0000000000004670
AUTHOR
Martin Spiecker
Thrombolysis with saruplase versus streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction: five-year results of the PRIMI trial.
Abstract Background Short-term safety and efficacy of thrombolysis with saruplase in acute myocardial infarction have been shown in several trials. To assess long-term outcome of patients treated with saruplase or streptokinase for myocardial infarction, a 5-year follow-up of patients included in the Pro-Urokinase in Myocardial Infarction Trial was performed. Methods and Results Follow-up data are available from 8 centers on 255 (92.4%) of 276 included patients. The 5-year mortality rate was comparable with 20.8% of patients in the saruplase group and 16.9% in the streptokinase group (odds ratio 1.29, 95% confidence interval 0.69 to 2.42). In both groups, a considerable number of fatal card…
A Functional Role of IκB-ε in Endothelial Cell Activation
Abstract The NF-κB inhibitor IκB-ε is a new member of the IκB protein family, but its functional role in regulating NF-κB-mediated induction of adhesion molecule expression is unknown. In vascular endothelial cells, IκB-ε associates predominantly with the NF-κB subunit Rel A and to a lesser extent with c-Rel, whereas IκB-α and IκB-β associate with Rel A only. Following stimulation with TNF-α, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), N-acetylcysteine, and dexamethasone prevented IκB kinase-induced IκB-α, but not IκB-β or IκB-ε phosphorylation and degradation. Since the activation of NF-κB is required for the induction of adhesion molecule expression, we examined the role of IκB-ε in the transacti…
Differential regulation of endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression by nitric oxide donors and antioxidants.
Although nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidants inhibit adhesion molecule expression, their inhibitory effects on nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation may differ. The NO donors, but not 8-bromo-cGMP, decreased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin expression by 11-70%. In contrast, NAC completely abolished VCAM-1 and E-selectin expression and decreased ICAM-1 expression by 56%. Gel shift assays demonstrate that NF-kappaB activation was inhibited by both NO and antioxidants. The activation of NF-kappaB involves the phosphorylation and degradation of its cytoplasmic inhibitor IkappaB-alpha by 26S proteasomes. The 26S proteasome inhibitor MG132 prev…
Increased plasma concentration of fibrin monomer in acute myocardial infarction with early reperfusion.
OBJECTIVE To assess whether plasma fibrin monomer (FM) concentration, a marker of thrombin activity, is increased in the first hours after acute coronary occlusion and whether there are differences between patients with and without early reperfusion. DESIGN Thirty-five consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and early coronary angiography were studied prospectively. METHODS Plasma FM samples taken on admission (< 6 h after onset of chest pain) and 6-14 h after onset of chest pain were analysed using a specific enzyme immunoassay. All of the patients were anticoagulated with heparin intravenously. RESULTS Of the 35 patients, 28 had angiographically documented reperfusion …
Detection of Strands in Native Aortic Valves by Transesophageal Echocardiography
Prevalence and echocardiographic characteristics of strands on the leaflets of native aortic valves were examined. According to our data, the strands we found in 39% of patients are most likely Lambl's excrescences.
Synergistic platelet antiaggregatory effects of the adenylate cyclase activator iloprost and the guanylate cyclase activating agent SIN-1 in vivo
The aim of our study was to evaluate the platelet antiaggregatory and hemodynamic effects of the stable prostacyclin analog iloprost and the NO-donor SIN-1, an active metabolite of molsidomine. The number of circulating platelets was determined in anesthetized male Wistar rats as a measure of in vivo platelet aggregation. Platelet count decreased from 648 +/- 25 to 476 +/- 15 x 10(3) platelets/microliter and from 578 +/- 36 to 411 +/- 40 (mean +/- SEM) in response to two repetitive injections of collagen (70 micrograms/kg body weight). Treatment with SIN-1 bolus injections (0.3 or 1 mg/kg bw) and/or continuous i.v. infusion of iloprost (0.2 or 0.4 micrograms/kg bw/min) was initiated 15 min …
Sum of ST-segment elevations on admission electrocardiograms in acute myocardial infarction predicts left ventricular dilation.
