INTERNATIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH JOURNAL
Year:2013 | Volume:7 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Background: Exercise Training (ET) and Grape Seed Extract (GSE) as an antioxidant have many positive effects on controlling diabetes mellitus and its complications.Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of GSE alone or combined with ET on body weight, plasma lipid profile, blood pressure, and heart rate in STZ-induced diabetic rats.Methods: In this study, male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups: sedentary control, sedentary diabetic, trained diabetic, GSE treated sedentary diabetic, and GSE treated trained diabetic. ET was conducted on the treadmill daily for 8 weeks. One way ANOVA followed by LSD test was used for statistical analysis.Results: Reduction of body weight, high density lipoproteins, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure and increment of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, and very low density lipoproteins were observed after STZ injection. Co-administration of GSE and ET had more positive effects on lipid profile compared to each method alone. In addition, GSE and ET modified heart rate partially, while their combination was more effective in improvement of heart rat in conscious rats. On the other hand, administration of ET or GSE alone did not affect systolic blood pressure and body weight, while their combination restored systolic blood pressure completely and improved body weight partially.Conclusions: The study findings indicated that ET combined with GSE had more beneficial effects compared to each one alone on the complications of STZ induced diabetes. This may constitute a convenient and inexpensive therapeutic approach to diabetic complications.

Background: Comorbidity is prevalent among patients with Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) and may influence patients' subjective and objective domains of well-being.Objectives: We aimed to investigate the associations between comorbidity and different measures of well-being (i.e. health related quality of life, psychological distress, sleep quality, and dyadic adjustment) among patients with IHD.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 796 outpatients with documented IHD were enrolled from an outpatient cardiology clinic in 2006. Comorbidity (Ifudu index), quality of life (SF36), psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale; HADS), sleep quality (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index; PSQI), and dyadic adjustment quality (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale; RDAS) were measured. Associations between comorbidity and different measures of well-being were determined.Results: Significant correlations were found between comorbidity score and all measures of well-being. Comorbidity score was correlated with physical quality of life (r=-0.471, P<0.001), mental quality of life (r=-0.447, P<0.001), psychological distress (r=0.344, P<0.001), sleep quality (r=0.358, P<0.001), and dyadic adjustment (r=-0.201, P<0.001).Conclusions: This study showed a consistent pattern of associations between somatic comorbidities and multiple aspects of well-being among patients with IHD. Findings may increase cardiologists' interest to identify and treat somatic conditions among IHD patients.

Background: The relationship between diet and cardiovascular risk factors in men and women with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) has been the subject of recent studies. We studied a group of Iranian CAD patients to analyze any relationship between diet and CAD risk factors based on gender.Methods: In this study, 461 consecutive patients were assessed before their planned isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery. They were interviewed to obtain the quantity and components of nutrients and micronutrients based on a validated food frequency questionnaire. Diet scores were calculated in each dietary group and the total score was reported as the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (Med-DQI). Physical activity was assessed using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Functional class, EuroSCORE and the frequency of the known risk factors in the men and women were recorded as well.Results: The women were more likely than the men to present with obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension (all Ps<0.001). Also, the women had higher functional class and mean of EuroSCORE (P<0.001 and P=0.03). Only six women (5.7%) reported to have regular physical activity. In addition, Women’s energy intake was more likely to be supplied through fat. Cereals, fruit, and vegetable consumption in both genders was within the safe recommended range, while olive and fish consumption was low in both sexes. MedDQI score was different between men and women with hypertension (P=0.018) and obesity (P=0.048).Conclusions: Modifiable classical risk factors for CAD, except for smoking, were more prevalent in women and were associated with their diet. Therefore, women probably need to maintain low calorie intake while improving physical activity and dietary patterns to decrease the frequency and severity of modifiable cardiac risk factors.

