Correlations between pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, body mass index and capillary length density.

<p>Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was correlated with body mass index (A); moreover, capillary length density was correlated with body mass index (B) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (C) in 57 coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.</p

Picrosirius-red staining of collagen, reticulin staining of cardiomyocyte membranes, and CD31 immunostaining of capillaries.

<p>Representative sections of left ventricular biopsies from a non-obese male (BMI: 25 kg/m²) and an obese male (BMI: 39 kg/m²) coronary artery bypass graft surgery patient stained with picrosirius-red demonstrating interstitial and perivascular fibrosis (stained red) and arteriolar dimensions (A, B), reticulin stain demonstrating cardiomyocyte membranes (C, D), and immunostained for CD31 demonstrating capillaries (E, F).</p

Correlations between collagens I and III as assessed by immunostaining and echocardiographic parameters of diastolic dysfunction, mitral E/A ratio and mitral septal e

<p>’ <b>velocity, in men with coronary artery disease.</b> Total collagens I and III were not correlated with mitral E/A ratio (A, B) or with mitral septal e’ velocity (D, E) whereas the correlations between collagen I/collagen III ratio and mitral E/A ratio (C) and mitral septal e’ velocity (F) were of borderline statistical significance.</p

Clinical, biochemical and hemodynamic characteristics of men undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery who had transthoracic echocardiography before surgery.

<p>Coronary collaterals were scored according to Rentrop et al. <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0049813#pone.0049813-Rentrop1" target="_blank">[58]</a>. ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study equation <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0049813#pone.0049813-Levey1" target="_blank">[30]</a>; CML, N^ε-(carboxymethyl)lysine; HDL, high density lipoprotein; HOMA, Homeostasis Model Assessment calculator version 2.2 <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0049813#pone.0049813-Wallace1" target="_blank">[31]</a>; LDL, low density lipoprotein; LMWF, low molecular weight fluorophore; NT-proBNP, amino-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide; RAGE, receptor for advanced glycation end-products.</p

Correlations between myocardial fibrosis and echocardiographic parameters of diastolic dysfunction, mitral E/A ratio and mitral septal e

<p>’ <b>velocity, in men with coronary artery disease.</b> Myocardial total fibrosis, interstitial fibrosis and perivascular fibrosis were not correlated with mitral E/A ratio (A, B, C) or with mitral septal e’ velocity (D, E, F).</p

Correlations between echocardiographic parameters and age in men with coronary artery disease.

<p>Age was not correlated with mitral Doppler flow velocity E wave velocity (A), but was correlated with mitral Doppler flow velocity A wave velocity (B), E/A ratio (C), mitral early inflow deceleration time (D) and mitral early diastolic peak velocity of the septal mitral annulus, e’ (E). However, the correlation of age with E/e’ ratio was not statistically significant (F).</p

Immunostaining for collagens I and III.

<p>Representative sections of a left ventricular biopsy from a coronary artery bypass graft surgery patient immunostained for collagen I (A), collagen III (B), and a negative control section without primary antibody (C).</p

Correlations between plasma advanced glycation end-products and echocardiographic parameters of diastolic dysfunction, mitral E/A ratio and mitral septal e

<p>’ <b>velocity, in men with coronary artery disease.</b> Plasma N^ε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) concentrations were correlated with mitral E/A ratio (A) and mitral septal e’ velocity (B), both for all patients and after exclusion of diabetic patients (non-diabetic patients). In addition, plasma low molecular weight fluorophore (LMWF) concentrations were correlated with mitral E/A ratio (C) for all patients and after exclusion of diabetic patients. Individual values are shown for non-diabetic (open circles) and diabetic patients (closed circles). Correlations are shown for all patients (dotted line) and for non-diabetic patients (dashed line).</p

Immunostaining for N^ε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE).

<p>Representative sections of left ventricular biopsies from coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients immunostained for CML (A) or RAGE (C) and their corresponding negative control sections (B, D).</p

Regression analyses between age, plasma N^ε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and low molecular weight fluorophore (LMWF) levels, mitral E/A ratio and mitral septal e’ velocity in men with coronary artery disease.

<p>St. coefficient, standardized coefficient.</p