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

The effect of erythropoietin on chloride levels during hypoxia reoxygenation injury in rats

Objective. This experimental study examined the effect of erythropoietin (Epo) in a rat model and particularly in a hypoxiareoxygenation (HR) protocol. The effect of that molecule was studied biochemically using blood mean chloride (Cl) levels. Materials and methods. 40 rats of mean weight 247.7 g were used in the study. Cl levels were measured at 60 min (groups A and C) and at 120 min (groups B and D) of reoxygenation. Erythropoietin was administered only in groups C and D. Results. Epo administration non-significantly decreased Cl levels by 1.07%+0.91% (p=0.2635). Reoxygenation time nonsignificantly decreased Cl levels by 0.68%+0.92% (P= 0.4457). However, erythropoietin administration and reoxygenation time together produced a non-significant combined effect in decreasing Cl levels by 0.74%+0.54% (P= 0.1701). Conclusions. Epo administration, reoxygenation time and their interaction have non-significant, short-term, decreasing effects on Cl levels

The effect of erythropoietin on endosalpingeal karyorrhexis during ischemia reperfusion injury in rats

Introduction. The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of the antioxidant drug “U-74389G” on rat model, particularly in ischemia reperfusion protocol. The beneficial or other effects of that molecule were studied estimating the mean endosalpingeal karyorrhexis (EK) lesions. Material and methods. 40 rats were used of mean weight 247.7 g. EK was evaluated 60 min after reperfusion for groups A and C and 120 min after reperfusion for groups B and D. Groups A and B without the drug but C and D with erythropoietin administration. Results. Results were that erythropoietin administration kept non-significantly increased the EK scores by 0.1 (–0.0393284–0.2393284) (p = 0.1544). This finding was in accordance with the results of Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p = 0.1573). Reperfusion time non-significantly decreased the EK scores by 0.1 (–0.2393284–0.0393284) (p = 0.1544), approximately in accordance with the increased EK score by 0.1 (–0.2440518–0.0440518) of Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p = 0.1573). However, Epo administration and reperfusion time together kept non-significantly increased the EK scores by 0.0181818 (–0.0679319–0.1042955) (p = 0.6715). Conclusions. Results of this study indicate that Epo administration kept non-significantly increased the EK scores. Perhaps, a longer study time than 2 hours may provide more significant effects.Due to impossible pasting, you are kindly asked to find the abstract in main documen

Abdominal shotgun trauma: A case report

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Consumption of fruits and vegetables in relation to the risk of developing acute coronary syndromes; the CARDIO2000 case-control study

BACKGROUND: The relation between diet and human health has long been investigated. The aim of this work is to evaluate the association between CHD risk and the consumption of fruit and vegetable, in a large sample of cardiac patients and controls. METHODS: Stratified sampling from all Greek regions, consisted of 848 (700 males, 58 ± 10 years old and 148 females, 65 ± 9 years old) randomly selected patients, admitted to the cardiology clinic for a first event of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In addition we selected 1078 frequency paired, by sex-age-region, controls in the same hospitals but without any clinical suspicion of CHD. Using validated food-frequency questionnaires we assessed total diet, including fruit and vegetable intake, on a weekly basis. Multiple logistic regression analysis estimated the relative risk of developing ACS by level of fruits and vegetables intake after taking into account the effect of several potential confounders. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed that the benefit of fruit or vegetable consumption increases proportionally by the number of servings consumed (P for trend < 0.001). After adjusting for the conventional cardiovascular risk factors, those in the upper quintile of fruit consumption (5 or more items/day) had 72% lower risk for CHD (odds ratio = 0.28, 95% CI 0.11 – 0.54, P < 0.001), compared with those in the lowest quintile of intake (<1 items/day). Similarly, consumption of vegetable more than 3 days / week was associated with 70% lower risk for CHD (odds ratio = 0.30, 95% CI 0.22 – 0.40, P < 0.001), compared with those that they did not consume vegetables. Of particular interest, a 10% reduction in coronary risk was observed for every one piece of fruit consumed per day (odds ratio = 0.90, 95% CI 0.85 – 0.97, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of fruits and vegetables seems to offer significant protection against CHD

Paraganglioma of the greater omentum: Case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Extra-adrenal, intra-abdominal paraganglioma constitutes a rare neoplasm and, moreover, its location in the greater omentum is extremely infrequent.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 46-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history presented with an asymptomatic greater omentum mass that was discovered incidentally during ultrasonographic evaluation due to menstrual disturbances. Clinical examination revealed a mobile, non-tender, well-circumscribed mass in the right upper and lower abdominal quadrant. Blood tests were normal. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed a huge (15 × 15 cm), well-demarcated, solid and cystic, heterogeneously enhanced mass between the right liver lobe and right kidney. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a large mass in the greater omentum. The tumor was completely excised along with the greater omentum. Histopathology offered the diagnosis of benign greater omentum paraganglioma. After an uneventful postoperative course, the patient was discharged on the 4^thpostoperative day. She remains free of disease for 2 years as appears on repeated CT scans as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and scintigraphy performed with radiotracer-labeled metaiodobenzyl-guanidine (MIBG) scans.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the second reported case of greater omentum paraganglioma. Clinical and imaging data of patients with extra-adrenal, intra-abdominal paragangliomas are variable while many of them may be asymptomatic even when the lesion is quite large. Thorough histopathologic evaluation is imperative for diagnosis and radical excision is the treatment of choice. Since there are no definite microscopic criteria for the distinction between benign and malignant tumors, prolonged follow-up is necessary.</p