A comparison between the effects of Portulaca oleracea seeds extract and valsartan on echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters in rats with levothyroxine-induced thyrotoxicosis

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of Portulaca oleracea (Po) seeds extract and those of valsartan on cardiac function in levothyroxine (T4)-treated rats. Materials and Methods: Forty Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=10): control, levothyroxine (T4), T4 plus valsartan (T4-Val) and T4 plus hydro-alcoholic extract of the P. oleracea seeds (T4-Po). Control group received normal saline. Levothyroxine (100µg/kg/day, i.p.) was administered to three other groups for 4 weeks. Valsartan (8 mg/kg/day, orally) and Po seeds extract (400 mg/kg/day, orally) were administered during the last two weeks of treatment period. At the end of the experiment, echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters were measured and serum free T4, T3, and T4 were measured. Results: Administration of T4 for 4 weeks significantly increased serum free T4 levels in T4 group but elevations of free T4 levels in T4–Val group were not significant. Free T4 level decreased in T4–Po (

Nutritional status and oxidative stress on admission and discharge of myocardial infarction patients

Introduction: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of hospitalization on the nutritional status and prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) of the patients with myocardial infarction (MI).Methods: This study was conducted on 57 patients diagnosed with MI with the mean age of 58.44±12.80 years. The patients were admitted to the cardiac care unit (CCU) of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. Nutritional status of the patients was assessed using the nutritional risk screening (NRS-2002) questionnaire. In addition, anthropometric and biochemical parameters and their changes were evaluated. PAB was also assessed as an oxidative stress marker. In total, 15 patients stayed in the hospital for more than one week. The measurements were performed upon admission and discharge.Results: Upon admission, 49.1% of the patients were well-nourished, and 50.9% were at nutritional risk. As expected, the patients were overweight (36.8%) or obese (19.2%), and all the measures of adiposity were high. Well-nourished patients had lower serum PAB comparatively, while the difference was not statistically significant. The prevalence of the suboptimal nutrition index increased from 46.7% upon admission to 53.3% upon discharge. However, the increase was not considered significant due to the small sample size. Serum PAB increased within one week after admission, while the change was not significant (P=0.249).Conclusion: According to the results, the prevalence of suboptimal nutrition was high in the MI patients in Iran and increases during hospitalization

Evaluating The Association Between Serum Hsp27 Antibody and Hypertension in Patients without Underlying Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: An association between heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) antigen with cardiovascular risk factors has been shown previously. Furthermore, higher levels of serum anti-HSP27 antibodies are also related to higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In the current study, we looked at the relationship between serum Hsp27 antibodies and hypertension, as an important cardiovascular risk factor, in individuals without evidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Methods: A sub-population of hypertensive patients (HTN+) without underlying CVD were recruited from the Mashhad stroke and atherosclerosis heart disease (MASHAD) study to assess the association between serum Hsp27 antibodies and hypertension; independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. A total of 1599 people were studied of whom 288 individuals had hypertension and 1311 were used as controls (HTN-).Results: Mean serum Hsp27 antibody titers were 0.20 (0.27) OD in the whole population sample and was not significantly different in the normotensive (HTN-) compared to HTN+ individuals with different degrees of hypertension.Conclusion: There were no significant associations between serum anti-Hsp27 concentrations and either the presence or severity of hypertension. Future studies are warranted to explore the association of anti-Hsp27 antibody and antigen levels and other cardiovascular risk factors

Association of Paraoxonase-1 Genotype and Phenotype with Angiogram Positive Coronary Artery Disease

Funding Information: This study was supported by Mashhad and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The authors would like to thank technicians of Sina, Sadi, Ghaem catheterization laboratory and technicians of Isfahan Alzahra genetics laboratory.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Association between diabetes mellitus and rs2868371; a polymorphism of HSPB1

Introduction: Diabetes (DM) is a type of metabolic disorder that its types are generated by collectingof genetic and environmental risk agents. Here, the association between HSPB1 polymorphism as a genetic risk factor and DM was investigated. Methods: Total 690 participants from MASHAD cohort study population were recruited into the study.Anti-HSP27-level was assessed followed by genotyping using Taqman®-probes-based assay. Anthropometric, demographic and hematological/biochemical characteristics were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier curves were utilized, while logistic regression models were used to assess the association of the genetic variant with clinical characteristics of population. Results: Finds was shown there are meaningful differences among groups of age, height, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, FBG,TG, HDL-C, and hs-CRP, and was no big -significant difference between theexists in different HSP27 SNP in the two studied groups (with and without DM), also was no remarkable relation between genetic forms of HSPB1and T2DM. This investigation was the first research that analyzed the relationship between the genetic type of the HSPB1 gene (rs2868371) and Type 2 diabetes (DM2). In our population, the CC genotype (68.1%) had a higher prevalence versus GC (26.6%) and GG (5.3%) genotypes and the data shown that no genetic difference of HSPB1 gene polymorphism (rs2868371) was related with DM2. Conclusion: HSPB1 polymorphism, rs2868371, was not associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Right ventricular mass: A tumor or thrombus

