High sensitive C-reactive protein, adiponectin, and urine albumin excretion rate in Chinese coronary artery disease patients with different glucose tolerance status

Background Serum high sensitive C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）, adiponectin levels and urine albumin excretion rate （UAER） are probably associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine the three markers in coronary artery disease （CAD） subjects with different glucose tolerance status in a Chinese population and further explore the levels of the three markers in these subjects and the possible association of these markers with CAD risk factors and the severity of CAD as well. Methods A total of 242 subjects with angiographically documented CAD were recruited, and then assigned to three groups： the normal glucose tolerance （NGT） ＋ CAD group, including 100 CAD patients with NGT; the impaired glucose tolerance （IGT） ＋ CAD group, 40 CAD patients with IGT; the type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） ＋ CAD group, 102 CAD patients with T2DM. Serum hs-CRP, adiponectin levels as well as UAER were measured in all subjects. Results Serum hs-CRP levels were increased in the T2DM ＋ CAD group compared with the NGT ＋ CAD group （4.71±2.59） vs （3.60±2.46） mg/L, P=0.037. Serum adiponectin levels were gradually decreased from the NGT ＋ CAD to IGT ＋ CAD to T2DM ＋ CAD groups, （5.99±1.84）, （5.82±1.72） and （4.65±1.71） mg/L, P=0.002 and 0.040 for NGT ＋ CAD and IGT ＋ CAD groups vs T2DM ＋ CAD group, respectively. While the UAER was gradually increased from the NGT ＋ CAD to IGT ＋ CAD to T2DM ＋ CAD groups, （6.42±2.51）, （6.89±2.94） and （15.03±4.22） μg/min （P 〈0.001） for NGT ＋ CAD and IGT ＋ CAD groups vs T2DM ＋ CAD group. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that waist-hip ratio （WHR） and low density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） were the significant determinants of serum hs-CRP levels; triglyceride （TG）, high density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）, age, WHR, T2DM, 2-hour serum insulin （2hINS）, sex, and apolipoprotein B were the significant determinants of serum adiponectin levels; and systolic blood pressure （SBP）, T2DM and hemoglobin A1c （HbA1c） were the significant determinants of UAER in all subjects （R^2= 0.070, 0.352, and 0.214, respectively）. However, no significant correlation was seen for hs-CRP, adiponectin and UAER with the severity of CAD. Hs-CRP levels were significantly correlated with UAER. Conclusions There was a trend of increased serum hs-CRP levels from the NGT ＋ CAD to IGT ＋ CAD to T2DM ＋ CAD groups, though it only showed significance in the T2DM ＋ CAD group compared with the NGT ＋ CAD group. Serum adiponectin levels were decreased and UAER was increased from the NGT ＋ CAD to IGT ＋ CAD to T2DM ＋ CAD groups Increased UAER and serum hs-CRP, and decreased adiponectin levels were associated with traditional CAD risk factors but failed to be correlated with the severity of CAD. Hs-CRP levels were significantly correlated with UAER.

Impact of weight gain following smoking cessation on one-year outcome after drug-eluting stent implantation

Background Weight gain following smoking cessation increases cardiovascular risk, but its effects on prognosis after percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between weight gain post smoking cessation and one-year clinical outcome in patients who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stent （DES）. Methods A total of 895 consecutive male smoking patients were divided into quitters （n=437） and continuers （n=458） according to their smoking status after PCI. Weight gain, major adverse cardiac events （MACE, including cardiac deaths, myocardial infarction and revascularization）, and recurrent angina were recorded during follow-up for one year. Results Average weight gain in quitters was more than that in continuers （1.5 kg vs. -0.03 kg, P〈0.001）. Weight was unchanged or increased by more than 1.5 kg in 78.17% of continuers, while 50.57% of quitters had a weight gain of less than 1.5 kg. Compared with continuers, MACE in quitters was significantly reduced after PCI （6.12% vs. 4.81%, P=0.049）, especially recurrent angina （13.97% in continuers vs. 9.84% in quitters, P=0.027）. After adjusting for weight gain and other factors, smoking cessation was independently associated with a lower risk of MACE and recurrent angina （0R=0.73, P=0.035）. However, weight gain 〉1.5 kg （OR=1.55, P=0.026） could curtail the benefits from smoking cessation. Conclusions Weight gain may reduce the benefits of smoking cessation after PCI with DES implantation. Thus, although smoking cessation is recommended after PCI, weight control should also be highly encouraged for these patients.

Acute coronary syndrome is an independent risk factor for late incomplete stent apposition after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation

Background Late incomplete stent apposition （ISA） may occur after drug-eluting stent implantation, affecting long-term clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of clinical presentations of coronary artery disease on late ISA after percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） with sirolimus-eluting stents （SES） by means of three-dimensional volumetric intravascular ultrasound （IVUS） analyses. Methods One hundred and thirty-seven patients with coronary artery disease received SES implantation during PCI and had repeat angiography with IVUS examination. All patients were followed up one year after the procedure. Results In overall 219 treated lesions （137 patients）, late ISA was identified in 25 lesions （16 patients）. Clinical diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome （ACS） and use of long stents were more common in patients with than in those without late ISA. Patients with late ISA had greater external elastic membrane （EEM） area in stented segment （（15.34±5.44） vs （13.83±4.51） mm^2, P=0.026）, stented-to-reference segment EEM area ratio （1.13±0.22 vs 1.02±0.18, P 〈0.001）, and plaque and media area （（8.43±3.93） vs （7.01±2.93） mm^2, P =0.002） than in those without late ISA. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that clinical diagnosis of ACS and use of long stents were independent risk factors for late ISA （OR 6.477, 95%CI 2.297-18.263, P 〈0.001; OR 3.680, 95%Cl 1.181-11.469, P =0.025; respectively）. During one-year follow-up after IVUS examination, the rate of very late stent thrombosis tended to be higher in patients with than in those without late ISA （18.7% vs 3.3%, P =0.051）. Conclusions The occurrence of late ISA after SES implantation may be related to clinical status, use of long stents, and marked positive vessel remodeling. Late ISA tended to increase the rate of very late stent thrombosis during follow-up, highlighting the importance of long-term dual antiplatelet therapy for these patients.

Glycation of high-density lipoprotein in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To evaluate whether glycation of high-density lipoprotein （HDL） increases cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by altering its anti-atherogenic property.