Purines and oxypurines in myocardial ischemia

To evaluate the plasma levels of purine nucleosides and oxypurines in the presence of other risk factors as additional markers for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and severity of myocardial infarction. A case control study was conducted on 101 patients with ischemic heart disease [stable angina, n=19: unstable angina, n=29: acute myocardial infarction [AMI]; n=53 patients] admitted to the Cardiology Unit at Al-Kadhimyia Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq from January to November 2007 in addition to 31 healthy controls. Blood samples were aspirated from those with AMI within the first 12 hours of onset of chest pain. Plasma adenosine [ADO], inosine [INO], hypoxanthine [HYP], and xanthine [XAN] were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean plasma ADO, INO, HYP, and XAN levels were raised in unstable angina over the control values. More increase in all nucleosides and oxypurines was reported in the plasma of patients with AMI as compared to the controls and those of stable angina. The INO [p = 0.01] and HYP [p = 0.001] values were increased significantly in diabetic men with AMI and at age of Conclusion: The levels of purines and their catabolites could be used as additional indices for prior or current ischemia. Pretreatment with such nucleosides, or their oxypurine derivatives, is suggested to improve the regional ventricular function after coronary artery occlusion

Thyroid hormones and cardiac dilatation and dysfunction in Iraqi patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy biochemical and echocardiographic study

Serum thyroid hormone level can provide a quantitative index for evaluating the severity of chronic heart failure. To assess the contributions of thyroid hormones [tri-iodothyronine] [T3]and thyroxine [T4]] to the left ventricular [LV] dilatation and myocardial dysfunction in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDC]. Forty patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDC] aged 46.20 + 1.90 years, as [mean +/- SEM] [11 females and 29 males] were studied. Serum total T3, total T4 and thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] were measured in these patients. Echocardiographic parameters including LV systolic diameter, septal thickness systolic diameter, LV diastolic diameter, septal thickness diastolic diameter and LV ejection fraction [L VEF] were also be assessed in all patients. This study showed that the serum T4 values were significantly directly correlated with the values of EF% [r = 0.34; P < 0.035] along with significant inverse relationship between serum levels of T3 and the diameter of LV systole [r = - 0.34; p< 0.032]. This study revealed an important significant correlation between serum thyroid hormones levels and echocardiographic parameter values that may point to the role of these biochemical factors in the contribution to the LV dilatation and cardiac dysfunction [heart failure]

High density lipoprotein cholesterol: a new protective function of cardiac structure and function of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

There is a suggestion that abnormal coronary physiology may be exist early in the course of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDC], and is likely to play an important role in the pathogencsis and progression of the myopathic state in such patients. With regard to lipid profile, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] particle enhances NO production and improves endothelium relaxation. This study included 50 patients aged 19-72 years [13 females and 37 males] with IDC and 23 healthy controls aged 29 to 60 years [9 females and 14 males]. Lipid profile, should be at least 12 hours fasting, including serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] and triglyceride [TG] were evaluated in these two groups. Measurements of some of echocardiographic parameters including left ventricular [LV] systolic and diastolic diameters, and LV ejection fraction [LVEF] in IDC patients, and correlate its values with each one of the above lipid parameters in order to define the more predictor lipid parameter in evaluating the structure and function of the heart. The mean values of serum total cholesterol and LDL-C were insignificantly higher in patients with IDC patients than in controls. The mean of serum HDL-C was significantly low in IDC group against controls [P< 0001]. The mean [ +/- SEM] serum triglyceride TG levels in patients with IDC was significantly increased when they were compared to that of normal controls [P< 005]. An important inverse relation was observed between serum levels of H DL-cholesterol and LV diastolic diameter values [r= - 0.29, P< 0039] as well as between HDL-cholesterol levels and LV systolic diameter values [r= - 0.33, P< 0.02]. A borderline significant positive correlation between serum concentrations of HDL-cholesterol and the values of EF% was also shown in the IDC patients [r= 0.28, P< 0.05]. The result of this study may point to the role of HDL-C in contribution to the LV dilatation and myocardial dysfunction [heart failure] in IDC