In summary, ST-segment elevations on the admission electrocardiogram not only diagnose acute myocardial infarction but also provide predictive information with respect to developing infarct size and left ventricular remodeling as well as survival.
Emergency angioplasty of totally occluded left main coronary artery in acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris--institutional experience and literature review.
Acute occlusion of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) is a rare angiographic finding. We report five patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and one patient with unstable angina, in whom reperfusion was achieved or attempted with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). All patients had a long history of stable angina pectoris. The indication for emergency PTCA was cardiogenic shock in the five patients with MI. PTCA was successful in five of six patients. Three patients with reperfusion survived, three died. All survivors underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and were still alive at 23 months, 3 and 8 years respectively in NYHA functional class II or III.…
NO Reduces PMN Adhesion to Human Vascular Endothelial Cells Due to Downregulation of ICAM-1 mRNA and Surface Expression
Reperfusion damage is largely due to the adherence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to the endothelium initiated by adhesion molecule upregulation. The reduced endothelial nitric oxide release during ischemia may be involved in the upregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule 1. In this study, we tested if nitric oxide donors suppress polymorphonuclear leukocyte adherence to activated endothelial cells by inhibition of the intercellular adhesion molecule 1 surface expression. Confluent human umbilical vein endothelial cells were stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (300 U/mL) after preincubation with increasing concentrations of the nitric oxide donors CAS 1609 (0.005-5 mM/L) and 3…
Quantification of mitral valve stenosis by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography
The aim of this study was the evaluation of the diagnostic potentials of transesophageal 3D- echocardiography in the determination of mitral valve stenosis. 54 patients were investigated by transthoracic and multiplane transesophageal echocardiography. In 41 patients cardiac catheterization was performed. 3D- echocardiographic data acquisition was performed by automatic transducer rotation at 2 degree increments over a span of 180 degrees. The transesophageal probe was linked to an ultrasound unit and to a 3D- workstation capable of ECG- and respiration gated data acquisition, postprocessing and 2D/3D image reconstruction. The mitral valve was visualized in sequential cross-sectional planes…
Evaluation of post-myocardial infarction regional and global left ventricular function by monoplane ventriculography: superiority of right versus left anterior oblique projection at any infarct location.
OBJECTIVES To study the significance of serial quantitative regional wall motion analysis, volumes, and ejection fraction findings as well as their prognostic implications derived from cineventriculography in 30 degrees right anterior oblique (RAO) projection in comparison with 60 degrees left anterior oblique (LAO) projection in post-myocardial infarction patients. Ventriculographic left ventricular parameters are accepted surrogates of mortality in myocardial infarction. Nowadays, in contrast to a biplanar approach in most institutions and clinical trials, the investigation is reduced to monoplanar ventriculography. However, it is not known whether the relevance of the two established pro…
In vitro Analysis of Synergistic Effects of Fibrinolytic Agents and Prostacyclin Analogues
We investigated the in vitro thrombolytic effects of streptoki-nase, urokinase, alteplase and saruplase, alone or in combination, with the prostacyclin analogues, iloprost and taprostene. Human platelet-rich plasma was stimulated with collagen (1 μg/ml) to generate thrombi containing platelets and fibrin. Following treatment with fibrinolytic agents, lysis was allowed to proceed for 30 min and was then terminated with aprotinin (2,000 ClU/ml). To evaluate the combinatory effects of fibrinolytic agents and prostacyclin analogues, we used concentrations of fibrinolytic agents which reduced thrombi weight by less than 50%. Neither iloprost nor taprostene alone demonstrated any thrombolytic eff…
Quantitative assessment of aortic stenosis by three-dimensional echocardiography
The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of three-dimensional echocardiography in aortic stenosis. Planimetric determination of valve area and dynamic volume-rendered display were performed. Three-dimensional echocardiography permits display of any desired plane of the cardiac structure. Thus in the case of aortic stenosis, the plane used for planimetric evaluation can be positioned exactly through the valve orifice. Dynamic volume-rendered display may provide a spatial demonstration of the stenotic valve. In 48 patients aortic valve area was measured by planimetry. The three-dimensional data set was acquired by a workstation in the course of a multiplane transesophageal exam…