Plasma viscosity, photometric erythrocyte aggregation index, and erythrocyte filterability were measured in 194 patients with coronary artery disease. Patients with unstable angina (n = 64) had a higher plasma viscosity and photometric erythrocyte aggregation index than patients with stable angina (95% confidence intervals for the mean difference: 0.052-0.100 mPa.s for plasma viscosity, and 43%...

To determine the value of real-time, two-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo) in unstable angina, regional wall motion on serial short-axis 2-D echo recordings was analyzed and summed segment scores of abnormal motion were compared and classified according to each patient's clinical status 12 weeks after hospital discharge. Nineteen male patients who fulfilled criteria for unstable angina an...

Identification of a characteristic morphology of a coronary stenosis likely to result in myocardial infarction would facilitate the prospective evaluation of infarct prevention strategies and identification of high-risk patients. We postulated that coronary lesions associated with recent myocardial infarction or unstable angina would have an angiographic morphology suggesting disruption of an a...

BACKGROUND The evidence that inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes prompted us to investigate the effects of glucocorticoid treatment on leukotriene (LT) C4 and thromboxane (TX) A2 biosynthesis in unstable angina. METHODS AND RESULTS Urinary LTE4 and 11-dehydro-TXB2 were significantly higher in 12 patients with unstable angina than in 12 patients...

OBJECTIVE To establish why recurrent myocardial ischaemia predicts adverse outcome in patients with refractory unstable angina on maximal medical treatment. DESIGN Prospective observational study in 101 patients with refractory unstable angina who underwent continuous ST-segment monitoring and kept detailed pain charts prior to cardiac catheterization. Setting Tertiary referral centre. RESU...

Leucocyte migration inhibition in patients with ischaemic heart disease was evaluated as an assay for progressive myocardial damage. Abnormal results were observed in 50% of patients with ischaemic cardiac disease. The prevalence of abnormal leucocyte migration inhibition was unrelated to clinical presentation, extent of coronary artery disease, or degree of impairment of left ventricular funct...

The clinical effect of intracoronary thrombus aspiration during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with unstable angina pectoris is unknown. In this study, we aimed to assess how thrombus aspiration during percutaneous coronary intervention affects in-hospital and 30-month mortality and complications in patients with unstable angina pectoris.We undertook an observational cohort stud...

OBJECTIVES We sought to study the relationships between chemokines and oxidative stress in acute coronary syndrome. BACKGROUND In view of existing knowledge on the participation of leukocytes and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome, we hypothesized that chemokines may play a role in recruiting and activating leukocytes in this disorder. METHODS The levels of chem...

INTRODUCTION Adiponectin is a circulating hormone that is produced exclusively by adipocytes and has antiinflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties. The hypothesis that there are differences in adiponectin levels between stable and unstable coronary-artery disease patients remains controversial. Furthermore, the potential relationships between the plasma adiponectin level and the inflammatory...