Association between serum angiopoietin-2 concentrations and periprocedural myocardial injury in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention.

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) is a proangiogenic factor that mediates inflammation and atherosclerosis. We evaluated the predictive value of circulating Ang-2 levels for periprocedural myocardial injury (PMI) in 145 patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and investigated whether post-PCI Ang-2 levels are influenced by PMI. PMI was defined as a post-procedural troponin elevation above the 5×99th percentile upper reference limit. Blood samples for Ang-2 analysis were collected at admission and on postoperative days 1 and 3. PMI occurred in 40 patients (28%). At baseline, there was no difference in Ang-2 levels between PMI and non-PMI patients (P=0.554). However, a significant interaction effect between PMI occurrence and time on Ang-2 levels was observed (interaction P=0.036). Although serum Ang-2 levels in non-PMI patients gradually decreased, Ang-2 levels in PMI patients did not change between different time-points. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, total stent length, and serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide were independent PMI predictors. These findings indicate that pre-procedural Ang-2 levels do not impact PMI occurrence after elective PCI. However, changes in Ang-2 levels after the procedure are closely related to PMI.

[Application of laparoscopy in ectopic pregnancy complicated with intrauterine pregnancy: reports of 5 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of laparoscopy in treating ectopic pregnancy complicated with intrauterine pregnancy. METHOD: Laparoscopy was performed in 5 patients with ectopic pregnancy complicated with intrauterine pregnancy. RESULTS: The ectopic pregnancy tissue or the damaged fallopian tube was successfully excised laparoscopically. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy is safe for treating ectopic pregnancy complicated with intrauterine pregnancy, causing minimal injuries and less disturbance to intrauterine pregnancy and ensuring rapid recovery.

[Comparative study of the impacts of laparoscopic and open laparotomic surgeries on oxidative stress in patients with uterine myomas].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of laparoscopic surgery on oxidative stress in patients with uterine myomas. METHODS: Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant activity (AOA), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in 20 patients with uterine myomas were measured before, at the end of (5 min after deflation), and 24 h after laparoscopic surgery, for comparison with the measurements in 20 patients receiving laparotomic surgery at the same time points. RESULTS: Immediately following laparoscopic surgery, plasma MDA level increased significantly as compared with the preoperative level (P<0.01) and recovered the normal level 24 h after the operation; but in laparotomic surgery, plasma MDA level underwent a slight increase in the immediately early postoperative stage and continued to increase 24 h after the operation. In laparoscopic surgery, GPx and AOA decreased significantly in the early postoperative stage (P<0.01) and recovered to some extent 24 h postoperatively, whereas in laparotomic surgery, GPx and AOA slightly decreased immediately following the operation and further decreased 24 h after the operation. Compared with patients receiving laparotomic surgery, laparoscopic patients had significantly lower plasma MDA level (P<0.01) and significantly higher GPx activity (P<0.01) with comparable AOA level (P=0.33) 24 h after the operation. CONCLUSION: Free radical produces at the end of a laparoscopic procedure, possibly as a result of ischemia-reperfusion induced by the inflation and deflation of the pneumoperitoneum.