Arya Atherosclerosis
Volume:6 Issue: 3, Autumn 2010

The world is witnessing ever fastest growing pandemic with high morbidity and mortality that excessive volume of airline travels spread influenza infection; so physicians with various specialties should know and consider the impact of current pandemic on their daily practice. Among influenza A viruses that infect humans, an influenza A virus emerged that had shifted to H1N1. Primarily, the results of pandemic of H1N1 were in younger humans without preexisting immunity. Attack rates of swine influenza are relatively high but mortality is relatively low and mortality rate is highest in the very young, the very old, and the immunosuppressed. In this new pandemic, there is not more evidence of the interface of H1N1 with chronic diseases; however, we expect that the Swine flu such as the previous influenza pandemics can change the course of many chronic diseases.

Atherosclerosis is the most important underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) which recently has been classified as an inflammatory disorder. Accumulation of large amounts of oxidized LDL in the intima during local inflammation reaction led to increase several factors such as C -reactive protein (CRP). It has also been reported that CRP is able to bind with modified forms of LDL as well as oxidized LDL. These findings suggest possible positive or negative involvement of this protein in atherogenesis. The main objective of the present study was to assess the influence of CRP on LDL oxidation and the possible physical \changes of LDL in the presence of CRP in vitro. In this study, the susceptibility of purified LDL to oxidation was assayed by monitoring of formation of conjugated dienes in different physiological concentrations of CRP (0 - 0.5 -2 µg/ml) using a shimadzu spectrophotometer. Electrophoresis was used to determine the electrophoretic mobility of LDL in those conditions. CRP significantly reduced the susceptibility of Cu++ -induced LDL oxidation through increasing the lag timeand there was positive relationship between these findings and CRP concentration (P < 0.05). CRP caused a significant reduction in the electrophotretic mobility of LDL compared to native LDL (n-LDL) (P<0.05). A considerable reduction was shown in LDL oxidation, in higher concentration of CRP, via an unknown mechanism. The electrophoretic mobility of LDL, in the oxidative condition, decreases in the presence of CRP compared to n-LDL, which can be indicative of the effect of this protein on the physical and chemical properties of LDL. It seems that, other pathway than LDL oxidation is responsible for the effect of CRP on the atherogenesis processes.

Migraine Induced Stroke (MIS) is an important cause of brain infarction in the young people. Consecutive patients with MIS admitted in Ghaem hospital, Mashhad during 2006-2010 enrolled a prospective clinical study. All of the patients suspected to MIS had brain MRI with a 0.5 Tesla generation, Philips NT Intra, Netherland. All of the MIS patients underwent a standard battery of diagnostic investigations for detecting etiology of stroke. Disability of MIS patients was detected based on the modified Rankin scale at 90 days post stroke. 32 MIS patients (18 females, 14 males) with mean age 37.2 ± 3.8 years ranged 15-58 years were evaluated. Hypodense area of infarction corresponding to clinical manifestations was detected in MRI in 32% of our MIS patients. The mean disability score in our MIS patients was 1.09 ± 0.32, which is significantly lower than other stroke patients (z = 2.55, P = 0.007) MIS is an important cause of stroke in Persian young adults which have good prognosis.

Effects of 5-year interventions of Worksite Intervention Project from Isfahan Healthy Heart Program on cardiovascular risk factors of factories and offices employees were studied in Isfahan and Najafabad (intervention area) compared to Arak (control area). We had especial interventions for nutrition, physical activity and smoking as well as hypertension and obesity screening systems in all offices and factories, and other risk factors screening systems whenever possible.Before and after the interventions, questionnaires containing demographic and other required data were completed for the two populations; height, weight and blood pressure (BP) were measured and a fasting and 2h blood sample was taken for the measurement of blood sugar (BS) and lipid levels.. The prevalence of Hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity decreased, but low HDL increased in office staff (P < 0.01). Waist circumference, HDL and total cholesterol mean values decreased, and diastolic BP and fasting and 2h BS increased among the intervention group. In factory workers, the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity decreased, while low HDL prevalence increased in intervention group (P < 0.001). Mean values of waist circumference, HDL, total cholesterol, and triglyceride decreased significantly (P < 0.001), while diastolic BP and fasting BS increased. It seems that Worksite Intervention Project has a protective effect on CVD risk factors in factories and offices employees. So, the modifiable project can be used as an applicable tool for health improvement in worksites which creates tangible changes in employees’ lifestyle.

Previous studies suggest that mental status may influence serum lipid levels. This study was conducted on adult population living in rural and urban areas in Central Iran to assess the correlation between stress level and lipid profile disorders. Data was extracted from final evaluation of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP) in 2008. Multistage and random cluster methods were used for sampling. The study population consisted of 9752 adults aged ≥19 years living in three districts namely Isfahan, Arak and Najaf Abad. Demographic data, age and sex were recorded. Blood samples were taken to determine the lipid levels including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides. Stress levels were assessed using the General Health Questionnaire. Logistic regression and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis. The odds ratios of high stress in individuals with high levels of TC, LDL-C and low levels of HDL-C compared to normal individuals after adjustment for age and sex were as follows respectively: 1.05 (1.02,1.15), 1.06 (1.02,1.18), 1.06 (1.01,1.17). Intervention activities towards reduction of stress levels at the community level may be useful as part of the strategy for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is responsible for many mortality across the world, especially in our country. The conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis are well understood, but they can account for only about50% to 70% of atherosclerotic events in the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between prevalent coronary artery disease(CAD) and clinical periodontal disease in patients with angiographic ally proven coronary artery disease. 152 consecutive patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease will be included in this study, who received a complete periodontal examination during visit Patients with normal coronary, average plaque index (1.6±1.02) Index of bleeding (1.51±0.92), mean adhesion level (3.57±1.18). But patients with coronary artery disease, the mean plaque index (2.46±0.62) Index of bleeding (1.86±0.92), mean adhesion level (4.13±1.45). This differences are statistically significant. (P <0.05) In this study, average depth of probe entrance on the surface of teeth has had little relation with cardiovascular disease (p=0.051) According to the results of this study, in peoples over 40 years, who had coronary artery disease proved by coronary angiography, gingival inflammation (periodentitis) has a significant relation as a risk factor.

The prevalence of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is increasing in recent years. Factors associated with mortality in CHF patients are important to be determined in order to select therapeutic modality by physicians. The purpose of the current study was to declare predictors of 6-months survival in patients hospitalized for decompensated CHF in Isfahan. A cohort of 301 hospitalized patients with decompensated CHF were recruited in this study. The diagnosis of CHF was based on previous hospitalizations and Framingham criteria for heart failure (HF). Information regarding past history, accompanying diseases such as cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), clinical data, medications and echocardiography were obtained by a cardiologist. Patients were followed for their survival for 6 months by telephone calls. Kaplan-Meier method was used for uni variate survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis. Mean age of patients was 71.9 ± 12.2 years and 59.8% was male. During 6-months follow-up 138 (45.8%) patients died. Mean survival was 119.2 ± 4.4 days (Mean ± SEM). Significant prognostic factors for 6 months survival were high education level (HR = 0.74, CI 95% 0.59—0.93), COPD (HR = 1.91, CI 95% 1.2—3.04), CVA (HR = 1.69, CI 95% 1.03—2.78), Angiotensin Converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors use (HR = 0.44, CI 95% 0.3—0.66) and Diuretics (HR = 0.63, CI 95% 0.41-0.96). Six-month survival of hospitalized decompensated CHF patients in Iran is not favorable. Many factors particularly accompanying diseases and medications affected the patient’s 6-months survival.

Stroke is a medical emergency with a mortality rate higher than most forms of cancer. It is the second leading cause of death in developed countries and the most common cause of serious, long-term disability in adults.Primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a major clinical problem that accounts for 15% of all acute stroke hospitalizations. Currently, there is no medical therapy available for these patients, with options being limited to supportive care or invasive neurosurgical evacuation. The damage induced by an ICH appears to be related to a combination of different factors. In addition to direct mechanical disruption from the hematoma, surrounding injury secondary to edema formation and ischemia are contributing factors for brain injury following ICH. Citicoline (cytidine-5-diphosphocholine) is an essential precursor for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine that is key component of cell membranes. Citicoline is a naturally occurring endogenous compound. For clinical use, the sodium salt of this compound usually utilized. During ischemia, phosphatidylcholine is broken down into free fatty acids, which in turn are used to generate free radicals that potentiate ischemic injury. Citicoline is a neuroprotectant drug with some beneficial effects in human ischemic stroke and primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) with an excellent safety profile.In the current paper, we review published papers regarding use of citicoline in the treatment of human ischemic stroke and primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).