HF self-care on prognosis in Japanese patients with HF. A total of 283 HF outpatients (age 64 ± 14, 70% male, 52% HFrEF) were enrolled. We asked patients to answer about their adhevence to 5 self-care behaviors (medication, eating a low-sodium diet, regular exercise, daily weight check, and treatment seeking behavior). On the basis of the results, we classified patients into a good self-care group and a poor self-care group. The primary outcome was HF hospitalization and/or cardiac death. In total, 65% of patients were classifi ed into the poor self-care group. During a median follow-up of 2 years, cardiac events occurred more frequently in the poor self-care group (22% versus 9.6%, P = 0.013). Poor self-care was an independent risk factor for cardiac events in Cox regression analysis adjusted for clinical parameters (hazard ratio = 2.86, P = 0.005). Poor self-care was also associated with an increased number of HF hospitalizations as well as an extended length of hospital stay for HF. Poor knowledge about HF was an independent determinant for poor self-care in multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio = 0.92, P = 0.019). Insufficient self-care is an independent risk factor for cardiac events in Japanese patients with HF.
著者
Naoko Kato Koichiro Kinugawa Etsuko Nakayama Akiko Hatakeyama Takako Tsuji Yumiko Kumagai Issei Komuro Ryozo Nagai
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.54, no.4, pp.228-233, 2013 (Released:2013-08-06)
参考文献数
31
被引用文献数
9 18

Knowledge about their own condition is important for patients with heart failure (HF). No valid, reliable, and easily administered instrument is available to measure this knowledge in clinical practice. In this study, a HF knowledge scale was developed, and its psychometric properties were tested. Items related to knowledge about HF were extracted from relevant guidelines. Content validity of the items was confirmed by an expert panel including a cardiologist and nurses specialized in treatment and care of patients with HF. A self-administered questionnaire was then distributed to 187 patients with HF (64.0 ± 12.1 years, males 69%). In 62% patients, a left ventricular ejection fraction of < 50% was identified. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated the one-dimensionality of the 15-item HF knowledge scale. Mean score was 10.7 ± 3.0 (range, 0–15). Known-group validity testing revealed a significant difference in HF knowledge score between patients newly diagnosed with HF and patients experienced with HF (9.4 ± 3.2 versus 10.8 ± 2.9, P = 0.043). In addition, HF knowledge scale scores were correlated with HF self-care scores assessed by the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale for evaluation of criterion validity (ρ = −0.304, P < 0.001). Cronbach’s alpha was 0.79, and item-total correlation was 0.22–0.51, thereby suggesting that the reliability of the scale was acceptable. Acceptable validity and reliability were demonstrated for the HF knowledge scale developed in this study. This instrument could be useful in evaluation of patient knowledge about HF.
著者
Zhichao Ma Jie Qi Li Gao Jun Zhang
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.61, no.5, pp.1022-1033, 2020-09-29 (Released:2020-09-29)
参考文献数
41
被引用文献数
7

Cardiac hypertrophy is one of the significant risk factors that result in maladaptive cardiac remodeling and heart failure, and exercise is known to exert cardioprotection. In this research, the cardioprotective function and exercise mechanisms were explored.The rats underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or a sham operation. The rats that received TAC were randomly assigned to five groups: (1) rats subjected to a sham operation as control group (SC), (2) rats that underwent TAC group (TC), (3) TAC and moderate-intensity exercise group (TE), (4) TE plus 3-MA group (TEM), and (5) TE plus Compound C group (TEC). The heart function was measured via echocardiography. Histological analysis and relative protein testing were conducted to analyze collagen deposition and apoptosis. Furthermore, western blot was employed to measure the protein expression of relevant signaling pathways. Impaired cardiac function, interstitial fibrosis, enhanced apoptosis, and ER stress were observed in the TAC-induced left ventricular hypertrophy. Exercise attenuated TAC-induced cardiac dysfunction, interstitial fibrosis, and ER stress-related apoptosis. In addition, exercise significantly improved autophagy and upregulated AMPK phosphorylation. Furthermore, AMPK inhibitor Compound C repressed the activation of AMPK, and autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine reversed exercise-induced autophagy. All of these abolished the protection of exercise against cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis induced by TAC.Our results indicated that 4 weeks of treadmill exercise could alleviate pressure overload-induced LV dysfunction and remodeling via an autophagy-dependent mechanism, which was induced by enhancing autophagy through the activation of AMPK.
著者
Satoshi Kodera Arihiro Kiyosue Jiro Ando Hiroshi Akazawa Hiroyuki Morita Masafumi Watanabe Issei Komuro
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.6, pp.847-852, 2017-11-01 (Released:2017-12-12)
参考文献数
47
被引用文献数
20

