When introduced into the infarcted heart, bone marrow‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) prevent the heart from deleterious remodeling and improve its recovery. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) 761 on the infarcted myocardium microenvironment following MSC transplantation. The established rat myocardial infarction (MI) model, with imp...

hrombolysis and PTCA save lives during acute myocardial infarction, but incomplete or delayed reperfusion results in akinesia or dyskinesia. If more than 20% of the left ventricular circumference is dyskinetic, the remaining contractile cavity dilates to increase stroke volume. When more than 50% of the myocardium is impaired, increased wall tension (LaPlace's law) triggers progressive left ven...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation between TREM-1 and LPS-induced left ventricular systolic dysfunction in BALB/c mice. METHODS Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: LPS, LPS/TREM-1, and control groups which were injected intraperitoneally with 25 mg/kg LPS, 5 μg TREM-1mAb 1 h after LPS challenge, and sterilized normal saline, respectively. Left ventricular systolic func...

OBJECTIVE To clarify whether assessment of the acoustic properties of the myocardium at rest can predict contractile reserve in patients with chronic left ventricular dysfunction. METHODS 23 patients (mean (SD) age 63 (12) years) with chronic left ventricular dysfunction were studied. The magnitude of cardiac cycle dependent variation of integrated backscatter (CVIB) of the myocardium was mea...

We studied the effect of cardiopulmonary bypass, transient acute coronary occlusion (2-5 minutes), prolonged coronary occlusion (> 60 minutes), and coronary reperfusion on the left ventricular diastolic pressure-volume curve, using an isovolumic working canine heart preparation in which heart rate, intraventricular volume, and aortic pressure were controlled. Cardiopulmonary bypass caused no si...

background : androgens have been shown to have diverse effects on the cardiovascular system. the aim of this study was to compare androgenic hormone levels in patients with different left ventricular ejection fractions (ef). methods : the study population consisted of 515 consecutive men who were referred for angiographic studies and whose results of echocardiography and coronary angiography we...

OBJECTIVE To retrospectively summarize the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) findings of isolated noncompaction of ventricular myocardium (INVM). MATERIALS AND METHODS Eleven patients (M:F = 9:2; mean age, 35 years) were evaluated. Steady-state free precession (SSFP), fast spin echo (SE) sequence, SSFP cine imaging, and delayed enhanced inversion recovery spoiled gradient echo (IR-SPG...

AIMS Apart from casuistic autopsy results there is no long-term evidence for channel perfusion after transmyocardial laser revascularization in humans. METHODS AND RESULTS Fifteen consecutive patients aged 63+/-17 years were investigated 71+/-15 days after coronary artery bypass surgery and/or transmyocardial revascularization with 13-37 (20+/-5) channels (CO(2) laser, 40 J/pulse). Echocardio...

Left ventricular non-compaction (spongy myocardium) is one of the most misclassified cardiomyopathies. It is characterised by an excessively prominent trabecular meshwork of myocardium and deep intertrabecular myocardium due to an arrest in the compaction process of the myocardial fibres. It could be isolated i.e. without any other structural heart defects or associated with congenital heart de...

31P- and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) are powerful tools for studying myocardial energy metabolism. The purpose of this review is to illustrate how these MRS techniques can be used to study complex bioenergetic issues in normal and abnormal in vivo myocardium. The results provide insight into the energetic alterations present in remodeled and hypertrophied myocardium. A deta...