Metabolic disturbances and worsening of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice after cola beverages drinking.

Atherosclerosis is a major health burden. Metabolic disorders had been associated with large consumption of soft drinks. The rising incidence of atherosclerosis and metabolic alterations warrants the study of long-term soft drink consumption´ effects on metabolism and atherosclerosis in genetic deficiency of apolipoprotein E which typically develops spontaneous atherosclerosis and metabolic alterations.Fil: Otero-Losada, Matilde Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina;Fil: Mc Laughlin, Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigacines Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina;Fil: Rodriguez-Granillo, Gastón. Consejo Nacional de Investigacines Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina;Fil: Müller, Angélica. Consejo Nacional de Investigacines Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina;Fil: Ottaviano, Graciela Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigacines Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina;Fil: Moriondo, Marisa Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigacines Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina;Fil: Cutrin, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigacines Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina;Fil: Milei, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigacines Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina

Coronary plaque composition as assessed by greyscale intravascular ultrasound and radiofrequency spectral data analysis

Objectives: (i) To explore the relation between greyscale intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) plaque qualitative classification and IVUS radiofrequency data (RFD) analysis tissue types; (ii) to evaluate if plaque composition as assessed by RFD analysis can be predicted by visual assessment of greyscale IVUS images. Methods: In 120 IVUS-RFD cross-sections, a sector of the plaque with homogenous tissue composition (e.g., fibrous, fibrofatty, necrotic core, and dense calcium) was selected. Two experienced observers analyzed twice the corresponding greyscale IVUS images to: (1) classify the selected sectors according to greyscale IVUS plaque type classification and (2) predict the tissue type expected in the sector by RFD analysis. Results: In the greyscale IVUS plaque type classification, the observers agreed in 90/120 sectors (κ = 0.64). Calcified, soft and mixed plaques by greyscale IVUS classification were mainly composed of dense calcium, fibrofatty, and necrotic core, respectively, in the RFD analysis. The plaques classified in greyscale IVUS as fibrous were actually fibrous tissue by IVUS RFD in only 30% of the cases. Overall, high interobserver variability in the prediction of RFD results by visual assessment of greyscale IVUS images (κ = 0.23 for observer 1 and 0.55 for observer 2) was found. Sens

Impact of pectus excavatum on cardiac morphology and function according to the site of maximum compression: effect of physical exertion and respiratory cycle

Aims: Previous studies have demonstrated diverse cardiac manifestations in patients with pectus excavatum (PEX), although mostly addressing morphological or physiological impact as separate findings. Using multimodality imaging, we evaluated the impact of PEX on cardiac morphology and function according to the site of maximum compression, and the effect of exertion and breathing. Methods and results: All patients underwent chest computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and stress echocardiography (echo) in order to establish surgical candidacy. We evaluated diastolic function and trans-tricuspid gradient during stress (echo); and systolic function and respiratory-related septal wall motion abnormalities (CMR). Patients were classified according to the site of cardiac compression as type 0 (without cardiac compression); type 1 (right ventricle); and type 2 [right ventricle and atrioventricular (AV) groove]. Fifty-nine patients underwent multimodality imaging, with a mean age of 19.5 ± 5.9 years. Compared with a sex and age matched control group, peak exercise capacity was lower in patients with PEX (8.4 ± 2.0 METs vs. 15.1 ± 4.6 METs, P < 0.0001). At stress, significant differences were found between groups regarding left ventricular E/A (P = 0.004) and e/a ratio (P = 0.005), right ventricular E/A ratio (P = 0.03), and trans-tricuspid gradient (P = 0.001). At CMR, only 9 (15%) patients with PEX had normal septal motion, whereas 17 (29%) had septal flattening during inspiration. Septal motion abnormalities were significantly related to the cardiac compression classification (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that patients with PEX, particularly those with compression affecting the right ventricle and AV groove, manifest diverse cardiac abnormalities that are mostly related to exertion, inspiration, and diastolic function.Fil: Rodriguez Granillo, Gaston Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto Alberto C. Taquini de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas "Prof. Dr. Alberto C. Taquini". Instituto Alberto C. Taquini de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional; ArgentinaFil: Raggio, Ignacio M.. No especifíca;Fil: Deviggiano, Alejandro. No especifíca;Fil: Bellia Munzon, Gastón. No especifíca;Fil: Capunay, Carlos. No especifíca;Fil: Nazar, Maximiliano. No especifíca;Fil: Martinez, Jorge Luis. No especifíca;Fil: Carrascosa, Patricia. No especifíca;Fil: Martínez Ferro, Marcelo. No especifíca

Meta-analysis of the studies assessing temporal changes in coronary plaque volume using intravascular ultrasound

To assess the temporal effect of statin therapy on coronary atherosclerotic plaque volume measured by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), we searched PubMed for eligible studies published between 1990 and January 2006. Inclusion criteria for retrieved studies were (1) IVUS volume analysis at baseline and follow-up and (2) statin therapy in >= 1 group of patients. All data of interest were abstracted in prespecified structured collection forms. Statistical analysis was performed with Review Manager 4.2. Random-effect weighted mean difference (WMD) was used as summary statistics for comparison of continuous variables. Nine studies of 985 patients (with 11 statin treatment arms) were selected. After a mean follow-up of 9.8 +/- 4.9 months, we found a significant decrease in coronary plaque volume (WMD -5.77 mm(3), 95% confidence interval -10.36 to -1.17, p = 0.01), with no significant heterogeneity across studies (p = 0.47). Prespecified subgroup analyses showed similar trends. Studies in which the achieved low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level was = 100 mg/dl, the trend was less evident (WMD -4.22 mm(3), 95% confidence interval -10.27 to 1.82, p = 0.17). Plaque volume remained essentially unchanged in patients not treated with statins (WMD 0.13 mm(3), 95% confidence interval -4.42 to 4.68, p = 0.96). In conclusion, statin therapy, particularly when achieving the target LDL level, appears to promote a significant regression of coronary plaque volume as measured by IVUS. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved