辛伐他汀对兔粥样硬化髂动脉P-选择素、细胞间粘附分子-1表达的影响

目的研究辛伐他汀对兔粥样硬化髂动脉组织P-选择素(P-selectin )、细胞间粘附分子-1(ICAM-1)表达的影响. 方法 30只雄性新西兰大白兔,分别予普通饲料喂养(正常对照组8只)及高脂饲料喂养(基础对照组10只,辛伐他汀组12只).正常对照组喂养6周后处死.高脂饲料喂养2周后行髂动脉内膜球囊损伤术;术后辛伐他汀组每只予辛伐他汀15 mg/d;分组喂养4周后处死所有动物,取一侧病变髂动脉做病理切片;取另一侧抽提总RNA和总蛋白,分别应用免疫组化方法、半定量逆转录多聚酶链式反应和Western蛋白印迹测定P-选择素和ICAM-1 mRNA和蛋白质水平的表达. 结果辛伐他汀可以显著降低兔血浆总胆固醇,正常对照组、基础对照组和辛伐他汀组动脉壁P-选择素 mRNA/β-actin mRNA的相对值分别为0.12±0.04、0.51±0.06、0.27±0.06,相互间差异有显著性(P<0.05);ICAM-1 mRNA/3-磷酸甘油脱氢酶(GAPDH) mRNA比值分别为0.25±0.08、0.91±0.10、0.47±0.09,相互间差异有显著性(P<0.05);P-选择素为6.41±1.64、14.38±2.56、9.47±1.69, 相互间差异有显著性(P<0.05);ICAM-1为4.71±1.64、14.03±2.05、6.78±1.39, 相互间差异有显著性(P<0.05);免疫组化结果与之相一致. 结论辛伐他汀可以显著降低兔粥样硬化髂动脉组织P-选择素和ICAM-1的表达.     

Imaging of carotid artery disease: from luminology to function?

There have been tremendous advances in our ability to image atheromatous disease, particularly in the carotid artery, which is accessible and large enough to image. The repertoire of methodology available is growing, giving anatomical information on luminal narrowing which is approaching the level at which conventional carotid angiography will become very uncommon as CT and contrast-enhanced MR angiographic techniques become the norm. More exciting is the tentative ability to perform functional plaque imaging addressing enhancement patterns and macrophage activity using MR or positron-emission tomography techniques. These techniques, once rigorously evaluated, may, in addition to complex mathematical modelling of plaque, eventually allow us to assess true plaque risk. Time will best judge whether we will be able to move from the use of simple luminology to assessment of plaque function.An addendum to this article can be found at     

TIMMA : échelle échographique de la surcharge athéromateuse en carotide pratiquée par des neurologues vasculaires

BackgroundCarotid atherosclerosis is a powerful predictive factor of vascular risk at the individual patient level. Ultrasonography is a reference technique for the evaluation of this condition. However, its use in common practice remains difficult due to a lack of standardization and inter-operator variability. We present a new and simple technique for the assessment of carotid atherosclerosis; and evaluate the ability of vascular neurologists to obtain results consistent with those of an expert in vascular ultrasound.Material and methodsThe TIMMA scale is an acronym for the five classes of carotid atherosclerosis in French, VIMMA in English: very important, important, moderate, minimal and absent. Combined, the first two classes make up the group “significant atheroma” and the last three classes make up the group “no significant atheroma”. This scale was evaluated in 38 patients (76 carotid arteries) suffering from ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack by five operators who are competent in carotid echocardiography: one TIMMA-trained (40 hours of training) vascular neurologist physician (VNP), three VNPs informed on the measurement method (1 hour of information) and one specialized vascular physician (SVP) who was considered to be the reference examiner. We evaluated the concordance between the VNPs and the SVP in classifying patients, firstly into the significant or not atheroma group and, secondly, into the five TIMMA classes.ResultsThe evaluation of the two-group clustering scale found a concordance between the informed VNPs and the SVP on 76 carotid arteries of 86% (kappa = 0.7) and between the trained VNP and the SVP on 58 carotid arteries of 90% (kappa = 0.8). The positive and negative predictive values for significant atheroma diagnosis were 100% and 81%, respectively, for the informed VNPs, and 100% and 80% for the trained VNP. The evaluation of the Five-Class Scale showed a concordance between the informed VNPs and the SVP of 46% (kappa = 0.3), and between the trained VNP and the SVP of 74% (kappa = 0.7).ConclusionTIMMA allows VNPs who are competent in carotid ultrasonography to reproducibly identify subjects with significant carotid atheroma. The contribution of this scale to the determination of cardiovascular risk should be evaluated.     

