Outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with heart failure with a midrange ejection fraction

BackgroundCoronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) improves survival in patients with heart failure and severely reduced left ventricular systolic function (LVEF). Limited data exist regarding adverse cardiovascular event rates after CABG in patients with heart failure with midrange ejection fraction (HFmrEF; LVEF > 40% and < 55%).MethodsWe analyzed data on isolated CABG patients from the Veterans Affairs national database (2010-2019). We stratified patients into control (normal LVEF and no heart failure), HFmrEF, and heart failure with reduced LVEF (HFrEF) groups. We compared all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization rates between groups with a Cox model and recurrent events analysis, respectively.ResultsIn 6533 veterans, HFmrEF and HFrEF was present in 1715 (26.3%) and 566 (8.6%) respectively; the control group had 4252 (65.1%) patients. HFrEF patients were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (59%), insulin therapy (36%), and previous myocardial infarction (31%). Anemia was more prevalent in patients with HFrEF (49%) as was a lower serum albumin (mean, 3.6 mg/dL). Compared with the control group, a higher risk of death was observed in the HFmrEF (hazard ratio [HR], 1.3 [1.2-1.5)] and HFrEF (HR, 1.5 [1.2-1.7]) groups. HFmrEF patients had the higher risk of myocardial infarction (subdistribution HR, 1.2 [1-1.6]; P = .04). Risk of heart failure hospitalization was higher in patients with HFmrEF (HR, 4.1 [3.5-4.7]) and patients with HFrEF (HR, 7.2 [6.2-8.5]).ConclusionsHeart failure with midrange ejection fraction negatively affects survival after CABG. These patients also experience higher rates myocardial infarction and heart failure hospitalization.     

平肝定眩汤治疗肝阳上亢型后循环缺血性眩晕60例临床观察

目的:观察平肝定眩汤对肝阳上亢型后循环缺血性眩晕的疗效。方法:选取2017年6月-2018年10月烟台业达医院收治的后循环缺血性眩晕的患者120例,按随机数字表法分为治疗组和对照组。治疗组和对照组各60例,两组一般的资料经统计学方法,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),具有可比性。两组均给予改善循环,控制血压、血糖,调节血脂,抗血小板聚集等基础治疗。治疗组给予平肝定眩汤,对照组给予平眩胶囊。两组疗程均为4周,观察两组患者治疗前后总体症状,脑血流速度、血脂、血糖等指标改善情况。采用SPSS 11.0统计学软件进行计算。结果:治疗组总有效率91.7%(55/60),对照组总有效率61.6%(37/60),两组疗效比较有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组三酰甘油(Triglyceride,TG)、血清总胆固醇(Serum Total Cholesterol,TC)、HDL-C、LDL-C治疗后显著改善,与治疗前比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);对照组TG及TC治疗前后差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(High Density Liptein Cholesterol,HDL-C)及低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(Low Density Liptein Cholesterol,LDL-C)治疗前后比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。两组治疗后TC比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组治疗后空腹血糖(Fasting Plasma Glucose,GLU)明显降低(P<0.05),两组间的治疗后比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。治疗组治疗后椎动脉(Vertebral Artery,VA)、基底动脉(Basilarartery,BA)平均血流速度(Mean Blood Flow Velocity,VM)明显提高,与对照组治疗后相比较,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:平肝定眩汤治疗后循环缺血性眩晕在改善患者症状、降低血液黏稠度,改善脑血流状况方面疗效显著。     

Japanese Versus Non-Japanese Patients with Transient Ischemic Attack or Minor Stroke: Subanalysis of TIA registry.org

BackgroundTIAregistry.org is an international cohort of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke within 7 days before enrollment in the registry. Main analyses of 1-year follow-up data have been reported.⁵ We conducted subanalysis on the baseline and 1-year follow-up data of Japanese patients.MethodsThe patients were classified into 2 groups based on Japanese ethnicity, Japanese (345) and non-Japanese (3238), and their baseline data and 1-year event rates were compared. We also determined risk factors and predictors of 1-year stroke.ResultsCurrent smoking, regular alcohol drinking, intracranial arterial stenosis, and small vessel occlusion; and hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, and extracranial arterial stenosis were more and less common among Japanese patients, respectively. Stroke risk was higher and TIA risk was lower at 1-year follow-up among Japanese patients. The baseline risk factors for recurrent stroke were diabetes, alcohol drinking, and large artery atherosclerosis. Independent predictors of 1-year stroke risk were prior congestive heart failure and alcohol consumption.ConclusionsThe two populations of patients featured differences in risk factors, stroke subtypes, and outcome events. Predictors of recurrent stroke among Japanese patients included congestive heart failure and regular alcohol drinking. Strategies to attenuate residual risk of stroke aside from adherence to current guidelines should take our Japanese-patient specific findings into account.     

缺血修饰性白蛋白在急性缺血性胸痛中的诊断价值

目的 评价缺血修饰性白蛋白（ischemia modified albumin，IMA）对急性缺血性胸痛（ICP）的早期诊断价值。方法 时206例发病〈12h、表现为急性胸痛的患者立即行12导联心电图（ECG）检查，并抽血进行IMA、肌钙蛋白I（cTnI）、肌酸激酶同工酶MB（CK-MB）测定。将ECG、IMA、cTnI、CK-MB的结果单独或结合与最终诊断为非缺血性胸痛（NICP）及ICP的相互关系进行比较。结果 最后诊断为ICP98例，NICP108例，ICP发病〈3h和3-6h组IMA水平明显升高，与NICP组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．001）；ICP发病〉6h组IMA水平与NICP组比较差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。IMA诊断发病〈3hICP的敏感性和阴性预测值（NPV）为89．1％和88．8％，明显高于ECG、cTnI和CK-MB，四者结合为97．6％和96．9％；IMA诊断发病3～6hICP的敏感性和NPV为71．7％和74．5％，也高于ECG、cTnI、CK-MB，四者结合为95．5％和94．2％；但IMA对于发病〉6h的ICP则无诊断作用。结论 IMA是诊断ICP的早期敏感生化指标，对于发病〈6h（尤其是〈3h）的ICP诊断具有较高的敏感性和NPV，优于ECG、CK-MB、cTnI；将IMA与其他指标结合，可进一步提高对ICP的诊断价值。     

Costimulation and Autoimmune Diabetes in BB Rats

Costimulatory signals regulate T-cell activation. To investigate the role of costimulation in autoimmunity and transplantation, we studied the BB rat model of type 1 diabetes. Diabetes-prone BB (BBDP) rats spontaneously develop disease when 55–120 days of age. We observed that two anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) with different functional activities completely prevented diabetes in BBDP rats. Anti-CD154 mAb delayed diabetes, whereas treatment with CTLA4-Ig or anti-CD80 mAb accelerated disease. Anti-CD86 or anti-CD134L mAbs had no effect. Diabetes resistant BB (BBDR) rats are disease-free, but >95% of them develop diabetes after treatment with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid and an mAb that depletes Treg cells. In the induced BBDR model, anti-CD154 mAb delayed onset of diabetes, whereas CTLA4-Ig, anti-CD134L or either of the anti-CD28 mAbs had little or no effect. In contrast, blockade of the CD134-CD134L pathway was highly effective for preventing autoimmune recurrence against syngeneic islet grafts in diabetic BBDR hosts. Blockade of the CD40-CD154 pathway was also effective, but less so. These data suggest that the effectiveness of costimulation blockade in the treatment of type 1 diabetes is dependent on both the costimulatory pathway targeted and the mechanism of induction, stage, intensity and duration of the pathogenic process.     

Humoral and Cellular Responses to Influenza Vaccination in Human Recipients Naturally Tolerant to a Kidney Allograft

Rare kidney allograft recipients enjoy unaltered graft function years after interruption of their immunosuppressive treatment. To assess the extent to which this state of 'operational tolerance' (TOL) is specific to the graft and not the result of a global immunodeficiency, we analyzed the response of such patients following influenza vaccination. Hemagglutination inhibition titers and frequency of IFNgamma-secreting T cells were measured before 1 and 3 months after vaccination. The proportion of healthy volunteers (HV) responding to vaccine was significantly higher than that of immunosuppressed (IS) patients. Three 'TOL' patients presented a humoral response similar to that of HV, whereas the two others had a poor response, like the IS recipients. Although the small number of patients does not allow for definitive conclusions to be made, these data suggest that the status of tolerance may be heterogeneous, with some patients with a global immunodeficiency and others with an adapted response to vaccination.     