Cardiac mass is always challenging, specially in the right side of the heart that should raise suspicion of a malignancy. A 15-year-old poor growth and poor weight gain girl with dyspnea was examined in the emergency room. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a large homogeneous mass in the RV apex which disappeared one week after intravenous heparin therapy. A trial of anticoagulation should be considered when the differential diagnosis is difficult and thrombus is a possibility

Tissue doppler imaging in the assessment of myocardial systolic and diastolic functions in patients with stable angina pectoris

Coronary artery diseases affect both systolic and diastolic functions and can be assessed both globally and regionally. Tissue doppler imaging is a novel technique with additional advantages to the currently used two-dimensional echocardiography. This paper is a review of the published articles on documented Coronary artery diseases patients confirmed by angiography, without any previous myocardial infarction and with normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Accordingly, a significant relationship was achieved between systolic rather than diastolic parameters with Coronary artery diseases. Furthermore, major heterogeneity was noticed among the available studies in this respect. The incremental values of tissue doppler imaging in patients with stable angina in addition to other non invasive tests has led to its recommendation by ACC/AHA

Designing and Evaluation of the Local Cardiovascular Terms Coding System Based on Concept Mapping

Introduction: The Importance of disease classification for facilitating medical research is clear. The Medical diagnosis classification is usually done through International Classification of Disease (ICD) system. Sometimes, diagnostic terms in medical records require to be replaced by equivalent term according to international classification of disease system. In order to optimize the patient’ medical records, using information technology, especially designing and developing application in classification of local medical diagnosis are recommended. This research aimed to identify local cardiovascular diagnoses and develop an application for classification and coding them. Method: This research is an applied study, conducted on 500 medical records in Mashhad Imam Reza and Ghaem hospitals. After that, the concept mapping developed between diagnostic terms and the ICD terms. Data were collected through observation, interview, and checklist, and then the application was developed for coding diagnoses. Furthermore, the coding agreement coefficient related to first and second final diagnoses recorded in medical records was calculated among three raters via interclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: In this research, 1081 codes were investigated and 676 diagnoses of them were recorded in the record summary form. The number of the local diagnoses and abbreviations with their codes were 147 cases. The coding agreement rate among raters was 70% and 88% in the first and second final diagnosis, respectively. Conclusion: Due to the excellent agreement between raters about the local cardiovascular terms performed through the coding application, it can be concluded that the designed application has high reliability in coding and can be used for classification of diagnoses in different hospital departments

Effects of Nicorandil on the Clinical and Laboratory Outcomes of Unstable Angina Patients after Coronary Angioplasty

Introduction: Ischemic preconditioning mediated by potassium channels is a physiological protective mechanism, . It is hypothesized that Nicorandil, which is a potassium channel activator, could protect the heart via preconditioning. Materials and Methods:This clinical trial was conducted on 162 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Quem hospital, from Jan2013 to Jan 2014,patients  divided into two groups. The first group received standard treatment plus Nicorandil (10 mg, twice daily) for three days before and after angioplasty. The second group received standard treatment after PCI. Results: Cardiac enzyme levels were significantly lower in the Nicorandil group at 6 and 12 hours after angioplasty,(p value=0.001) while no significant differences were observed in the symptoms and four-month prognosis of the study groups(p value=0.8). Conclusion:It is recommended that a randomized clinical trial be conducted for the close evaluation of the effects of Nicorandil on unstable angina patients

Comparison of the prevalence of enteroviruses in blood samples of patients with and without unstable angina

BACKGROUND: Although the role of enteroviruses has been proved in heart diseases, extensive information is not available on the association between enteroviruses and unstable angina. In the present study, the authors compared the prevalence of enteroviruses in patients with and without unstable angina. METHODS: Blood samples were taken from 51 patients with unstable angina and 55 patients without unstable angina or myocardial infarction that were admitted to Imam Reza and Ghaem hospitals (Mashhad, northeast of Iran). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using specific primers for the detection of the enteroviruses in blood samples of study subjects. RESULTS: Patients with and without unstable angina were similar in age with mean &plusmn; standard deviation of 62.6 &plusmn; 12.8 and 59.7 &plusmn; 12.7 years, respectively (P = 0.243) and there were no differences in gender in these two groups (P = 0.174). Prevalence of the enteroviruses in patients with unstable angina was higher only in 66-80 years age group compared to the control group (patients without unstable angina, P = 0.032). There was a higher prevalence of enterovirus RNA positivity in the blood samples of women with unstable angina (75.9%) than those without unstable angina (41.7%, P = 0.011), however, no significant difference was observed in men (P = 0.983). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that enteroviral RNA positivity was higher in patients with unstable angina compared to those without unstable angina. However, the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p