Effect of Antioxidants on Myocardial Damage in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many diabetic patients suffer from cardiomyopathy, even in the absence of vascular disease. The aim of this study was to see if dietary antioxidant supplementation has an inhibitory effect on the progression of cardiac tissue damage in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley male rats (n=60) were used as experimental animals; they were divided into the normal control group and the diabetic group. Eight weeks after STZ injection (65 mg/kg of body weight), the products of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehydes, MDA), and the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase activities were determined in the cardiac tissue homogenates. The cardiac tissues were studied by light microscopy (LM) and electron microscopy (EM), and the tissue lesions were graded by a semiquantitative score. RESULTS: The histologic scores for perivascular fibrosis, interstitial fibrosis and myocardial necrosis according to LM were significantly lower in the combined vitamin C & E treated rats than in the diabetic control rats. The ultrastructural scores for the overall cardiac morphology, mitochondria and myofilaments, according to EM, were significantly lower in the vitamin E treated rats and the combined vitamin C & E treated rats than in the diabetic control rats, even though this was of less magnitude than that in the insulin-treated diabetic rats. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that antioxidants such as vitamin C & E might have a beneficial effect on diabetes as an adjunct therapy against lipid peroxidation and diabetic cardiomyopathy, in addition to the effects of instituting strict measures for controlling the blood glucose.

Quantification of Regional Wall Motion Abnormality Using Myocardial Strain in Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Several echocardiographic methods, such as ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and Doppler tissue imaging (DTI), have been developed to quantify systolic function but all had several important limitations. The purpose of this study was to quantify the regional wall motion abnormality, using strain, in an acute myocardial infarction, compared with a visual estimation. SUBJECTS AND MEHTODS: Forty-five patients, with acute anterior (n=28) and inferior myocardial (n=17) infarctions, who underwent color DTI, were examined using longitudinal strain and standard echocardiography, and the results were compared with 54 normal controls. A total of 594 segments [3 segments (apical, mid and basal portion) of septum and inferior wallx99 patients] were evaluated. RESULTS: In the normal control group, the strain was uniformly distributed in all segments (-20%~-23%). In the infarction groups, the strain was negatively related with the wall motion score. The strain of the apical segments and mid-septum was decreased in the anterior wall infarctions, and the strain of basal septum and mid to basal inferior wall was decreased in the inferior wall infarctions. The dyskinetic segments showed positive strain. CONCLUSION: This study validates strain as a superior method for the quantification of the regional wall motion abnormality in an acute myocardial infarction than visual estimation.

"Recovery Only" ST-Segment Depressions in an Exercise Treadmill Test and the Prediction of Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: "Recovery only" ST-segment depressions are sometimes detected during an exercise treadmill test. We undertook this study in order to clarify the predictive value of exercise-induced ST-segment depression occurring in recovery only. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 931 patients who had both a sign or symptom -limited treadmill test. Of the 66 patients who demonstrated abnormal ST-segment responses, 43 experienced ST-segment depressions during exercise (Group A) and 23 displayed such responses only during recovery (Group B). RESULTS: The positive predictive value of an exercise treadmill test for significant angiographic disease in group A (81.3%) was statistically different from the predictive value in group B (30.4%). Horizontal ST-segment depression in recovery periods and female sex were statistically significant factors favoring negative coronary angiographic results. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of horizontal mild ST-segment depression during only the recovery periodgenerally represents a "false positive" response, particularly in female patients.

The Optimal Timing to Measure C-Reactive Protein to Predict Cardiac Events in Patients with Unstable Angina

BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVES: C-Reactive protein (CRP) levels are powerful predictors of cardiac complications and death in patients with unstable angina unrelated with myocardial cell damage or myocardial ischemia. This study was performed to determine the optimal timing to measure CRP to predict cardiac events in patients with unstable angina. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The study was comprised 50 patients with unstable angina (Braunwald Class IIIb). We randomized the study subjects by the time of CRP elevation (> 8mg/L): Group A (on admission, 15 patients), Group B (during hospitalization, 19 patients), and Group C (at discharge, 19 patients). RESULTS: 1) CRP levels (median and range) of Group A, B, and C were 10.6 (8.2-24.2), 12.8 (8.1-33.7), and 10.3 (8.1-18.7) mg/L, respectively (p=S). 2) During clinical follow-up at a mean duration of 12 months, there were 1 death, 1 myocardial infarction, 6 revascularization therapy (PTCA or CABG) and 11 recurrent angina. 3) In Group A, 10 cardiac events (1 myocardial infarction, 4 revascularization therapy, and 5 recurrent angina) occurred. The elevated levels of CRP predicted cardiac events during clinical follow-up with sensitivity of 53%(10/19), positive predictive value of 67%(10/15), and negative predictive value of 74%(26/35). In Group C, 13 cardiac events were occurred. Sensitivity, positive and negative predictive value to predict cardiac events of elevated levels of CRP were 68%(13/19), 68%(13/19) and 81%(25/31), respectively. 4) Elevated levels of CRP (>8mg/L) were predictors for cardiac events in patients with unstable angina (Group A; p 8mg/L at discharge were only predictive of cardiac events with odd ratio of 6.01 (95% CI 1.50-44.3, p 8mg/L) was elevated in 38% of patients at discharge and elevated levels of CRP at discharge were only predictive of cardiac events in patients with unstable angina.

Detection of herpesviruses in renal allograft rejection by in situ hybridization / 감염

No abstract available.

Ultrasonography in Urology / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Diagnostic ultrasonography was performed on 34 cases with, various urological disorders, mainly of the kidney, and its diagnostic accuracy and simplicity were evaluated.

Ultrasonography in Urology / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Diagnostic ultrasonography was performed on 34 cases with, various urological disorders, mainly of the kidney, and its diagnostic accuracy and simplicity were evaluated.