Abstract: Arterial stiffness is an important determinant of cardiovascular risk. It is associated with several cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes and cigarette smoking. However, there are conflicting data about the relationship between arterial stiffness and hypercholesterolemia. Furthermore, augmentation index (AIx), a measure of systemic arterial stiffness, has not been previously investigated in hypercholesterolemic (HCh) children. Aim of our study was to evaluate local and systemic arterial stiffness as well as carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in HCh children and also to investigate the relation between serum cholesterol levels and arterial stiffness.
Abstract: 1. Recently, we demonstrated that biglycan (BGN) is increased in circulating monocyte cells from hypertensive patients and that angiotensin (Ang) II is able to increase BGN expression. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of treatment with the angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonist losartan on monocyte BGN mRNA and protein expression in essential hypertension. 2. One hundred and twenty-six newly diagnosed hypertensive patients without additional risk factors for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease were treated with 100 mg losartan once daily for 6 months. Biglycan mRNA and protein expression was determined in monocytes isolated from peripheral blood before (T(0)) and after (T(1)) therapy. Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were also determined. In addition, BGN mRNA and protein expression was determined after the ex vivo addition of 1 micromol/L AngII to monocytes isolated from 20 randomly selected hypertensive patients. 3. Biglycan mRNA and protein expression, blood pressure and plasma levels of fibrinogen, IL-6, TNF-alpha and CRP were significantly lower at T(1) than at T(0). Variations in BGN expression were associated with inflammatory markers, but not directly with blood pressure. In AngII-stimulated monocytes, BGN mRNA and protein expression was significantly lower at T(1) that at T(0). Moreover, mean BGN mRNA expression in AngII-stimulated monocytes isolated from losartan-treated patients was similar to baseline expression in unstimulated monocytes from untreated patients. 4. The results of the present study show that losartan can reduce BGN expression in monocytes from hypertensive patients, without any linear association with blood pressure, suggesting that the effects of AngII on BGN expression in monocytes may be modulated, in part, by an AT(1) receptor blocker.
Abstract: Cigarette smoking is involved in vascular inflammation and impairment of circulating progenitor cells (CPCs), including endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). The study aim was to evaluate the redox balance of these cells in relation to smoking exposure.
Abstract: Anomalous coronary arteries occur in less than 2% of the general population. Most coronary anomalies are clinically asymptomatic. However some of them may present with chest pain, syncope, heart failure and sudden death. Acute myocardial infarction has been also described. Extravascular coronary compression results in dynamic obstruction which can cause effort angina as well as syncope and anomalous coronary arteries with an inter-arterial course are associated with sudden cardiac death. Anomalous origin of the circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva is thought to be of little clinical significance without the presence of severe narrowing of the vessel. Adequate visualization of the anomaly is essential for proper patient management. It has reported the full capability and accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography in the identification and evaluation of the ectopic origin of the left circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva, displaying accurately the origin, size, course, and relationship of the anomalous vessel with respect to surrounding structures. We report a case of chance finding at multislice computed tomography coronary angiography of an ectopic origin of the left circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva. Also this case focuses attention on the anomalous origin of the circumflex coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva and confirms the full capability and accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography in its adequate visualization.
Abstract: Biglycan (BGN), an extracellular matrix proteoglycan, has been shown to convey pro-inflammatory signals. In the present study we investigated BGN expression and its correlation with plasma levels of inflammatory markers in hypertensive subjects with or without alteration of carotid intima media thickness (IMT).
Abstract: It has been proposed that ischemic coronary disease (ICD) associated potassium loss could be due to modifications of potassium permeability. We investigated whether a positive family history of ICD can influence this parameter. We have compared potassium permeability in erythrocytes from ICD patients and from positive family history subjects (FICD) with control subjects.
Abstract: To assess the effects of picotamide, an antithromboxane receptor and antithromboxane synthase drug, on vascular function and endothelin-1 release, 20 patients with peripheral arterial disease, without hypertension or diabetes mellitus, receiving placebo and picotamide (900 mg/day) were studied. The modifications of vascular parameters were evaluated by arterial distensibility index and postischemic hyperemia test (postischemic perfusion index and recovery time). Endothelin-1, prostacycline, and thromboxane B2 were determined under resting conditions and after treadmill test. Picotamide treatment caused a decrease of resting thromboxane B2 and endothelin-1 concentrations, produced an improvement of the vascular function as seen by the increase of vascular parameters reported, and attenuated the ischemic treadmill-induced increase of thromboxane B2, but not of endothelin-1. These data confirm that the picotamide improved vascular flow by the reduction of thromboxane-mediated effects, reduced resting endothelin-1 levels, but did not attenuate endothelin-1 concentrations induced by the treadmill stress.
Abstract: It has been studied whether an adrenergic stimulation induced by the cold pressor test (CPT) could influence the behaviour of the transmembrane transport systems of sodium in hypertensive subjects compared to a normotensive control population.
Abstract: The possible interrelationships between the erythrocytic transport systems of Na+ (Na+/K+ pump, Na+/K+ cotransport, Na+/Li+ countertransport, Na+ passive permeability) and the plasmatic lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, apoprotein A1, apoprotein B) were studied in 42 normotensive subjects with different forms of hyperlipoproteinaemia and with a negative familiarity for arterial hypertension. In subjects with hypercholesterolaemia (hyperlipoproteinaemia II A and II B) an elevated activity of the Na+/K+ pump was noticed, while in subjects with hypertriglyceridaemia (type IV) an increase in Na+ passive permeability and Na+/Li+ countertransport with a lower level of intraerythrocytic Na+ was shown. A negative correlation was observed between the total efflux of Na+ and Na+/K+ pump and the levels of cholesterol (r = -0.43, p < 0.04 and r = -0.41, p < 0.05) and the apoprotein B/A ratio (r = 0.42, p < 0.05 and r = -0.50, p < 0.01). A negative correlation was also noticed between the Na+/K+ pump and the levels of apoprotein B (r = -0.41, p < 0.05). The Na+/K+ cotransport appeared inversely correlated with the levels of HDL cholesterol (r = -0.42, p < 0.05), while the Na+ passive permeability was negatively correlated with the levels of LDL (r = -0.43, p < 0.04) and positively correlated with the plasmatic triglycerides (r = +0.54, p < 0.01). Such data show that the plasmatic lipids can influence the systems of transmembrane ionic transport of Na+ and play an important role also this way, in cardiovascular pathology.