The quality-adjusted life year (QALY) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) are important concepts in cost-effectiveness analysis, which is becoming increasingly important in Japan. QALY is used to estimate quality of life (QOL) and life years, and can be used to compare the efficacies of cancer and cardiovascular treatments. ICER is defined as the difference in cost between treatments divided by the difference in their effects, with a smaller ICER indicating better cost-effectiveness. Here, we present a review of cost-effectiveness analyses in Japan as well other countries. A number of treatments were shown to be cost-effective, e.g., statin for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, DOAC for high-risk atrial fibrillation, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and ARB for heart failure, sildenafil and bosentan for pulmonary hypertension, CABG for multi-vessel coronary disease, ICD for ventricular tachycardia, and CRT for heart failure with low ejection fraction, while others were not cost-effective, e.g., epoprostenol for pulmonary hypertension and LVAD for end-stage heart failure. Further investigations are required regarding some treatments, e.g., PCSK-9 inhibitors for familial hypercholesterolemia, PCI for multi-vessel coronary disease, catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, and TAVI for severe aortic stenosis. Ethical aspects should be taken into consideration when utilizing the results of cost-effectiveness analysis in medical policy.
著者
Yuji Matsuda Takashi Ashikaga Taro Sasaoka Yu Hatano Tomoyuki Umemoto Tetsumin Lee Taishi Yonetsu Yasuhiro Maejima Tetsuo Sasano
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.61, no.4, pp.665-672, 2020-07-30 (Released:2020-07-30)
参考文献数
36
被引用文献数
1

Clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for severely calcified lesions remain poor. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neointimal response after everolimus-eluting stents (EES) for severely calcified lesions treated with rotational atherectomy (RA) using optical coherence tomography (OCT).We retrospectively analyzed 34 lesions in which PCI was performed with EES deployment following RA and OCT was performed immediately after PCI and at follow-up (nine months). The EES was either durable-polymer (DP) EES (22 lesions) or bioabsorbable polymer (BP) -EES (12 lesions). Strut coverage and malapposition were evaluated at 1-mm intervals of cross-section (CS) by serial OCT analysis. Malapposed strut was defined as having the distance from luminal border > 100 μm.A total of 11,823 struts immediately after PCI and 11,720 struts at follow-up were analyzed. Immediately after PCI, the strut-level analysis showed no significant differences in the percentage of malapposed struts between the DP-EES group and the BP-EES group. At follow-up, the BP-EES group showed a more prevalent covered strut compared with the DP-EES group (strut-level analysis: 95% versus 97%, P = 0.045; CS-level analysis: 97% versus 100%, P < 0.01; lesion-level analysis: 27% versus 83%, P < 0.01, respectively).In severely calcified lesions requiring RA, the BP-EES group achieved better neointimal coverage than the DP-EES group at nine months. Additional prospective studies are needed.
著者
Jun Yasuhara Toshiki Kuno Moe Taki Koichi Toda Takashi Kumamoto Takuro Kojima Hiroyuki Shimizu Shigeki Yoshiba Toshiki Kobayashi Naokata Sumitomo
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.60, no.6, pp.1358-1365, 2019-11-30 (Released:2019-11-30)
参考文献数
25
被引用文献数
1

Postoperative arrhythmias are a frequent and fatal complication after the Fontan operation. However, clinical evidence demonstrating early postoperative arrhythmias in children undergoing the Fontan operation is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of arrhythmias and identify the predictors of early postoperative supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (SVTs) after the Fontan procedure.Data were analyzed from 80 pediatric patients who underwent Fontan procedures between April 2000 and December 2017 in a single-center retrospective study. Early postoperative SVTs were defined as arrhythmias within 30 days after the Fontan procedure. We divided the patients into two groups, with or without early postoperative arrhythmias, and the predictors of early postoperative arrhythmias were analyzed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of early postoperative SVTs after the Fontan procedure.Early postoperative SVTs were observed in 21 patients (26.3%). The most common arrhythmia was junctional ectopic tachycardia. After an adjustment, an atrioventricular valve regurgitation (AVVR) grade of ≥2 (odds ratio 10.54, 95% confidence interval 2.52 to 44.17, P = 0.001) and preoperative arrhythmias (odds ratio 26.49, 95% confidence interval 1.64 to 428.62, P = 0.021) were significant predictors of early postoperative SVTs after the Fontan operation.An AVVR grade ≥2 and preoperative arrhythmia were significant predictors associated with early postoperative SVTs. Intervention for AVVR may provide clinical benefit for preventing early postoperative arrhythmias after the Fontan operation.
著者
Pamela S. Combs Teruhiko Imamura Umar Siddiqi Saeid Mirzai Robert Spiller Corinne Stonebraker Colleen LaBuhn Heather Bullard Pamela Simone Valluvan Jeevanandam
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.19-660, (Released:2020-04-29)
参考文献数
20
被引用文献数
3

The use of opioids during left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support is increasing, but the implication remains unknown. We investigated the association between the use of opioid and morbidities during LVAD supports. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of patients who received LVAD between 2014 and 2017, which were stratified by the use of opioid at post-LVAD 3 months. Among 136 patients, 77 (57%) were in the opioid group. Hemoglobin and albumin were lower, and C-reactive protein was higher at baseline and 3 months later in the opioid group (P < 0.05 for all). The opioid group displayed worse hemodynamics, with higher pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and central venous pressure (P < 0.05 for both). Furthermore, the opioid group had higher incidences of gastrointestinal bleeding (31% versus 17%, P = 0.043) and sepsis (30% versus 13%, P = 0.036) during the 1 year observational period, whereas survivals were not stratified by the use of opioid (83% versus 90%, P = 0.27). Opioid use was associated with morbidities accompanied by poor hemodynamics during LVAD supports. The detailed causality of opioid use on morbidities remains a future concern.
著者
Ippei Nakano Shintaro Kinugawa Hiroaki Hori Arata Fukushima Takashi Yokota Shingo Takada Naoya Kakutani Yoshikuni Obata Katsuma Yamanashi Toshihisa Anzai
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.19-400, (Released:2020-01-17)
参考文献数
41
被引用文献数
11

Heart failure (HF) is associated with aberrant skeletal muscle impairments, which are closely linked to the severity of HF. A low level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a myokine produced in the skeletal muscle, is known to be involved in reduced exercise capacity and poor prognosis in HF. However, little is known about the factors or conditions of skeletal muscle associated with BDNF levels. We investigated the association between serum BDNF levels and the skeletal muscle mass and function in HF patients (n = 60, 63 ± 13 years) and age-matched controls (n = 29, 61 ± 16 years). The serum BDNF level was significantly lower in the HF patients compared to the controls (24.9 ± 0.9 versus 28.6 ± 1.3, P = 0.021). In a univariate analysis, BDNF was significantly correlated with the peak oxygen uptake, estimated glomerular filtration rate, 10-m gait speed, and muscle strength, but not with the body mass index or lean mass in the HF group. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that BDNF was independently associated with muscle strength (β-coefficient = 2.80, 95%CI: 1.89-11.8, P = 0.008). Serum BDNF levels were associated with exercise capacity and skeletal muscle function, but not with muscle mass. These novel findings may suggest that BDNF production is controlled by muscle function and activity and consequently regulates exercise capacity, highlighting the importance of adequate training regarding skeletal muscle in HF patients.
著者
Miyu Tajima Ryozo Nagai Yukio Hiroi
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.55, no.4, pp.287-295, 2014 (Released:2014-07-10)
参考文献数
114
被引用文献数
44 77

Immunoglobulin4 (IgG4)-related disease is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by elevation of serum IgG4. It involves various organs such as the pancreas (autoimmune pancreatitis), lacrimal gland (Mikulicz’s disease), retroperitoneum (retroperitoneal fibrosis), aorta (aortic aneurysm and aortitis), heart (constrictive pericarditis), and pseudotumors around the coronary arteries. These disorders often coexist in accordance with progression of the disease. Because IgG4-related cardiovascular disorder affects the patient’s prognosis, early detection and treatment is important. Coronary CT imaging and echocardiography accidentally detect IgG4-related disorders and 18FDG-PET imaging can identify active inflammation in the lesions. Measurement of serum IgG4 levels and tissue biopsy are necessary for diagnosis. Minor salivary gland biopsy is recommended even though 18FDG uptake is not detected when it is difficult to obtain a biopsy specimen from IgG4-related cardiovascular lesions. The first-line treatment is high-dose corticosteroid therapy, however, relapse is often reported. Corticosteroids suppress the development of active inflammatory diseases such as aortitis, pericarditis, and pseudotumors, but already-developed lesions do not respond. A large developed aneurysm can rupture even during or after corticosteroid therapy, therefore, additional surgical treatment may be needed. Treatment of IgG4-related cardiovascular disorders might require higher doses of corticosteroids than IgG4-related extracardiovascular disorders. The adequate dose of corticosteroid, type and dose of immunosuppressant, and surgical intervention should be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis.
著者
Shinji Goto Masanori Nakamura Keiichi Itatani Shohei Miyazaki Norihiko Oka Takashi Honda Tadashi Kitamura Tetsuya Horai Masahiro Ishii Kagami Miyaji
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.15-440, (Released:2016-07-07)
被引用文献数
4 6

The use of measured data as boundary conditions renders hemodynamic simulations more patient-specific. However, synchronized acquisition of data at multiple locations is often difficult in clinical practice. This study proposes a method for resynchronizing measured data for use as boundary conditions for flow simulations using frequency analyses, and discusses the optimal cut-off frequency for differentiating cardiac and respiratory variation in hemodynamic data during resynchronization. To demonstrate the utility of the method, a Fontan circulation, which is the final palliative result with single-ventricle physiology, was used. The results suggest that it is optimal to set a cut-off frequency that gives a local minimum in the power spectrum that is slightly lower than the peak frequency of the heartbeat. Additionally, the total energy loss depended on the cut-off frequency, although the overall flow patterns appeared to be similar. The method is applicable to cardiovascular systems other than the Fontan circulation, where hemodynamic data with multifactorial fluctuations are required at various locations but simultaneous measurements are not possible.
著者
Yue Chen Shouling Wu Wenyu Li Binhao Wang Haichen Lv Xiaolei Yang Bin Waleed Khalid Xiaomeng Yin Yunlong Xia
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.59, no.6, pp.1246-1252, 2018-11-30 (Released:2018-11-28)
参考文献数
44
被引用文献数
2

In this study, we aim to investigate the association of serum uric acid (SUA) with the prevalence of premature ventricular contraction (PVC). The relationship between SUA and the prevalence of PVC in 98,965 subjects (79,034 male subjects, mean age: 51.9 ± 12.6 years old) in the Kailuan cohort study (n = 101,510, age range: 18-98 years) from June 2006 to October 2007 was investigated. These subjects were divided into five groups on the basis of their SUA levels. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to evaluate the association between SUA and the prevalence of PVC. The prevalence of PVC was 1.1% in all subjects, 1.1% in male subjects, and 1.0% in female subjects. Compared with the first quintile of SUA, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of other quintiles were 1.33 (1.05-1.69), 1.14 (0.90-1.46), 1.37 (1.08-1.74), and 1.63 (1.30-2.06) in male subjects; 1.12 (0.68-1.87), 1.27 (0.77-2.09), 1.45 (0.90-2.36), and 1.33 (0.81-2.18) in female subjects; and 1.30 (1.04-1.61), 1.20 (0.96-1.50), 1.33 (1.07-1.66), and 1.57 (1.26-1.95) for all subjects. The correlation between SUA and the prevalence of PVC was significant in all subjects and in male subjects, but not in female subjects. We demonstrated that SUA was apparently associated with the prevalence of PVC. The significant relationship between SUA and PVC identified in male subjects suggests the potential involvement of a gender-specific mechanism. Prospective studies are needed to further corroborate our results.
著者
Cao Qing Pu Jielin Hong Kui Shen Yang Liu Xin Yu Xin Yuan Ping Wan Rong Liu Xiuxia Peng Xiaogang He Wenfeng
出版者
一般社団法人 インターナショナル・ハート・ジャーナル刊行会
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.6, pp.939-947, 2017
被引用文献数
20

<p><i>DTNA</i> encoding dystrobrevin-α (α-DB) is a putative causal gene associated with left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC). The aim of the study was to investigate the causal role of DTNA in LVNC using a transgenic mouse model.</p><p>A missense mutation (c.146A > G, p.N49S) of <i>DTNA</i> was identified in a patient with LVNC by Sanger sequencing. Six independent lines of transgenic mice expressing the mutant DTNA under a myosin heavy chain 6 (<i>Myh6</i>) promoter were generated (<i>Myh6:Dtna</i><sup><i>N49S</i></sup>). Phenotypic characteristics of <i>DTNA</i>-p.N49S mutations were evaluated by echocardiography, histological observation, and immunoblotting. Multiple trabeculation and a higher ratio of non-compacted to compact myocardial layer were found in the <i>Myh6:Dtna</i><sup><i>N49S</i></sup> mice compared to the controls. The transgenic mice also showed left ventricular (LV) dilation and cardiac systolic dysfunction. In conclusion, overexpression of the <i>DTNA</i>-p.N49S mutation in a mouse heart can be responsible for the phenotype of deep trabeculation, dilated cardiomyopathy, and cardiac dysfunction, which resembles the phenotype of LVNC.</p>
著者
Atsushi Katoh Hisashi Kai Haruhito Harada Hiroshi Niiyama Hisao Ikeda
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.6, pp.926-932, 2017-11-01 (Released:2017-12-12)
参考文献数
36
被引用文献数
20

Glucosamine, used to treat osteoarthritis, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects in experimental studies. A recent cohort study has demonstrated that the use of glucosamine was significantly associated with decreased total mortality. Vascular endothelial function is a potent surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality where oxidative stress could participate. Therefore, we investigated whether glucosamine improves vascular endothelial function and intracellular redox state. We examined the effects of oral glucosamine administration (3000 mg/day) for 4 weeks on flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and intraerythrocyte glutathione parameters in 20 volunteers. Nineteen age-matched volunteers served as controls. Glucosamine administration significantly increased FMD (from 7.0 ± 2.3 to 8.7 ± 2.3%, P = 0.022). In the control group, FMD did not change. Glucosamine administration significantly increased intraerythrocyte total glutathione levels (from 212.9 ± 46.2 to 240.6 ± 49.4 μmol/L, P = 0.006), intraerythrocyte reduced form of glutathione (GSH) levels (from 124.7 ± 42.6 to 155.2 ± 47.7 μmol/L; P = 0.004) and intraerythrocyte GSH/oxidized form of glutathione (GSSG) ratios (from 3.18 ± 1.64 to 3.88 ± 1.61, P = 0.04). In the control group, any glutathione parameters did not change. Moreover, a stepwise multivariate analysis revealed percent change of GSH/GSSG is the only independent predictor for those of FMD (standardized β = 0.58, P = 0.007) in the glucosamine group. Glucosamine administration improved FMD in association with amelioration of intraerythrocyte GSH/GSSG ratios. These results suggest that oral glucosamine administration might improve vascular endothelial function by modulating intracellular redox state.
著者
Litao Zhang Yanli Long Hongyan Xiao Jun Yang Xiaohui Liu Zhenlu Zhang
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.18-237, (Released:2019-04-25)
参考文献数
26
被引用文献数
2

Mechanical heart valve replacement (MHVR) entails lifetime oral anticoagulation to eliminate thrombosis. However, adverse events may still occur despite proper anticoagulation therapy. In this study, we investigated whether D-dimer can predict the clinical events in post-MHVR patients during oral anticoagulation therapy.This was a single-center, prospective study. In all, 772 patients who underwent MHVR in the Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital from January 2013 to May 2014 were screened. Patients were assigned to the abnormal D-dimer group and the normal D-dimer group according to the D-dimer levels measured 3 months after the beginning of the oral anticoagulation therapy regime. All patients were followed up for 24 months or until the observation of the endpoints, which included thrombotic events, bleeding events, and all-cause deaths.A total of 718 patients were included in the analysis: 91 had abnormal D-dimer levels, and 627 had normal D-dimer levels. In all, 53 events were observed during 24 months. Compared with the normal D-dimer group, patients with abnormal D-dimer levels had a higher incidence of thrombotic events (10 versus 14; hazard ratio (HR): 5.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.38-12.1; P < 0.001), all-cause mortality (8 versus 13; HR: 4.65; 95% CI: 1.93-11.2; P < 0.001), and a higher incidence of total events (16 versus 37; HR: 3.26; 95% CI: 1.81-5.86; P < 0.001). No significant difference was observed in bleeding events (2 versus 21; HR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.17-3.07; P = 0.66).D-dimer may be a useful marker to predict thrombotic events and all-cause deaths in post-MHVR patients during oral anticoagulation therapy (ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT01996657).
著者
Hyue Mee Kim Dae-Won Sohn Jin Chul Paeng
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.18-345, (Released:2019-04-25)
参考文献数
19
被引用文献数
13

Senile or wild-type transthyretin (wtTTR) amyloidosis is an age-related disease caused by the deposition of wtTTR amyloid protein. In contrast to light chain amyloidosis, 99 mTc-DPD scintigraphy (DPD scan) is a useful diagnostic modality for wtTTR amyloidosis.We retrospectively analyzed patients older than 30 years who underwent DPD scanning for non-cardiac reasons at our hospital between June 2014 and March 2017 (n = 9,581). Transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), as well as systolic and diastolic function.A positive DPD scan was observed in only six patients (0.06%). All six of these patients were older than 70 years, and they constitute only 0.4% of patients in this age group (6/1652). Among the patients with a positive DPD scan, four showed concentric LVH and two showed a normal wall thickness. With respect to the severity of diastolic dysfunction and pulmonary artery pressure, patients with a positive DPD scan showed the expected E' and pulmonary artery systolic pressure for their age.Even considering the limited sensitivity of a positive DPD scan detecting wtTTR amyloidosis, the incidence of a positive DPD scan in non-cardiac patients indicated that wtTTR amyloid deposition does not seem to be a major cause for age-related diastolic dysfunction, nor does appear to have a high incidence in patients with heart failure with preserved EF in the elderly.
著者
Yasuo Tsuru Mizuki Miura Shinichi Shirai Masaomi Hayashi Kenji Taninobu Hiroshi Takiguchi Shinya Ito Mariko Yano Tomohiro Kawaguchi Takashi Morinaga Akihiro Isotani Shinichi Kakumoto Katsuhiro Seo Yoshio Arai Genichi Sakaguchi Kenji Ando
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.18-484, (Released:2019-04-25)
参考文献数
18
被引用文献数
3

Aortic complex rupture is one of the most critical complications associated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Its incidence is rare, and its mechanism varies by case; therefore, it is difficult to identify the predictors of complex rupture. Herein, we report a clinical case series of aortic complex rupture. Within our cohort, the frequency of complex rupture was 0.8% (4/497 consecutive patients) with an in-hospital mortality of 0. Among these four patients with complex rupture, two underwent emergent thoracotomy and surgical hemostasis without a heart-lung machine and surgical aortic valve replacement, whereas the other two were conservatively managed. The case overview revealed the following similarities: all the patients were elderly, small women; balloon-expandable valves were used; the annulus area was small with heavily calcified leaflet; and aggressive treatment strategy was used (i.e., oversizing and post-dilatation). In such cases, TAVI should be performed with a careful strategy. Once aortic complex rupture occurs, damage can be minimized through cooperation with an institutional heart team and calm management.
著者
Masato Narita Masahiro Yamada Michiko Tsushima Natsumi Kudo Tomo Kato Yoshikazu Yokono Yuichi Toyama Maiko Senoo Manabu Yonekura Noritomo Narita Yoshihiro Kimura Kaori Sawada Itoyo Tokuda Hirofumi Tomita
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.18-511, (Released:2019-04-25)
参考文献数
37
被引用文献数
11

Although there are several diagnostic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), their sensitivity remains low. A recent study reported that the sum of the amplitude of the deepest S wave in any lead (SD) and the S wave in lead V4 (SV4) (SD + SV4) improved sensitivity compared with commonly used criteria. To test whether this new formula improves sensitivity in the Japanese general population, we analyzed 12-lead electrocardiograms for Japanese residents participating in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project (n = 866). Left ventricular mass was calculated by echocardiography, indicating that 156 (18%) of the study population had LVH. In receiver operating characteristic analyses, the sum of the R wave in limb lead Ι (RLΙ) and the S wave in V4 (SV4) (RLΙ + SV4) showed a higher area under the curve (AUC = 0.76) than the Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria (0.61) and the SD + SV4 criteria (0.63), and almost the same AUC as the Cornell voltage criteria (0.74) and the Cornell product criteria (0.76). The validation study also showed similar results. The cutoff values of RLΙ + SV4 criteria were ≥1.6 mV in men and ≥1.4 mV in women with a sensitivity of 39% and a specificity of 89%, whereas the sensitivity and specificity calculated based on SD + SV4 criteria were 21% and 94%, respectively. Thus, the diagnostic criterion of RLΙ + SV4 seems to be more useful than the previous criteria for diagnosing LVH in the Japanese general population.
著者
Ying Zhou Jiansong Yuan Yong Wang Shubin Qiao
出版者
International Heart Journal Association
雑誌
International Heart Journal (ISSN:13492365)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.18-598, (Released:2019-04-25)
参考文献数
41
被引用文献数
6

Apelin was proved to attenuate cardiac interstitial fibrosis. However, the association between apelin level and myocardial fibrosis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is still unclear.This study aims to determine whether apelin is associated with myocardial fibrosis in HCM and investigate the predictive values of apelin for myocardial fibrosis in HCM.One hundred sixteen patients with HCM were enrolled in this study. Plasma apelin-13 and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (cTNI) were measured. The cardiac systolic and diastolic functions were evaluated by echocardiography, and the presence and extent of cardiac fibrosis were assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance. All statistical data were analyzed by SPSS version 21.0.The percentage of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was negatively correlated with apelin and positively correlated with cTNI, maximum wall thickness (MWT), and left ventricular mass index in the overall patients with HCM and LGE. Apelin, cTNI, MWT, and left ventricular ejection fraction were independent predictors of the presence of LGE. The cutoff values of apelin, cTNI, and MWT were 1.24 pg/mL, 0.031 ng/mL, and 19 mm, respectively, for the prediction of LGE. The combined measurements of MWT ≥ 19 mm and/or apelin ≤ 1.24 pg/mL, as well as the combined measurements of MWT ≥ 19 mm and/or cTNI ≥ 0.031 ng/mL, obtained higher specificity and higher sensitivity, thus, indicating the presence of LGE.Plasma apelin and cTNI are independent predictors of myocardial fibrosis. The combined measurements of serum apelin and MWT, as well as cTNI and MWT, showed higher predictive values for predicting myocardial fibrosis in patients with HCM.