Impact of 60 days of 6° head down bed rest on cardiopulmonary function, and the effects of Taikong Yangxin Prescription as a countermeasure / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes in cardiopulmonary function induced by mid/long-term simulated microgravity with 6° head down bed rest (HDBR), and the effects of Taikong Yangxin Prescription (, TYP) as a countermeasure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fourteen healthy male volunteers were randomly divided into a control group and a Chinese medicine (CM) group (7 in each group) by a random digital table based on their body weight. Both groups underwent 6° HDBR for 60 days. Subjects in the CM group received daily TYP pills and subjects in the control group received daily placebo pills. Cardiac systolic and pumping functions were measured by echocardiography before HDBR; on days 20, 42, and 57 of HDBR; and on day 3 of recovery after HDBR (R+3). Cardiopulmonary functional reserve and exercise capacity were evaluated before HDBR, on day 29, and on day R+3 by exercise testing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The heart rate (HR) increased gradually during HDBR. The HR was significantly higher on day 57 than before HDBR in the control group (P<0.05), but did not increase significantly in the CM group. The stroke volume/stroke volume index, ejection fraction, and left ventricular fractional shortening tended to decrease over time in the control group, but not in the CM group. These parameters were significantly higher in the CM group than in the control group on day 42 (P<0.05 or <0.01). Exercise testing showed that maximum O2 consumption (VO2max), metabolic equivalents, relative O2 consumption (VO2), O2 pulse, and exercise duration were significantly lower on day 29 than before HDBR in the control group, but not in the CM group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Sixty days of 6° HDBR induced a reduction in cardiac systolic and pumping functions, and reduced cardiopulmonary functional reserve and exercise capacity. Administration of TYP significantly improved cardiac systolic and pumping functions, and maintained cardiopulmonary functional reserve and exercise capacity.</p>

Genetic influence on baroreflex sensitivity in normotensive young men.

BACKGROUND: The dysfunction of baroreflex plays an important role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Recent studies suggest that approximately 40% of the variation in baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) may be accounted for by genetic factors. However, only a few such genetic polymorphisms have been explicitly identified. METHODS: A total of 182 normotensive young men were included in the study. They were tested for the occurrence of genotypes involving nine polymorphisms in six genes that have a role in the regulation of the cardiovascular system. BRS was calculated from the spontaneous fluctuation of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart interval, using a sequence method. RESULTS: BRS was negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI), SBP, and family history of hypertension. Univariate analysis revealed that BRS is significantly associated with three of the polymorphisms studied. At the polymorphism T-786C in the endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) gene, the subjects with TT genotype had lower BRS than subjects carrying either the TC or the CC genotype. At the polymorphism of C-344T in the aldosterone synthase gene (CYP11B2), subjects with the TT genotype had higher BRS as compared to those with CC. At the polymorphism of T-58C in the bradykinin B2 receptor (B2R) gene, subjects with CC genotype had lower BRS as compared to subjects with TT. A multivariable linear regression analysis indicated that 16% of the BRS variation could be explained by these three polymorphisms. CONCLUSIONS: Baroreflex function plays an important role in regulating blood pressure, both in the short term and in the long term. Three polymorphisms that are associated with the variation in BRS were identified in the eNOS, CYP11B2, and B2R genes, respectively; overall, they accounted for 16% of the BRS variation.