The role of European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation in the prediction of quality of life in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the value of European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE) in predicting quality of life in patients post coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 387 patients underwent CABG in our institute from December of 2002 to December of 2007 were assessed by EuroSCORE before operation. Health-related quality of life (QoL) was estimated postoperatively with Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ), Nottingham healthy profile (NHP) and Duke activity status index (DASI) in order to evaluate the value of EuroSCORE for predicting quality of life in patients post CABG.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were statistically significant but weak correlations between postoperative QoL score and preoperative EuroSCORE score (r: 0.010 - 0.276). Emotional and psychological experience subgroup analysis showed better predictive value of EuroSCORE score on postoperative QoL score in improved physical functioning subgroups (r > 0.2). Linear regression analysis showed that EuroSCORE score was significant but weakly (r(2) < 0.1) correlated with postoperative QoL score (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Preoperative EuroSCORE score is weakly correlated with postoperative QoL score in patients post CABG.</p>

Association between nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 gene mutation and simple congenital heart disease in children / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To elucidate association between the mutation of nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATC1) gene in IPT-NFAT region and simple congenital heart disease (CHD) in children.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the sequencing reaction to detect the mutations on the patients and their parents and (or) siblings.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PCR amplification of the exon 7 region showed that 2 bands are obtained in 58% of patients with CHD and in 74% of their healthy parents and (or) siblings. Sequencing of the 2 bands revealed that both are amplicons of the exon 7 region, and that the additional band harbors an additional 44 nucleotides segment in the intronic region. The homozygous form of this allele was only present in patients with ventricular septal defect (2/24), atrial septal defect (3/18) and bicuspid aortic valve (1/4) in which G to A transition at nucleotide 17 of the third 44 bps was found. Neither the unrelated non-CHD individuals nor the ones with other CHD showed positive presence for the homozygous form of this allele.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There is a differential amplification of a tandem repeat region in intron 7 of NFATC1 and homozygous form of this allele in patients with ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and bicuspid aortic valve. NFATC1 gene may be an a susceptibility marker for ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and bicuspid aortic valve.</p>

Changes of interleukin-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha of right atrial appendages in patients with rheumatic valvular disease complicated with chronic atrial fibrillation / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether atrial expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) of right atrial appendages are altered in patients with rheumatic valvular disease during chronic atrial fibrillation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 48 patients with rheumatic heart disease were included. 27 patients had no history of atrial fibrillation, 21 patients had atrial fibrillation. Atrial tissue was obtained from the right atrial appendage during open heart surgery. The protein expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha was detected by immunohistochemistry method. The fibrosis of right atrial appendage was detected by Masson staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The fibrosis of right atrial appendage was significantly increased in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. The protein expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were significantly increased in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The protein expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were significantly increased in patients with rheumatic valvular disease during chronic atrial fibrillation. Inflammation may be one of the mechanisms for the development and persistence of atrial fibrillation.</p>