BACKGROUND Approximately 50% of patients with heart failure have a left ventricular ejection fraction of at least 45%, but no therapies have been shown to improve the outcome of these patients. Therefore, we studied the effects of irbesartan in patients with this syndrome. METHODS We enrolled 4128 patients who were at least 60 years of age and had New York Heart Association class II, III, or ...

BACKGROUND In congestive heart failure (CHF), skeletal muscle shows increased expression of fast myosin heavy chains (MHC) and fibers, muscle atrophy, increased fatigability, and decreased endurance. Atrophy is secondary to myocyte apoptosis, which is probably triggered by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). Angiotensin II receptors are thought to play a role in controlling apoptosis. We te...

OBJECTIVE We tested whether long-term treatment with the angiotensin II receptor antagonist irbesartan reduces nucleic acid oxidation in patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The Irbesartan in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Microalbuminuria (IRMA 2) study was a 2-year multicenter randomized double-blind trial comparing irbesartan (150 and 300 mg on...

BACKGROUND Clinical trials have demonstrated that agents that inhibit the angiotensin II pathway confer benefit beyond the reduction of blood pressure alone. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this effect has yet to be investigated. Recently, we have demonstrated enhanced expression of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX) and prostaglandin (PG)E2-dependent synthase (COX-2/mPGES-1) in human s...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In a multi-center, single-arm, prospective study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of the fixed irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide combination in Chinese patients with moderate to severe hypertension. METHODS Eligible patients were aged 18-75 years, with a blood pressure of 160-199 mmHg systolic or 100-119 mmHg diastolic during a 1-week wash-out phase off antihype...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Chemerin was introduced as a novel adipokine that plays a crucial role in insulin signaling and diabetic nephropathy. Serum chemerin levels are significantly elevated in type 2 diabetes patients with macroalbuminuria. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted a preliminary investigation of the effects of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) on chemerin expres...

BACKGROUND Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a serine protease inhibitor, regulates extracellular matrix production in the kidney. We sought the association between urinary PEDF (uPEDF) and development of nephropathy among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHODS Two human studies were performed in which uPEDF was determined by ELISA. These studies included (1) a cross-sectional ...

Results of eight multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group studies were pooled to assess the efficacy of the angiotensin II-receptor blocker irbesartan over the dose range of 1 to 900 mg. A total of 2955 adults with a seated diastolic blood pressure of 95 to 110 mm Hg were randomized to treatment with oral irbesartan once daily or placebo for 6 to 8 weeks. Office...

BACKGROUND Radiocontrast nephropathy (RCN) is a major complication after radiographic examination. The precise mechanisms underlying RCN are not well understood. Renal tubular cell apoptosis is a feature of RCN, but hyperosmolality cannot fully explain the cytotoxicity of contrast media. There is accumulating evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in the pathophysiology of RCN,...