The role of Toll-like receptors in retinal ischemic diseases

Toll-like receptors（TLRs） are commonly referred to a series of evolutionary conserved receptors which recognize and respond to various microbes and endogenous ligands.Growing evidence has demonstrated that the expression of TLRs in the retina is regulated during retinal ischemic diseases,including ischemia-reperfusion injury,glaucoma,diabetic retinopathy（DR） and retinopathy of prematurity（ROP）.TLRs can be expressed in multiple cells in the retina,such as glial cells,retinal pigment epithelium（RPE）,as well as photoreceptor cells and endothelium cells.Activation of TLRs in retina could initiate a complex signal transduction cascade,induce the production of inflammatory cytokines and regulate the level of costimulatory molecules,which play prominent roles in the pathogenesis of retinal ischemic diseases.In this review,we summarized current studies about the relationship between TLRs and ischemic retinopathy.A greater understanding of the effect of TLRs on ischemic injuries may contribute to the development of specific TLR targeted therapeutic strategies in these conditions.

Contribution of Stress Testing to the Management of Ischemic Heart Disease in Mali

Introduction: Exercise stress testing (on a treadmill or ergometer bicycle) is an important test in cardiology for diagnosing myocardial ischemia. This test in Mali is still in its beginning compared to other countries in the sub-region. The lack of data in Mali prompted this study, which aimed to evaluate the indications of this activity and its diagnostic contribution to cardiology in Mali. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive study. The study was conducted at the “TOUCAM” medical clinic in Kati based on the analysis of stress test reports between January 2016 and August 2022. Result: During the study period, we documented 73 patients who underwent exercise testing on a bicycle ergometer for suspected coronary heart disease. The mean age of our patients was 47.5 ± 13.8 years (14 and 79 years). Males accounted for the majority (78.1%). The sex ratio is 3.5. More than half of our patients were overweight or obese (77.1%). Hypertension and diabetes affected 52.1% and 25.8% of patients, respectively. 20.8% of patients had coronary artery disease. renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers (56.8%) and beta-blockers (51.3%). The main indications were chest pain (63.0%) and ischemia detection (15.1%). A modified STEEP protocol was used. The majority of our patients (71.2%) achieved at least 85% of their maximum theoretical heart rate. The main reason for the termination of the study was fatigue (57.3%). The average duration was 11.3 ± 4.2 minutes. 24.7% thought the stress tests were positive and 17.8% thought they were controversial. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the importance of stress testing in the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic heart disease, especially in settings where we have very limited access to coronary angiography.

Fifty-eight cases of ocular ischemic diseases caused by carotid artery stenosis

Background The blood supply to the eye comes from the retinal central vascular system of the ophthalmic artery and the ciliary vascular system. The ophthalmic artery stems from the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. If occlusion or stenosis occurs in the carotid artery, the blood perfusion to the ophthalmic artery becomes insufficient, leading to signs and symptoms of anterior and posterior ocular ischemia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of ocular ischemic diseases caused by carotid artery stenosis. Methods This study was a retrospective review of 145 patients with carotid artery stenosis. Fifty-eight patients who had symptoms of ocular ischemic disease caused by carotid artery stenosis formed group A and the other 87 patients who only had carotid artery stenosis formed group B. We analyzed the causes and course of disease, and relative risk factors, by comparing the two groups. Results The degree of carotid artery stenosis in group A was higher than that in group B. And group A had a greater decrease of ophthalmic artery flow. Male, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking were significantly related to carotid artery stenosis. Amaurosis fugax was the most common ocular symptom in group A. The ocular ischemic diseases mainly included ischemic optic neuropathy, central/branch retinal artery occlusion, ophthalmoplegia externa, and ocular ischemic syndrome. Conclusions Carotid artery stenosis correlates with ocular ischemic diseases. Ophthalmologists must observe for ocular symptoms, which were the onset symptoms in some patients.

Use of various CT imaging methods for diagnosis of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease

Thirty-four patients with cerebral infarction and 18 patients with transient ischemic attack were examined by multi-slice spiral CT scan, CT perfusion imaging, and CT angiography within 6 hours after onset. By CT perfusion imaging, 29 cases in the cerebral infarction group and 10 cases in the transient ischemic attack group presented with abnormal blood flow perfusion, which corresponded to the clinical symptoms. By CT angiography, various degrees of vascular stenosis could be detected in 41 patients, including 33 in the cerebral infarction group and eight in the transient ischemic attack group. The incidence of intracranial artery stenosis was higher than that of extracranial artery stenosis. The intracranial artery stenosis was located predominantly in the middle cerebral artery and carotid artery siphon, while the extracranial artery stenosis occurred mainly in the bifurcation of the common carotid artery and the opening of the vertebral artery. There were 34 cases （83%） with convict vascular stenosis and perfusion abnormalities, and five cases （45%） with perfusion abnormalities but without convict vascular stenosis. The incidence of cerebral infarction in patients with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores 〉 5 points during onset was significantly higher than that in patients with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores 〈 5 points. These experimental findings indicate that the combined application of various CT imaging methods allows early diagnosis of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease, which can comprehensively analyze the pathogenesis and severity of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease at the morphological and functional levels.

