Arya Atherosclerosis
Volume:6 Issue: 1, Spring 2010

Atherosclerosis, which is a result of gradual deposition of lipids in the lower part of blood vessel endothelium, is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity around the world. It has been proved that some inflammatory blood markers such as fibrinogen can predict the risk for cardiovascular disease conditions, not only in cardiovascular patients, but also in those who do not have any manifestations of the atherosclerotic development. In this study, the effect of Cornus mas l. was evaluated on fibrinogen of hypercholesterolemic rabbits and it was also compared with lovastatin drug. In this study, 25 New Zealand adult male rabbits were randomly divided into five groups of five. They were treated by 5 different diets, namely basic, high cholesterol, regular plus 1 g/kgbw CORNUS MAS L. powder, high cholesterol plus 1 g/kgbw cornus mas powder, and high cholesterol plus 10 mg/kgbw lovastatin, for 60 days. Cornus mas L.Cornus mas L.At the beginning and at the end of this period, blood samples were collected from the rabbits and their serum fibrinogen levels were measured. The results showed that Cornus mas L. powder and lovastatin significantly decreased fibrinogen levels, in comparison with high cholesterol group (P < 0.05) Furthermore Cornus mas L. powder could reduce the fibrinogen level more than lovastatin (P < 0.05). The results indicated that consumption of Cornus mas might be beneficial in atherosclerotic patients due to its reducting effects on fibrinogen

Atherosclerosis is the commonest cause of vascular disease which can involve peripheral and/or cardiac vessels. In view of the different prevalence of peripheral and coronary vessel disease in various societies and the need for non-invasive procedures, we conducted this study to evaluate the possible link between Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) and coronary vessel involvement in patients with stable angina. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008 on 120 individuals who were hospitalized in Chamran Heart Center and underwent coronary angiography. A questionnaire was completed to obtain demographic information, history of previous heart disease and smoking. Body height and weight, as blood pressure on hand and foot were measured by a trained person. The patients underwent angiography and the extent of coronary involvement (>75%) was determined. 12-14-hour fasting blood sugar was obtained to measure total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABI) was calculated as the ratio of the blood pressure in the ankles to the blood pressure in the arms. The data were analyzed by SPSS-15 using ANOVA, T-Student test, Spearman''s rank correlation coefficient, and discriminant analysis. The patients consisted of 46 women (38.33%) and 74 men (61.67%) with a mean age of 55.50 ± 10.49 years. Mean and standard deviation of ABI in men and women was 0.72 ± 0.20 and 0.80 ± 0.19 with no significant difference (P = 0.012). The correlation between ABI and extent of coronary involvement was 0.47 (P < 0.0001). Comparison of mean ABI in groups with varying degrees of coronary involvement demonstrated a significant difference (P = 0.0001). The group with lower ABI had the highest levels of coronary involvement (triple vessel, P < 0.05); ABI had a predictive value of 5.48%. ABI had a significant relationship with the degree of coronary involvement and a significant predictive value. Therefore ABI seems to be a reliable indicator of high coronary risk.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrine disorders which is accompanied with many metabolic syndromes. Use of herbal medicines has always been an option to treat a great number of diseases such as diabetes and its complications. In this study the liver-protective effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Allium hirtifolium on liver enzymes level in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus was investigated. Thirty five male rats were randomly divided into five groups of seven: Group 1: nondiabetic control, Group 2: diabetic control, Group 3: diabetic treated with shallot extract (0.1 g/kg), Group 4: diabetic rats treated with shallot extract (1 g/kg) and Group 5: diabetic treated with glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kg). Using intraperitoneal (IP) injection of Alloxan monohydrate, diabetes mellitus was induced in rats. Diabetic rats were treated with IP injection for 4 weeks. At the end of the experimental period fasting blood samples were collected. Statistical analysis of the data indicated hydroalcoholic extract of shallot can significantly decrease serum contents of Liver enzymes (ALP, AST, ALT) in treated groups. In most cases, the effectiveness of the extract on reduction of these enzymes is more than glibenclamide. Antioxidant compounds in the extract may recover liver damages caused by free radicals in diabetic rats.

Trans fatty acids are known as the most harmful type of dietary fats, so this study was done to compare the effects of hydrogenated, liquid and ghee oils on serum lipids profile of healthy adults. Methods and Materials: This study was a randomized clinical trial conducted on 129 healthy participants aged 20 to 60 years old who were beneficiaries of Imam-e-Zaman charitable organization. Subjects were randomized in 3 groups and each group was treated with a diet containing cooking and frying liquid, ghee, or hydrogenated for 40 days. Fasting serum lipids, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), LDL- cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL- cholesterol (HDL-C), apoprotein A (Apo A), and apoprotein B (Apo B) were measured before and after the study. TC, TG, Apo B had a significant reduction in the liquid oil group compared to the hydrogenated oil group. In the ghee group TG declined and Apo A increased significantly (P<0.01). Liquid oil group had a significant reduction in HDL-C, compared to the ghee oil group (P<0.05). We concluded consuming liquid oil along with frying oil caused to reduce all serum lipid levels. However, ghee oil only reduced TG and increased HDL-C levels.