Gamma-hydroxybutyric Acid Tolerance and Withdrawal in a Rat Model

Long-term daily use of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and related compounds has recently been associated with a withdrawal syndrome. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are currently no animal models of GHB withdrawal. OBJECTIVES: The authors studied and described the effect of chronic dosing of GHB (3-6 days) on tolerance and withdrawal in a rat model. METHODS: Rats were administered GHB every three hours via intraperitoneal catheter. Groups of rats (2 per group) were dosed with GHB for either 3 (24 doses), 4 (32 doses), 5 (40 doses), or 6 (48 doses) days. The GHB dose was 0.25 g/kg for doses 1-8, 0.75 g/kg for doses 9-12, 1 g/kg for doses 13-16, 1.25 g/kg for doses 17-24, 1.5 g/kg for doses 25-32, 1.75 g/kg for doses 33-40, and 2 g/kg for doses 41-48. Following the last dose of GHB, the rats were scored using a 16-point ethanol intoxication-withdrawal scale rating spontaneous behaviors, response to handling, grooming, and neurological signs. Lower scores indicate intoxication, while higher scores indicate withdrawal. Scores were recorded at hours 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, and 24. RESULTS: Tolerance: Rats dosed with GHB for more days were less intoxicated one hour after their last GHB dose despite receiving higher doses. WITHDRAWAL: The scores for all rats dosed with GHB increased at hours 4 (p = 0.028), 5 (p = 0.037), 6 (p = 0.007), and 9 (p = 0.024) after the last dose, indicating withdrawal. The scores demonstrated a linear increase dependent upon the number of days of GHB dosing at hours 3 (p < 0.000), 4 (p = 0.004), 5 (p = 0.002), and 12 (p = 0.039) as well as prior to the last dose at hour 0 (p = 0.000). No rats developed seizures. CONCLUSIONS: Tolerance and mild withdrawal in rats can be induced by administering intraperitoneal GHB every three hours for 3-6 days. More prolonged dosing and higher doses of GHB may be necessary to induce severe withdrawal.     

超选择性动脉溶栓治疗急性缺血性脑卒中临床研究

目的评价超选择性动脉溶栓治疗急性缺血性脑卒中的疗效和安全性。方法选择2003年1月至2005年5月于本院进行超选择性动脉溶栓同时采用卒中登记方法收集的58例急性缺血性脑卒中患者,随访6个月,观察患者的预后。结果58例患者中并发脑出血6例(10．3%),其中症状性脑出血2例(3．4%)。1个月末、3个月末和6个月末分别死亡2例(3．4%)、4例(6．8%)和5例(9．3%)。3个月末和6个月未残疾或死亡例数分别为13例(22．4%)和9例(16．7%)。结论对选择的急性缺血性脑卒中患者进行超选择性动脉溶栓是有效和安全的。     

Stimulatory and inhibitory epitopes in the T cell responses of mice to Der p 1

BACKGROUND: The responses of mice to the mite allergen Der p 1 have been used to study the mechanisms of allergic sensitization and the development of new types of immunotherapy. Many of the studies require a knowledge of the T cell epitopes, and because Der p 1 is polymorphic, the effect of natural amino acid substitution in the allergen. The intranasal administration of peptides containing T cell epitopes can induce a mucosal tolerance but it is not known if the major activity is limited to stimulatory peptides and if, as found for autoimmunity, some epitopes are not inhibitory. OBJECTIVE: To determine and compare the sequences of Der p 1 which contain stimulatory epitopes for the high responding H-2(b) and H-2(q) mice and the sequences which induce tolerance by intranasal administration of peptides. METHODS: T cell responses of mice immunized with Der p 1 were measured by in vitro T cell stimulation assays so an extensive study of epitope recognition and intranasal tolerance could be made. Synthetic peptides were used to examine the stimulatory and inhibitory ability of all Der p 1 sequences and to map the major H-2(b) epitope in detail. This included the effect of the common polymorphic amino acid 124 substitution found within this epitope. RESULTS: Three and two regions, respectively, were found to contain stimulatory T cell epitopes for H-2(b) and H-2(q) mice. The peptides in these regions were also the most active at inducing intranasal tolerance for the responding haplotype. The correspondence between inhibitory and stimulatory peptides was maintained for the fine mapping of the major H-2(b) epitope. This was found about a core region of 118-126 which was overlapping but separate to a consensus sequence for the binding of endogeneous peptides. Peptides with alanine at the naturally polymorphic residue 124 stimulated and inhibited responses to Der p 1 more effectively, while peptides with the valine 124 variant were immunogenic but poorly cross-reactive. CONCLUSIONS: The intranasal administration of peptides representing each of five epitopes recognized by two strains of mice were able to induce mucosal tolerance and the major tolerizing activity was limited to these epitopes. The position of the core major epitope for C57 mice, which differs from a previously predicted epitope, and its specificity for the natural alanine 124 variant is described.