Circulation. Heart failure
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Intracoronary administration of bone marrow-derived progenitor cells (BMC) was shown to improve coronary microvascular function in ischemic heart disease. Because coronary microvascular dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis and prognosis of nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), we investigated the effects of intracoronary BMC administration in patients with DCM. ⋯ Intracoronary administration of BMC seems to be associated with improvements in cardiac contractile and microvascular function in patients with DCM. Thus, randomized blinded studies are warranted to evaluate potential clinical benefits of intracoronary BMC administration in patients with DCM.
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Multicenter Study
Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) and risk of congestive heart failure in older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study.
Inflammation may be a causative factor in congestive heart failure (CHF). Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) is an inflammation marker associated with vascular risk. One previous study showed an association of Lp-PLA(2) activity with CHF risk, but there were only 94 CHF cases and Lp-PLA(2) antigen, which is available clinically in the United States, was not measured. ⋯ Lp-PLA(2) antigen was associated with risk of future CHF in older people, independent of CHF and coronary risk factors, and partly mediated by coronary disease events. Further clinical and basic research is needed to better understand the role of Lp-PLA(2) in CHF.
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Single-institution series have suggested that men receiving orthotopic heart transplantation from female donors have decreased survival. No multi-institutional series has comprehensively addressed the issue of donor and recipient sex matching for both male and female orthotopic heart transplantation recipients. ⋯ The United Network for Organ Sharing data set has provided a large sample examining donor recipient sex pairing in orthotopic heart transplantation. Men receiving organs for same sex donors have significantly improved short- and long-term survival. No survival advantage was seen for women with same sex donors.