AIMS We sought to assess the effect of clopidogrel on clinical events 1 year after discharge in survivors of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in clinical practice. METHODS AND RESULTS We analysed data of consecutive survivors of acute STEMI and either concomitant therapy with aspirin or aspirin plus clopidogrel at discharge, who were prospectively enrolled in the Acute Coronary Synd...

Most cases of acute myocardial infarction are caused by disruption of an atherosclerotic plaque followed by coronary thrombosis (1). In ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the thrombus occludes a major epicardial coronary artery. Such an occlusion is an emergency situation, and flow in the occluded vessel should be restored as fast as possible. Various strategies for reperfusion are ava...

Myoglobin (Mb) is a protein that enters rapidly and is rapidly cleared from plasma after coronary reperfusion. We sought to determine the accuracy with which a rapid rise in plasma [Mb] could predict successful coronary artery reopening in patients undergoing coronary arteriography in conjunction with attempted reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction. In 42 patients, plasma Mb levels were me...

In a group of 39 patients who received fibrinolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction, serum crosslinked fibrin degradation products (XLDP) were quantitated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using an antibody reactive with a site near the gamma gamma crosslink of fibrin, and characterized by a gel electrophoretic method to distinguish fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) fr...

PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HO) therapy in the protection against liver ischemia/reperfusion injury. METHODS Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of eight animals each: group A - laparotomy and liver manipulation, group B - liver ischemia and reperfusion, group C - HO pretreatment for 60 min followed by liver ischemia and reperfusion, and group D...

OBJECTIVE The most important step in the treatment of ST elevation myocardial infarction is to sustain myocardial blood supply as soon as possible. The two main treatment methods used today to provide myocardial reperfusion are thrombolytic therapy and percutaneous coronary intervention. In our study, reperfusion arrhythmias were investigated as if they are indicators of coronary artery patency...

BACKGROUND Stroke patients are heterogeneous not only with respect to etiology but also in terms of preexisting clinical conditions. Approximately one fifth of patients with acute stroke are hyperglycemic and/or have had a recent infectious or inflammatory condition. Summary of Review-- Experimental research indicates that these factors can alter and accelerate the evolution of stroke and reper...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Reperfusion following intra-arterial stroke therapy is associated with improved clinical outcomes. However, the degree of reperfusion needed to achieve successful outcomes is unknown. The purpose of this analysis was to determine whether the degree of reperfusion has an impact on final infarct volumes and clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis...

Angiogenesis is controlled by anti-angiogenic factors as well as by angiogenic factors, such as VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and HGF (hepatocyte growth factor). Endostatin, a potent endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor, is known to inhibit endothelial proliferation and suppress tumour growth. However, to date, little is known about the pathophysiology of endostatin in ischaemia/reperf...