Effects of cognac on coronary flow reserve and plasma antioxidant status in healthy young men

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The cardioprotective effects of certain alcoholic beverages are partly related to their polyphenol content, which may improve the vasodilatory reactivity of arteries. Effect of cognac on coronary circulation, however, remains unknown. The purpose of this randomized controlled cross-over study was to determine whether moderate doses of cognac improve coronary reactivity as assessed with cold pressor testing (CPT) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) measument.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Study group consisted of 23 subjects. Coronary flow velocity and epicardial diameter was assessed using transthoracic echocardiography at rest, during CPT and adenosine infusion-derived CFR measurements before drinking, after a moderate (1.2 ± 0.1 dl) and an escalating high dose (total amount 2.4 ± 0.3 dl) of cognac. To explore the bioavailability of antioxidants, the antioxidant contents of cognac was measured and the absorption from the digestive tract was verified by plasma antioxidant capacity determination.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum alcohol levels increased to 1.2 ± 0.2‰ and plasma antioxidant capacity from 301 ± 43.9 μmol/l to 320 ± 25.0 μmol/l by 7.6 ± 11.8%, (p = 0.01) after high doses of cognac. There was no significant change in flow velocity during CPT after cognac ingestion compared to control day. CFR was 4.4 ± 0.8, 4.1 ± 0.9 (p = NS), and 4.5 ± 1.2 (p = NS) before drinking and after moderate and high doses on cognac day, and 4.5 ± 1.4, and 4.0 ± 1.2 (p = NS) on control day.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Cognac increased plasma antioxidant capacity, but it had no effect on coronary circulation in healthy young men.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>NCT00330213</p

First-in-Human Study of 68 Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9, PET Ligand Targeting Vascular Adhesion Protein 1

Sialic acid-binding immunoglubulin-like lectin 9 (Siglec-9) is a ligand of vascular adhesion protein 1 (VAP-1). A gallium 68-labeled peptide of Siglec-9, 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9, holds promise as a novel PET tracer for imaging of inflammation. This first-in-human study investigated the safety, tolerability, biodistribution, and radiation dosimetry of this radiopharmaceutical. Methods: Six healthy males underwent dynamic whole-body PET/CT. Serial venous blood samples were drawn from 1-240 min after intravenous injection of 162 ± 4 MBq of 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9. In addition to gamma counting, the plasma samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography to detect intact tracer and radioactive metabolites. Radiation doses were calculated using the OLINDA/EXM 2.2 software. In addition, a patient with early rheumatoid arthritis was studied with both 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 and 18F-FDG PET/CT to determine the ability of the new tracer to detect arthritis. Results: 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 was well tolerated by all subjects. 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 was rapidly cleared from blood circulation and several radioactive metabolites were detected. The organs with the highest absorbed doses were the urinary bladder wall (0.38 mSv/MBq) and kidneys (0.054 mSv/MBq). The mean effective dose was 0.022 mSv/MBq (range 0.020-0.024 mSv/MBq). Most importantly, however, 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 was able to detect arthritis comparable to 18F-FDG. Conclusion: Intravenous injection of 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 was safe and biodistribution is favorable for testing of the tracer in larger group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis planned in the next phase of clinical trials. The effective radiation dose of 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 was within the same range as those of other 68Ga-labeled tracers. Injection of 150 MBq of 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 would expose a subject to 3.3 mSv. These findings support the possible repeated clinical use of 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9, e.g., in trials aiming to elucidate the treatment efficacy of novel drug candidates

Akuutti transversaalimyeliitti vaatii nopean hoidon

Transversaalimyeliitti on harvinainen, hankittu paikallinen tai laaja-alainen selkäytimen tulehduksellinen tila, johon liittyy subakuutisti kehittyvä lihasheikkous, tuntopuutos ja suolen tai virtsarakon toimintahäiriö. Transversaalimyeliitillä käsitetään immunologisella mekanismilla syntyvät selkäytimen tulehdukselliset tilat. Se voi esiintyä infektion, rokotuksen tai muun laukaisevan tekijän immuunivälitteisenä jälkitilana, osana (neuro)immunologisten sairauksien jatkumoa tai itsenäisenä entiteettinä, jolloin puhutaan idiopaattisesta transversaalimyeliitistä. Tärkeimmät akuuttivaiheen diagnostiset tutkimukset ovat selkäytimen magneettikuvaus, jolla osoitetaan selkäytimen patologia, sekä selkäydinnesteen analyysi, jolla osoitetaan tilan inflammatorinen luonne. Transversaalimyeliitti voi esiintyä millä tahansa selkäytimen tasolla. Selkäydinvaurio voi aiheuttaa bilateraaliset tai unilateraaliset oireet. Lähes puolelle potilaista kehittyy täydellinen paraplegia. Infektion poissulkeminen on akuuttivaiheessa lähes mahdotonta, joten nopeasti aloitetun suuriannoksisen glukokortikoidilääkityksen lisänä on suositeltavaa käyttää samanaikaista virus- ja mikrobilääkettä

Coronary artery flow velocity profile measured by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography predicts myocardial viability after acute myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE: To study whether flow velocity profile in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) measured by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) predicts myocardial viability after reperfused anterior acute myocardial infarction (AMI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 15 patients who had their first anterior ST elevation AMI and were successfully reperfused by coronary angioplasty and five controls without coronary artery disease were selected. Blood flow velocity spectrum was measured from the mid‐LAD by TTDE 3 days after coronary angioplasty. Myocardial viability in the LAD region was quantified 3 months after AMI by relative uptake of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaged with positron emission tomography. Myocardium was graded as viable, partially viable or non‐viable (relative FDG uptake >85%, 67–85% and <67%, respectively). Main outcome measures were diastolic deceleration time (DDT) of LAD flow velocity 3 days after AMI and myocardial viability 3 months after AMI. RESULTS: DDT of LAD flow velocity correlated with myocardial FDG uptake in the LAD region (r = 0.91, p<0.01). DDT was markedly longer in patients with viable myocardium (876±76 ms, n = 3) than partially viable (356±89 ms, n = 6, p<0.01), or non‐viable myocardium (128±13 ms, n = 6, p<0.01). In controls, DDT was comparable (909±76 ms, n = 5) to patients with viable myocardium. DDT <190 ms was always associated with non‐viable myocardium. CONCLUSIONS: DDT of LAD flow velocity is strongly associated with myocardial viability after reperfused anterior AMI. Non‐invasive TTDE of the LAD may be used in the acute phase to predict long‐term viability of the jeopardised myocardium