0000000000042519

AUTHOR

Gunnar H. Heine

CD14+CD16+ monocytes in coronary artery disease and their relationship to serum TNF-α levels

SummaryMonocytes play a central role in the inflammatory disease atherosclerosis. CD14+CD16+ monocytes are considered proinflammatory monocytes, as they have an increased capacity to produce proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, and are elevated in various inflammatory diseases. We hypothesized that patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have increased levels of CD14+CD16+ monocytes, and that CD14+CD16+ monocytes are associated with inflammation markers. We investigated CD14+CD16+ monocytes in 247 patients with CAD and 61 control subjects using flow cytometry. In addition serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, and Hs-CRP were assessed. Patients with CAD had higher levels of CD14+CD16…

research product

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease stage V.

Background Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an increased risk for cardiovascular events (CVE). Uraemic dyslipidaemia, which is characterized by low HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and elevated triglycerides' levels, may contribute to this elevated cardiovascular risk. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) lowers HDL-C by transferring cholesterol esters to LDL and VLDL particles. We tested the hypothesis that CETP activity is associated with CVE in patients with CKD stage V. Methods We measured CETP activity and cholesterol levels in 69 haemodialysis patients. CVE and death were prospectively assessed over a follow-up period of 48 months. Results CETP activity was negatively corre…

research product

CKD NUTRITION, INFLAMMATION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS

Introduction and Aims: Serum p-cresyl sulfate associates with cardiovascular disease in patients at different stages of chronic kidney disease. p-Cresyl sulfate concentrations are determined by intestinal uptake of p-cresol, human metabolism to p-cresyl sulfate and renal clearance. Whether intestinal uptake of p-cresol itself is associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with renal disease has not been studied to date. Methods: We performed a prospective study in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 1-5 (clinicaltrials.gov NCT00441623). Intestinal uptake of p-cresol, under steady state conditions, was estimated from 24h urinary excretion of p-cresyl sulfate. Primary endpoint w…

research product

PLTP activity is a risk factor for subsequent cardiovascular events in CAD patients under statin therapy: the AtheroGene study.

Phospholipid transferprotein (PLTP) mediates both net transfer and exchange of phospholipids between different lipoproteins. Although many studies have investigated the role of PLTP in atherogenesis, the role of PLTP in atherosclerotic diseases is unclear. We investigated the association of serum PLTP activity with the incidence of a combined endpoint (myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death) and its relation to other markers of atherosclerosis in 1,085 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD). In the median follow-up of 5.1 years, 156 patients had suffered from the combined endpoint of myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death including 47 of 395 p…

research product