Using dietary pattern analysis method could provide more information about nutritional etiology of chronic disease such as obesity. The aim of this study is to determine the association between major dietary patterns and general and central obesity among adult women living in Tehran. A cross-sectional was conducted in Tehran, Iran, with 460 women aged 20-50 y. Dietary intake in last year was collected by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Weight, height and waist circumstance (WC) were measured with standard methods and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. General obesity was defined as BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and central obesity as WC ≥ 88 cm. Factor analysis was used for identifying major dietary patterns. The association between major dietary patterns and general and central obesity were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Two major dietary patterns were extracted: “Healthy” and “Unhealthy” dietary pattern. After adjusting for confounders, individuals in the highest quartile of the unhealthy dietary pattern score were more likely to be generally (OR = 7.33, 95% CI: 2.39-22.51) and centrally obese (OR = 4.99, 95% CI: 2.08-11.94); whereas, those in the upper quartile of healthy dietary pattern were less likely to be generally (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.15- 0.98) and centrally obese (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.16- 0.71). Major dietary patterns of Tehrani women had the significant associations with general and central obesity. Further prospective researches are required to confirm such associations.

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death in developed countries. On the other hand, increased level of CRP has been seen in atherosclerosis. According to this finding, we decided to conduct this study to assess the relationship between CRP and complex lesions of coronary arteries in patients with unstable angina. In this analytical cross sectional study which was conducted in 2007 in Chamran hospital, samples were collected using simple sampling and included 80 patients who referred to the hospital due to angina pectoris, had the diagnosis of unstable angina and were candidates of angiography. At first, a questionnaire was filled for each patient including demographic factors and their medical history. Then a blood sample was taken to assess level of CRP, FBS, and lipid profiles. The results of angiographic studies were considered by three cardiologists and abnormal patients were classified into simple and complex groups according to Ambrose criteria. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 15, t student and Chi square tests. Mean age of samples was 58.27 ± 6.23 years old. Considering the risk factors, most simple and complex lesions happened in obese patients however the only significant difference was observed in BMI between two groups (P < 0.05). Mean level of CRP in the population under study was 6.05 ± 4 mg/dl which was 1.37 ± 2 and 8.01 ± 6 in simple and complex groups respectively (P < 0.05). CRP mean was significantly higher in the group with complex lesions, less than 1 mg/dl in simple lesion and more than 4 mg/dl in complex lesions. According to our findings, there is a significant difference considering CRP level in unstable angina patients who have complex lesions compared with simples ones. As complex plaques are more susceptible to develop coronary events, patients with a higher probability of complicated lesions can be screened.

Early diagnosis and treatment of myocardial infarction can prevent life-threatening complications such as dysrhythmias and death. The aim of this study was to determine the length of delay and its related factors in seeking treatment among a group of patients with myocardial infarction. In a cross-sectional design, all the patients who had referred to a general teaching hospital (Kashan, Iran) for treatment of myocardial infarction from April 2004 to March 2005 were recruited. Demographic characteristics, the amount of delay, and the causes of having delay were recorded. Two hundred patients were recruited for this study from which 131 (69%) patients had delay in seeking treatment. Factors such as gender, age, economical status, educational level, referring to a general physician before referring to the hospital, the severity of symptoms, residential place (urban vs. rural), and the time of the onset of the symptoms (day vs. night) were determined to be related to having delay. The most important causes of having delay were: "hoping the symptoms to alleviate spontaneously", "attributing the symptoms to other problems other than heart problems", and "disregarding the symptoms". Regarding the most important causes of having delay in this study, the importance of educating people about the symptoms of myocardial infarction and the importance of early referral to the hospitals is clarified.

Isolated pulmonic valve endocarditis is a rare condition. The clinical and laboratory finding are not specific and experiences about that are limited. Most cases of that occur in children with congenital heart disease or in intravenous drug abusers and the main predisposing factor in adults is intravenous drug abuse. The most common pathogens are staphylococcus aurous and coagulase negative staphylococcus. CASE REPORT: In this case report we present a 27 years old man with chronic fever (4 months) and a history of congenital VSD. Echocardiography revealed the pulmonic valve and pulmonary artery vegetations. He referred for surgery after 3 weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy.