Novel prognostic impact and cell specific role of endocan in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Both the clinical and mechanistic impacts of endocan were not well elucidated especially in coronary artery disease (CAD).

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic and potential pathological role of endocan for cardiovascular (CV) events in stable CAD patients.

Methods: A total of 1,071 stable CAD patients with previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were enrolled prospectively in a nationwide Biosignature study.

Renal function during hospitalization and outcome in Chinese patients with acute decompensated heart failure: A retrospective study and literature review.

Background: The heart and kidneys had demonstrated a bidirectional interaction that dysfunction of the heart or kidneys can induce dysfunction in the other organ.

Hypothesis: Renal function and its decline during hospitalization may have impact on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).

Methods: A total of 119 consecutive Chinese patients admitted for ADHF were prospectively enrolled.

Association between visit-to-visit blood pressure variability and adverse events in coronary artery disease patients after coronary intervention.

Blood pressure variability (BPV) is independently associated with higher cardiovascular risks. However, whether BPV is associated with poor outcomes for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remained undetermined. We aimed to investigate the relationship between BPV and the outcomes of CAD patients undergoing PCI.

Variation and Renal Function in Chinese Patients With Hypertension.

Objective: (solute carrier family 12 member 3) gene variants are associated with diabetic nephropathy; however, their association with hypertensive nephropathy remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the association between gene polymorphisms and renal function in patients with hypertension.

Methods: Participants from three non-diabetic hypertensive cohorts, including young-onset hypertension (cohort 1, = 882), treatment-naïve hypertension (cohort 2, = 90), and follow-up cohort (cohort 3, = 166), underwent genotyping for single nucleotide polymorphisms in .

Tolvaptan reduces angiotensin II-induced experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm and dissection.

Tolvaptan has been approved for the treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and heart failure. However, the role of tolvaptan in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has not been examined. Human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) were used as the in vitro model.

Prognostic indicators for the onset of ischaemic versus haemorrhagic stroke in stable coronary artery disease.

The incidence of stroke may be increased in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to investigate the specific risk factors for the development of ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke in stable CAD patients.Patients with stable CAD were prospectively enrolled for future cardiovascular events in Taiwan.

miR-548j-5p regulates angiogenesis in peripheral artery disease.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a vascular disease involving diffuse atherosclerosis, and is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the most severe complication of PAD. In addition to medical and interventional treatment, therapeutic angiogenesis is a novel therapy for PAD.

Association between phosphate and long-term outcome in CAD patients underwent coronary intervention.

Phosphate has been linked to higher cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, whether phosphate is associated with poor outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) remained undetermined. 2,894 CAD patients (2,220 male, aged 71.

Significance of serum FGF-23 for risk assessment of contrast-associated acute kidney injury and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 levels rise as kidney function declines. Whether elevated FGF-23 levels are associated with an increased risk for contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients undergoing coronary angiography remain uncertain.

Methods: In total, 492 patients receiving coronary angiography were enrolled.

Optimal blood pressure for patients with end-stage renal disease following coronary interventions.

Hypertension is a frequent manifestation of chronic kidney disease but the ideal blood pressure (BP) target in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (eGFR < 15 ml/min/1.73m ) still unclear. The authors aimed to investigate the ideal achieved BP in ESRD patients with CAD after coronary intervention.

Economic Burden of Heart Failure in Asian Countries with Different Healthcare Systems.

Background And Objectives: Heart failure (HF) poses substantial economic burden, primarily driven by high hospitalization and mortality rates. This study aimed to understand the economic burden of HF in 4 Asian countries under varying healthcare systems.

Methods: This was a non-interventional, retrospective study conducted in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia through medical chart review.

Effects of Postoperative Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, Pharmacologic Treatment, and Predisposing Factors on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes Along With Critical Limb Ischemia.

Purpose: Critical limb ischemia (CLI) has been identified as being connected to rates of cardiovascular mortality and lower extremity amputation (LEA). This prospective study investigated the effects of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), pharmacologic treatment, and predisposing factors on clinical outcomes in patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) along with CLI after endovascular intervention.

Methods: 249 consecutive patients with CLI (Fontaine stages III-IV) received pharmacologic treatment after successful endovascular intervention.

Sex difference in sympathetic nervous system activity and blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity leads to increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study investigated whether there were sex differences in SNS activity among Chinese patients with hypertension. Ethnic Chinese non-diabetic hypertensive patients aged 20-50 years were enrolled in Taiwan.

Long-Term Cilostazol Treatment and Predictive Factors on Outcomes of Endovascular Intervention in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Critical Limb Ischemia.

Introduction: Despite improvements in endovascular interventions and multidisciplinary approaches, improving clinical outcomes and increasing limb salvage have become increasingly challenging. This prospective study investigated the associations of cilostazol treatment with clinical outcomes and predictive factors in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) after endovascular revascularization of the affected angiosome.

Methods: In this study, 172 consecutive patients with CLI (Fontaine levels III-IV) received cilostazol treatment after successful endovascular intervention according to the angiosome concept, and their primary patency rates and cardiovascular and amputation events during a 24-month follow-up period were assessed.

Association between Preoperative Nutritional Status and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Malnutrition is associated with poor outcomes in patients with cancer, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Methods: We recruited a cohort of 3118 patients with CAD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from 2005 to 2015.

Associated factors and impacts of sedentary behaviour in patients with heart failure: A longitudinal study.

Background: Sedentary behaviours may be related to factors such as self-efficacy, mood and social support. However, there is a paucity of longitudinal follow-up studies examining factors related to sedentary behaviour from physical-psychosocial perspectives in patients with heart failure.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore the multidimensional associated factors and impacts of sedentary behaviour in heart failure patients.

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) predicted clinical outcome in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: This study examines the predictive value of a novel systemic immune-inflammation index (SII, platelet × neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Methods: A total of 5602 CAD patients who had undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were enrolled. They were divided into two groups by baseline SII score (high SII vs low SII) to analyse the relationship between SII groups and the long-term outcome.

Association of variability in uric acid and future clinical outcomes of patient with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background And Aims: Hyperuricemia is independently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is considered to be one of the major risk factors for CVD. However, the impact of inter-visit uric acid (UA) variability on cardiovascular risk remains undetermined.

Methods: We enrolled 3202 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), who received successful coronary intervention, in a cohort from Taipei Veterans General Hospital from 2006 to 2015.

Activation of heme oxygenase-1 by Ginkgo biloba extract differentially modulates endothelial and smooth muscle-like progenitor cells for vascular repair.

Vascular progenitors such as endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and smooth muscle-like progenitor cells (SMPCs) may play different roles in vascular repair. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is an exogenous activator of heme oxygenase (HO)-1, which has been suggested to improve vascular repair; however, the detailed mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate whether GBE can modulate different vascular progenitor cells by activating HO-1 for vascular repair.

Phorbol ester-induced angiogenesis of endothelial progenitor cells: The role of NADPH oxidase-mediated, redox-related matrix metalloproteinase pathways.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) may contribute to ischemia-induced angiogenesis in atherosclerotic diseases. The protein kinase C (PKC) family is involved in the regulation of angiogenesis, however the role of PKCα in EPCs during angiogenesis is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of PKCα in EPCs during angiogenesis.

Tocilizumab, a Humanized Monoclonal Antibody Against the Interleukin-6 Receptor, Inhibits High Glucose-Induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration Through Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) promotes the disease activity of RA and insulin resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects and molecular mechanisms of IL-6 blocker, tocilizumab, in atherosclerosis with diabetes.

Simplified quantification of N-ammonia PET myocardial blood flow: A comparative study with the standard compartment model to facilitate clinical use.

Background: Short imaging protocol to quantify myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) may enhance the clinical application of N-ammonia cardiac PET. We assessed the flow quantitation of N-ammonia PET implementing simple retention model and two-compartment model.

Methods: Fourteen healthy volunteers (HVT) and twenty-three clinical patients received N-ammonia PET/CT.

Increased risk of ventricular tachycardia and cardiovascular death in patients with myocarditis during the long-term follow-up: A national representative cohort from the National Health Insurance Research Database.

The incidence of acute myocarditis complicated with ventricular tachycardia (VT) is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between myocarditis and the incidence of VT and mortality. We also aimed to determine the independent predictors that increased the VT risk in those patients.