Hypertension research : official journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension
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The angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1a (AT1a) receptor is expressed on multiple cell types in atherosclerotic lesions, including bone marrow-derived cells and vascular wall cells, and mediates inflammatory and proliferative responses. Indeed, Ang II infusion accelerates atherogenesis in hyperlipidemic mice by recruiting monocytes and by activating vascular wall cells. Here, we investigated the relative roles of AT1a receptors in the bone marrow vs. the vascular wall in Ang II-induced atherogenesis. ⋯ These molecules normally initiate later macrophage-mediated inflammation in the vascular wall. By contrast, AT1a receptor deficiency in the bone marrow did not affect MCP-1-induced monocyte chemotaxis in vitro. In conclusion, AT1a receptors in the host vascular wall, but not in the bone marrow, are essential in Ang II-induced atherogenesis.
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The present study aimed to examine the regulatory effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on vascular collagen remodeling in hypertensive rats. After 5 weeks of H2S donor treatment, tail blood pressure, the endogenous H2S production rate, levels of hydroxyproline and collagen type I, collagen type I protein expression in the thoracic aorta, [3H]thymidine ([3H]TdR) incorporation, [3H]proline incorporation, and [3H]hydroxyproline secretion in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were measured. We also examined the effects of NaHS on angiotensin II-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor binding affinity. ⋯ Moreover, NaHS could dose-dependently decrease angiotensin II-induced MAPK activation. NaHS also decreased AT1 receptor binding as well as the binding affinity of the AT1 receptor. Thus, in SHRs, which demonstrated vascular remodeling and collagen accumulation, the endogenous H2S pathway is involved in the regulation of excess vascular collagen.
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Multicenter Study
Cognitive dysfunction and physical disability are associated with mortality in extremely elderly patients.
A few reports have demonstrated that cognitive or physical dysfunction is associated with increased mortality in very elderly patients, those over 80 years of age. Using simple clinical tests, we evaluated the impact of cognitive or physical dysfunction on future total and cardiovascular deaths. We conducted a multicenter prospective study of 523 extremely elderly outpatients, aged > or = 80 years (mean +/- SD age: 84 +/- 5.3 years). ⋯ In a Cox regression analysis model controlling for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), diastolic blood pressure (BP), cholesterol level, and history of cardiovascular diseases, cognitive dysfunction was found to be an independent risk factor for total death (p < 0.001), and cognitive dysfunction (p < 0.001) and physical dysfunction (p = 0.05) were independent risk factors for cardiovascular death. The determinants of cognitive dysfunction were associated with a lower diastolic BP (p = 0.04) adjusted for age, BMI, and a history of cardiovascular disease. Cognitive function, which was associated with lower BP levels, and physical function were the independent predictors of total and cardiovascular mortality among all cardiovascular risk factors in the very elderly, those at least 80 years of age.
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Both cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) are noninvasive methods to estimate arterial stiffness. The purpose of this study is to determine whether CAVI or baPWV is superior as an index of arterial stiffness. One hundred and thirty patients with chest pain syndrome who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) were included in this study. ⋯ Additionally, LDL-C and T-C/HDL-C were also associated with only CAVI (LDL-C: r = 0.26, p < 0.02; T-C/HDL-C: r = 0.30, p < 0.01), not baPWV. Finally, only CAVI was significantly higher in the group with angina pectoris than in the normal group (9.708 +/- 1.423 vs. 9.102 +/- 1.412; p = 0.0178). All parameters associated with atherosclerosis suggested that CAVI was superior to baPWV as a parameter of arterial stiffness.
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Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common diseases throughout the world. To investigate the relationship between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and arterial atherosclerosis and peripheral artery disease (PAD) and its potential diagnostic value in diagnosing arterial sclerosis, a self-designed questionnaire and special machine designed by Colin Corp., Ltd. were implemented to measure the level of baPWV and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) and their relations to coronary and peripheral artery atherosclerosis. The results showed that baPWV and ABI were equally effective at predicting stenosis of the coronary arteries and stenosis of the arteries of the lower extremities. ⋯ The simultaneous measurement of bilateral baPWV and ABI using the newly developed equipment presented herein is highly recommended, and should play an important role in predicting the possibility of cardiovascular diseases and the degree of coronary artery lesions. It is important to note that baPWV is not only one of the risk factors in the presence of coronary stenosis, but also a substitute index of target-organ damage, another parameter in predicting PAD. The current study indicated that a baPWV>1,800 cm/s often follows a severe coronary artery event, while baPWV>2,100 cm/s may be related to potential PAD. baPWV measurement is helpful to make new standard of diagnosing PAD in Chinese cohorts.