Gender Differences in Ventricular-vascular Coupling Following Exercise

Objective To study the differences of cardiovascular system between men and women in response to exercise stress. Methods Forty healthy youth were tested according to Bruce protocol of exercise stress. They were detected by ultrasonography during the rest, peak exercise, and recovery stages, respectively. The left ventricular diastolic elastance(Ed), effective arterial elastance(Ea), left ventricular end-systolic elatance(Ees), ventricular-vascular coupling index(VVI), and total stiffness index(TSI) were measured and calculated according to the formulas. The results of all stages were compared according to genders. Results All stages, the Ed, TSI, and VVI of women were higher than those of men, but the Ees was lower than that of men(all P<0.05); there was no significant difference in Ea between men and women. The Ed, Ees, Ea, and TSI were closely related with left ventricular oxygen consumption and heart function, and women showed more closely. Before and after exercise, the changes were different in Ed, Ees, Ea, TSI, and VVI(all P<0.05), and VVI changed least. Conclusions Before and after exercise, the ventricular stiffness matched well with arterial stiffness and maintained within a narrow range. For women, the tolerance of exercise was lower than that of men.

Ultrasound Assessraent of Intima-media Thickness and Diameter of Carotid Arteries in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis or Renal Transplantation

Renal transplant （RT） recipients have a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of renal transplantation on the development of arteriosclerosis have been controversial. The carotid intima-media thickness （CIMT） and diameter （CD） are important indicators of vascular remodeling and arteriosclerosis. In this study, 31 patients with hemodialysis （HD）, 31 RT recipients and 84 age- and gender-matched control subjects were enrolled. Their CIMT and CD were measured by ultrasonic radiofrequency tracking, and the linear regression models and Z test were used to identify the progression of arteriosclerosis and the risk factors. Compared with HD group, RT group had significantly lower CIMT and CD. CIMT was found to be associated with age, body weight, resistance index and diastolic velocity, while CD was associated significantly with age, body weight, pulsatility index, end diastolic velocity and diastolic blood pressure （DBP）, respectively. The correlation curves between CIMT and age showed the slopes of curves were decreased successively in control, RT and HD groups, and the curves between CD and age showed the slopes were decreased in order of RT 〉 control 〉 HD groups. It was concluded that CIMT and CD were significantly correlated with age in RT and moderately with age in HD patients. RT could reduce the progress of arteriosclerosis in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Effects of Ticagrelor on oxidative stress, coagulation function, platelet function and related factors in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing interventional therapy

Objective: To explore the effects of Ticagrelor on oxidative stress, coagulation function, platelet function and related factors in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing interventional therapy. Methods: A total of 140 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in our hospital from October 2016 to March 2018 were selected as the study subjects and were divided into control group (70 cases) and observation group (70 cases) by drawing lots. Both groups were treated with symptomatic routine therapy before operation. On this basis, the control group was treated with clopidogrel before operation, and the observation group was treated with Ticagrelor before operation on the basis of routine treatment. The changes of oxidative stress, coagulation index, platelet function and related factors were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: Before treatment, there were no significant differences in oxidative stress factors, coagulation parameters, platelet parameters and related factors factors between the two groups. After treatment, the levels of MDA, MPAR, VEGF and MMP-9 in the two groups were lower than those before treatment, while the levels of SOD, APTT, TT and PT were higher than those before treatment;and the levels of MDA, MPAR, VEGF, MMP-9, APTT and PT in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group after treatment, while the levels fo SOD, TT and IPA in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Conclusions: Ticagrelor can better reduce oxidative stress injury, improve coagulation function and coronary stenosis, and inhibit platelet aggregation in patients with coronary heart disease undergoing PCI than clopidogrel. It has clinical popularization significance.