Persistence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with coronary artery diseases after percutaneous coronary interventions

Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is as a leading cause of death and disability all around the world. Multiple risk factors have a role in the development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD). It is necessary to control risk factors, to achieve optimal results of treatment. The aim of present study was to evaluate the persistence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with CADs after percutaneous cardiac interventions. Methods: In an analytical-descriptive study, 150 patient with CAD and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were performed for them, and referred to Cardiology Clinic of Shahid Madani Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, from September 2013 to September 2015, were studied. The persistence of coronary risk factors, 12-24 months after performing PCI, was evaluated. Results: The mean age of patients at time of PCI performing was 57.90 ± 12.26 years. 72.7% of patients were male and 27.3% were female and male to female ratio was 1 to 0.37. Dyslipidemia in 52.0% of patients, hypertension in 51.3% patients, and diabetes mellitus (DM) in 41.3% patients were the most common underlying comorbidities. In both before and after doing PCI, 26.7% were a smoker, and smoking rates after doing PCI also showed no significant change (P = 0.055), and also there were no significant changes in the physical activity of patients compared before and after performing PCI. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and DM, was the most frequent underlying diseases in patients with CAD respectively. Risk factors such as smoking, and lack of exercise, had no significant changes after performing PCI

Effect of alpha-lipoic acid on asymmetric dimethylarginine and disability in multiple sclerosis patients: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Oxidative stress plays a major role in the onset and progression of MS. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) formation is dependent on oxidative stress status. Objective: We examined whether alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) as a potent antioxidant could improve the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and decrease plasma level of ADMA in multiple sclerosis patients. Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial conducted at Sina Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from September 2009 to July 2011, 24 patients with relapsing-remitting MS were divided into a treatment group receiving ALA (1200mg/day) for 12 weeks and a control group receiving placebo. Then patients’ EDSS and Plasma levels of ADMA were measured at baseline and 12 weeks later. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS software version 16 using the K-S test, Chi square, Mann–Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon test. Results: The plasma levels of ADMA in the intervention group were decreased significantly (p=0.04). Also, no patient had increased EDSS score in the supplement group, where 2 out of 12 patients in the placebo group experienced so. Comparing the serum level of ADMA between the two groups failed to show any significant change in the supplement group compared with the control group. Conclusion: Considering that ADMA is produced by oxidative stress in MS patients and leads to increase of inflammation, ALA may have the potential of beneficial effects in them, in part, by decreasing the plasma level of ADMA and stopping progression. Trial registration: The trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.irct.ir) with the Irct ID: No. IRCT138812222602N2. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this articl