[Intima-media thickness and left ventricle remodeling in patients with prehypertension and impaired glucose tolerance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the intima-media thickness and cardiac remodeling in patients with prehypertension and impaired glucose tolerance. METHOD: Three-hundred patients were divided into four groups: normal control (NC, n = 61), prehypertension (PH, n = 83), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT, n = 91), prehypertension and impaired glucose tolerance (PH + IGT, n = 65). Intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by doppler ultrasonography. Left ventricle mess (LVMI), midwall fractional shortening (mFS), peakE/peakA (E/A) were measured by echocardiography. RESULTS: (1) IMT was significantly increased in PH, IGT and PH + IGT groups than in NC group [(0.7 ± 0.1) mm, (0.7 ± 0.1) mm and (1.0 ± 0.1) mm vs.(0.6 ± 0.1) mm, all P < 0.01], which was significantly high in PH + IGT group than in PH or IGT group. Regression analysis demonstrated that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG), systolic pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were independent predictors to increased IMT. (2) LVMI was higher in PH and PH + IGT groups than in NC group [(97.0 ± 3.3) g/m(2), (97.1 ± 2.8) g/m(2) vs.(87.0 ± 2.0) g/m(2), (87.9 ± 1.5) g/m(2), all P < 0.01], and positively related with SBP, DBP. (3) mFS was lower in PH and PH + IGT groups [(14.0 ± 0.8)%, (14.0 ± 0.8)% vs. (18.3 ± 1.0)%, (18.2 ± 0.5)%, P < 0.01], negatively related with SBP and DBP. E/A was similar among groups and lower E/A was associated with higher SBP. CONCLUSION: Vascular and left ventricular structure remodeling and systolic dysfunction could be detected in prehypertension patients. Impaired glucose tolerance could enhance vascular remodeling in prehypertension patients.

[Evaluation of right ventricle function by tissue Doppler imaging in patients with acute organophosphate poisoning].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the right ventricular functions of patients with acute organophosphate poisoning patient (AOPP) by measuring the velocities of tricuspid annular motion through Doppler tissue imaging (DTI). METHODS: Tissue Doppler velocity mode was employed to observe tricuspid annulus movement in 78 AOPP patients and 32 healthy adults. After tricuspid annular pulsed-wave rate of E/A were measured by traditional echocardiographic, the peak values of tricuspid annular early diastolic velocity (E(m)) and late diastolic velocity (A(m)) were analyzed by DTI. RESULTS: E/A > E(m)/A(m) > 1 was observed in health control group as well as the mild-moderate AOPP; E(m)/A(m) < E/A < 1 was observed in the severe AOPP group. There was significant difference between two groups. The right ventricular E/A correlated positively with E(m)/A(m) (P < 0.001). Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) correlated positively with right ventricular E/Em, Tei Index (P < 0.001) and negatively with right ventricular S(m), E(m) and E(m)/A(m) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The right ventricle functions, in terms of contraction and relaxation, decrease in severe AOPP patients versus health control and mild-moderate groups. TDI is a useful tool to assess the right ventricle functions of AOPP patients.

[The effect of captopril and valsartan on preventing the formation of atherosclerotic plaque].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of captopril and valsartan on preventing the formation of atherosclerosis plaque in rabbit atherosclerotic models. METHODS: The atherosclerotic models of rabbits fed with high-cholesterol diet were used. There were four groups: high cholesterol group, high cholesterol + captopril group, high cholesterol + valsartan group, normal food group. The intima-media thickness in abdominal aortic were measured by ultrasound. The pathogenic features of the arterial walls were showed by HE stain and observed by light microscope. RESULTS: There were less atherosclerotic plaque in high cholesterol + captopril group and high cholesterol + valsartan group than in cholesterol group. The intima-media thickness in high cholesterol + captopril group and in high cholesterol + valsartan group were much more decreased than in high cholesterol group (0.05 +/- 0.005, 0.05 +/- 0.007 vs 0.07 +/- 0.100, P < 0.01). The connection of the endothelial cells were less damaged in high cholesterol + captopril group and high cholesterol + valsartan group than in high cholesterol group. CONCLUSIONS: Ti is true that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) have the effect of preventing or decreasing the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in arterial wall. The findings suggest that ACEI and/or ARB should be first chosen for those with hypertension and with atherosclerotic risk factors or atherosclerotic diseases.