Stretched nanosecond pulses of a Q-switched Nd-YAG laser: Transmission through optical fibres and in vitro effects on human calcified tissues

Using a new Q-switched Nd-YAG laser prototype (1064 nm), every initial pulse (15 ns or 33 ns duration, 10 Hz repetition rate, 2×E energy, Pmax power) was transformed into two successive pulses (each one with 15 or 33 ns duration, 1×E energy) delayed by 27 ns. With a 15 ns initial pulse, the two 15 ns components (each one with Pmax/2) were well separated and called a 15 ns double pulse. When the duration of the initial pulse was stretched to 33 ns, the overlapping of the two 33ns components (each with Pmax/4) produced only one pulse trapezoidally shaped, of 60 ns duration and called 60 bi-pulse. With double pulses, it was possible to transmit 100 mJ through a silica-silica optical fibre of 400 μm diameter, whereas 155 mJ were transmitted with bi-pulses. Human calcified atheromatous tissues were irradiated with bi-pulses through a 200 μm diameter optical fibre. Craters (0.6–0.7 mm in diameter) were easily obtained in atheromatous aortic segment with 40 mJ energy per bi-pulse. No trace of carbonization was noticed. Fragmentation of urinary and biliary calculi was also obtained.     

Prévalence de l’atteinte artérielle macrovasculaire des 4 membres dans la sclérodermie systémique : à propos de 14 patients

Introduction

Trophic disorders of the extremities are a common complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc), mainly related to microvascular damage. However, SSc seems to be a risk factor for premature athero-thrombotic disease that can affect the peripheral arteries, participate in the occurrence of trophic disorders and promote the occurrence of infectious complications. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of arterial disease of the limbs in SSc patients.

Human immunodeficiency virus,atherosclerosis and Chlamydophila pneumoniae

Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) is an obligate, intracellular bacterium associated with a wide variety of acute and chronic diseases. C. pneumoniae infection is characterized by persistence and immunopathological damage to host target tissues, including the lung. Over the past 20 years, a variety of studies have investigated a possible link between C. pneumoniae infection and atherosclerosis, because of its role in all stages of atherosclerosis, from initial inflammatory lesions to plaque rupture. In the current highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, many human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients are experiencing health problems that accompany the aging process, mainly the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is renewed interest in a link between atherosclerotic CVD and as yet poorly defined environmental exposures, including infectious agents. On the one hand, the patient with HIV and lipodystrophy caused by HAART and exacerbated by C. pneumoniae infection could be a factor of risk for atherosclerosis. An assessment of the therapy against C. pneumoniae and HAART should always be conducted. It is advisable that HIV-acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients undergo a serological test to determine exposure to C. pneumoniae and to assess treatment options. On the other hand, in patients with a positive serology to C. pneumoniae, an increment of the body mass index has been found; therefore, it is probable that the recurrent infection may play an important role in creating adverse endothelial conditions allowing the infection by C. pneumoniae in its chronic form, to damage the endothelial surface. Vascular studies would be necessary for corroboration.     

Electromagnetic Field Focusing (EFF) probe for intravascular endarterectomy. Preliminary feasibility study

Summary Vaporization of atheromas in 10 human aorta segments immersed under flowing blood in vitro were done using the EFF probe. No increase in packed cells of the flowing blood following atheroma vaporization were noted suggesting absence of post vaporization debris. No damage to the aorta underlying the vaporized atheroma was noted on light microscopy suggesting well localized vaporization process. This study suggests that EFF probe might be a safe tool for intravascular endarterectomy.     

Differential expression of PHACTR1 in atheromatous versus normal carotid artery tissue

Variation in the phosphatase and actin regulator-1 (PHACTR1) gene, a downstream regulator of the endothelin-1 (EDN1) gene, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several related vascular phenotypes including atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, non-atherosclerotic coronary artery dissection, and carotid artery dissection, though it has not been studied in carotid atherosclerosis. We analyzed differential expression of PHACTR1 and EDN1 between atheromatous and non-atheromatous carotid artery tissue within the same individual and found lower levels of PHACTR1 expression in the atheromatous carotid tissue.