The Canadian journal of cardiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Prednisone in Uric Acid lowering in Symptomatic Heart Failure Patients With Hyperuricemia (PUSH-PATH) study.
Chronic drug interactions that exist between symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF) therapy and pharmacologic agents used for hyperuricemia and gout are a challenging problem in clinical practice. Recent observational studies showed that prednisone can induce a potent diuresis and lower serum uric acid concentration (SUA) in CHF. We therefore designed a randomized study to compare the effect of prednisone with allopurinol on SUA in symptomatic CHF patients with hyperuricemia. ⋯ The study showed that the SUA-lowering effect of prednisone and allopurinol is similar in symptomatic CHF patients. Prednisone might be useful for short-term SUA-lowering in CHF patients with hyperuricemia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Remote ischemic preconditioning reduces myocardial injury in patients undergoing coronary stent implantation.
Myocardial necrosis occurs frequently in elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and is associated with subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). This study assessed the protective effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) in patients undergoing successful drug-eluting stent implantation with normal baseline troponin values. ⋯ RIPC reduced post-PCI TnI release and incidence of MI 4a in patients undergoing elective coronary stent implantation.
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Pocket hematoma is a troublesome complication associated with the implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). This study aims to determinate the risk factors of pocket hematoma complications in relation to different antithrombotic strategies and severity of thrombocytopenia in Chinese patients. ⋯ The use of dual antiplatelet agents, heparin bridging strategy, and the presence of moderate to severe thrombocytopenia significantly increased the risk of pocket hematoma complications in the periprocedural period of CIED implant. Aspirin or clopidogrel alone did not increase the risk of pocket hematoma complications.
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Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in the first 6 months after birth in the industrialized world. The genetic contribution to SIDS has been investigated intensively and to date, 14 cardiac channelopathy genes have been associated with SIDS. Newly published data from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grand Opportunity (NHLBI GO) Exome Sequencing Project (ESP) provided important knowledge on genetic variation in the background population. Our aim was to identify all variants previously associated with SIDS in ESP to improve the discrimination between plausible disease-causing mutations and variants most likely to be false-positive. ⋯ A very high prevalence of previously SIDS-associated variants was identified in exome data from population studies. Our findings indicate that the suggested disease-causing role of some of these variants is questionable. A cautious interpretation of these variants must be made when found in SIDS victims.
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Cardiometabolic risk is a growing concern in Western society in which rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity are on the rise. Aboriginal populations currently experience unequal burdens of these chronic conditions. However, limited information regarding the experience of cardiometabolic risk among Métis populations is available. ⋯ Though the burden of chronic conditions, sociodemographic, lifestyle challenges, and social determinants of health among Métis populations are generally less than that of First Nations populations, Métis people experience these health challenges and influencing factors are generally more similar to that of First Nations than non-Aboriginal peoples. Subsequently, Métis populations need to be included in plans and strategies to reduce chronic conditions among Aboriginal populations. In conclusion, Métis populations experience greater burden of cardiometabolic risk and its components than the general Canadian population.