Challenges and Caveats for Stents of New Technology /Are all the Drug- Eluting Coronary Stents the Same?

The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) has improved the efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), by addressing the issue of neointimal proliferation, a pathology contributing to restenosis. First-generation stents eluting sirolimus or paclitaxel were joined by second-generation stents, such as the everolimus- and the zotarolimus- eluting stents promising increased safety and efficacy. As a result, there is a plethora of DES available, with differences in the stent platform, the polymer coating and the eluted drug, which translate into differences in biological markers of efficacy, such as lumen late loss. However, it remains controversial whether these discrepancies have an impact on clinical markers of safety and efficacy, or if the improved efficacy of DES is a “class effect”. This article reviews the differences between drug-eluting stents by looking into the biological differences as well as into trials and registries of drug-eluting stents

The effect of erythropoietin on ?-glutamyltransferase during ischemia reperfusion injury in rats

The aim of this experimental study was to examine the effect of erythropoietin on rat model and particularly in an ischemia reperfusion (IR) protocol. The effect of that molecule was studied biochemically using blood mean ?-glutamyltransferase (?GT) levels. Materials and methods: 40 rats of mean weight 247.7 g were used in the study. ?GT levels were measured at 60 min (groups A and C) and at 120 min (groups B and D) of reperfusion. Erythropoietin was administered only in groups C and D. Results were that Epo administration non-significantly decreased the ?GT levels by 12.70% +13.11% results of paired t-test (p= 0.3541). Reperfusion time kept non-significantly increased the ?GT levels by 6.35%+13.24% (P=0.6264). However, erythropoietin administration and reperfusion time together produced a non-significant combined effect in keeping decreased the ?GT levels by 4.62%+7.97% (P= 0.5534). Conclusions are that erythropoietin administration interacted or not with reperfusion time have non significant short term decreasing effects on ?GT levels

Akutan učinak antioksidantnog lijeka U-74389G kod srednjih razina crvenih krvnih tjelešaca za vrijeme hipoksije i ponovljene oksigenacije kod štakora

Aim: The aim of this experimental study was to examine the effect of the antioxidant drug “U-74389G”, on rat model and particularly in a hypoxia – reoxygenation protocol. The beneficial effect or non-effectiveness of that molecule was studied hematologically using blood mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) levels. Methods: 40 rats of mean weight 231.875 gr were used in the study. MCH levels were measured 60 min after reperfusion (groups A and C) and 120 min after reperfusion (groups B and D) with the administration of drug U-74389G in groups C and D. Results: The results were that U-74389G administration significantly increased the MCH levels by 2.40% ± 0.57% (p = 0.0001). Reoxygenation time non-significantly decreased the MCH levels by 0.48% ± 0.69 (p = 0.4103). However, U-74389G administration and reoxygenation time together significantly increased the MCH levels by 1.33% ± 0.36% (p = 0.0005). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that U-74389G administration either alone or interacted with reoxygenation time has significant increasing short – term effects on the pathophysiology recovery of MCH values.Cilj: Cilj ove eksperimentalne studije je ispitatiučinakantioksidantnog lijeka “U-74389G”, na model štakora, a posebno u protokolu hipoksije i ponovljene oksigenacije. Blagotvoran učinak ili neučinkovitost navedene molekule ispitani su hematološki korištenjem srednjih razina crvenih krvnih tjelešaca (MCH). Metode: U studiji je korišteno 40 štakora srednje težine od 231,875 g. MCH razine izmjerene su 60 min nakon reperfuzije (skupine A i C) i 120 min nakon reperfuzije (skupine B i D) davanjem lijeka U-74389G skupinama C i D. Rezultati: Davanje lijeka U-74389G značajno je povećalo razine MCH za 2,40% ± 0,57% (p = 0,0001). Ponovljena oksigenacija smanjila je beznačajno razine MCH za 0,48% ± 0,69 (p = 0,4103). Davanje U-74389G tijekom ponovljene oksigenacije međutim, značajno je povećalo MCH razine za 1,33% ± 0,36% (p = 0,0005). Zaključak: Rezultati ove studije pokazuju da zasebno davanje U-74389G ili u interakciji s ponovljenom oksigenacijom, značajno povećava kratkotrajne učinke na oporavak patofiziološke razine MCH

The trends of the antioxidant drug “U-74389G” on potassium levels during hypoxia reoxygenation injury in rats

Background: This experimental study examined the trends of the antioxidant drug “U-74389G”, on a rat model and particularly in a hypoxia – reoxygenation (HR) protocol. The trends of that molecule were studied biochemically using blood mean potassium levels. Methods: 40 rats of mean weight 231.875 g were used in the study. Potassium (K+) levels were measured at 60 min of reoxygenation (groups A and C) and at 120 min of reoxygenation (groups B and D) with administration of the drug U-74389G in groups C and D. Results: U-74389G administration non significantly decreased the K+ levels by 2.14%+5.06% (p= 0.6730). Reoxygenation time non-significantly increased the K+ levels by 8.66%+4.85% (p= 0.0934). However, U-74389G administration and reoxygenation time together non-significantly increased the K+ levels by 2.07%+3.03% (P= 0.4853). Conclusions: U-74389G administration, reoxygenation time and their interaction have miscellaneous non significant short – term trends on potassium levels. Perhaps, a longer study time or a higher drug dose may reveal clearer and significant effects