Objectives: Effective assessment of tissue perfusion is highly important during Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG). Mixed venous O2 saturation (Svo2) is one of the best and routinely used markers of tissue perfusion. However, this method is costly and leads to considerable complications. Thus, the present study aimed to determine whether the Svo2 can be substituted with central venous saturation (Scvo2) and if there is any correlation between lactate level and Svo2.Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted on 62 patients scheduled for CABG. After induction and maintenance of anesthesia, blood samples drawn from central venous, pulmonary artery, and radial artery were used to measure Scvo2, Svo2 and serum lactate level respectively before and after Cardio Pulmonary Bypass (CPB). Pearson's correlation test was used to determine the correlation between Svo2 and Scvo2 as well as between Svo2 and serum lactate level. Besides, P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: Overall, 62 Patients, 33 males (53.2%) and 29 females (46.8%) were enrolled into the present study. The most common coexisting illness was hypertension detected in 33 patients (53.2%) followed by hypercholesterolemia in 28 ones (44.4%). In this study, Svo2 was positively correlated with Scvo2 (r=0.63, P<0.001). However, no correlation was found between Svo2 and lactate (r=0.124, P=0.348).Conclusions: In summary, Scvo2 is considered as the best substitute of Svo2 for detecting tissue hypo perfusion during CPB. Although the lactate level had been considered as an appropriate marker of tissue perfusion and ischemia, it was not correlated to Svo2 during CABG.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the interaction between gender and other socio-economic characteristics on sleep quality of the patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 717 patients with CAD. The socioeconomic status (education level, income, marital status, and place of residence) was considered as the independent variable. Besides, the study outcome was the quality of sleep which was measured using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Gender was considered as a possible effect modifier. Two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the interaction between gender and socio-economic factors on sleep quality. As defined by Baron and Kenny, moderator was defined as a variable that affected the direction or magnitude of the association of interest.Results: Female gender, low education level, and low income were predictive of poor sleep quality. Among female (10.0±4.3 vs.7.6±5.0, P<0.05), but not male patients (6.7±4.2 vs.7.0±4.2, P>0.05), low education was associated with poor sleep quality. Also, among female (10.0±4.3 vs.5.7±2.5, P<0.05), but not male patients (7.0±4.2 vs.6.0±3.8, P>0.05), low income was predictive of poor sleep quality. Gender did not modify the effect of other socio-economic factors on sleep quality.Conclusions: Among female but not male patients with CAD, low education and income were associated with poor sleep quality. This information helps us better understand the mechanisms behind the poor sleep quality of the female patients with CAD. This is important because poor sleep is a prognostic factor among the CAD patients.

Objectives: In this study, pulmonary artery longitudinal deformation was evaluated and attempted to clarify pulmonary artery deformation.Methods: Eight healthy men and seven healthy women with structurally normal hearts were enrolled. In the parasternal short axis view at the aortic valve level, longitudinal axis of pulmonary artery was obtained and color coded Doppler myocardial imaging applied.Results: The systolic strain was positive in most the pulmonary segments, velocity and strain rate waves had three defined peaks, one positive in systole and two negative in diastole.Conclusions: This study revealed for first time, deformation pattern of pulmonary artery by color coded Doppler myocardial imaging and can be basis for future researches in cardiopulmonary diseases.

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection caused by larvae of Echinococcus granulosus. Cardiac involvement in hydatid disease is uncommon, constituting only 0.5-2% of all cases of hydatidosis. Most patients with cardiac echinococcosis are asymptomatic, and the disease is often latent because a hydatid cyst in the heart grows very slowly. Only approximately 10% of patients, especially those with large hydatid cysts, have clinical manifestations. Precordial pain is the one of the common symptoms and is most often vague and does not resemble angina pectoris.

Vascular access has remained a major challenge for implantation of permanent pacemaker leads. A persistent Left Superior Vena Cava (LSVC), especially with an absent Right Superior Vena Cava (RSVC), is a rare finding during pacemaker implantation and is accompanied by technical difficulties. Herein, we describe a case of sinoatrial node arrest, in which finding a suitable vein for passing the lead was challenging. The patient had a persistent LSVC with an absent RSVC.