Significance of ultrasound evaluation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque for diagnosing ischemic cerebrovascular disease

BACKGROUND： Carotid artery is the main source for craniocerebral blood supply. Its intimal plaque formation and arterial stenosis degree both are the risk factors for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.Therefore, the close relationship of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and ultrasound evaluation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque have become the hot spot in studying ischemic cerebrovascular disease.OBJECTIVE： This study was to detect the degree of carotid atherosclerosis of ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients by ultrasonography, and to analyze the situation of carotid atherosclerosis and its relationship with clinic.DESIGN： Clinical randomized concurrent control experiment.SETTING： Lintong Convalescent Hospital of Lanzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS： Totally 60 outpatients and inpatients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease, 42 males and 18 females, admitted to Lintong Convalescent Hospital of Lanzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between January 2006 and December 2006 were involved in the patient group. They met the diagnosis criteria of ischemic cerebrovascular disease constituted by the 4th Cerebrovascular Disease Conference in 1996, and were confirmed to suffer from ischemic cerebrovascular disease by skull CT and MRI. Another 20 subjects who received healthy examination concurrently in the same hospital, 12 males and 8 females, were involved in the control group. Informed consents of detected items were obtained from involved subjects.METHODS： The plaque thickness of mid portion, distal end and crotch of common carotid artery （CCA）,internal carotid artery （ICA）, external carotid artery （ECA） and vertebral artery （VA） of involved subjects,who received health examination was separately detected with color Doppler ultrasonograph （HDI-5000）.Then, total integral of plaque was calculated. The intima-media thickness （IMT） was measured with two-dimensional ultrasonography. The inner diameter stenosis degree of subjects who had plaque was measured. Blood flow parameters were recorded, and stenosis degree and plaque area were calculated. Blood flow volume of bilateral carotid artery and VA was separately measured with ultrasound equipment software,and brain blood flow volume was calculated.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Atherosclerotic degree and blood flow volume of patients of two groups.RESULTS： Sixty patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease and twenty subjects who received health examination participated in the final analysis. ①The IMT thickness, total plaque score, and total plaque area of patient group was significantly superior to that of control group, respectively（ t=5.216 - 10.158, P 〈 0.05 ）.② There were significant differences in the stenosis degree of CCA, ICA and VA between patient group and control group （t=6.720 - 12.816, P 〈 0.05 ） . ③ The blood flow volume of CCA, ICA, VA and brain of patient group was significantly lower than that of control group, respectively （t=2.872 - 10.860, P 〈 0.05）.CONCLUSION： Ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients have different degrees of changes in atherosclerosis and arterial blood flow.

Factors influencing ischemic cerebrovascular disease complicated by hyperhomocysteinemia

BACKGROUND： Hyperhomocysteinemia, as an important risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease is receiving increasing attention. OBJECTIVE： To analyze whether differences of gender, age, cerebrovascular disease typing, and disease conditions exist when ischemic cerebrovascular disease occurs together with hyperhomocysteinemia. DESIGN： A controlled observation. SETTING： Department of Neurology, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 601 acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease inpatients, comprising 386 males and 215 females, aged 33-90 years old, were admitted to the Department of Stroke, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital between August 2005 and April 2007, and were recruited for this study. All included patients consisted of 342 aged patients （≥ 60 years old） and 92 middle-aged and young patients （〈 60 years old）. Among these patients, 48 suffered from transient cerebral ischemic attack, 138 from lacunar cerebral infarction, 273 from atherosclerotic stroke, 38 from cardiogenic cerebral infarction, 44 from agnogenic ischemic stroke, and 6 from other factor-induced ischemic strokes. All included inpatients corresponded to the diagnosis criteria of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease, formulated in the 4^th National Working Conference of Cerebrovascular Disease, and were confirmed as acute ischemic cerebral infarction by CT and/or MRI examinations. Informed consents of laboratory measurements were obtained from all subjects, and this study was approved by the Hospital＇s Ethics Committee. METHODS： Following admission, 2 mL venous blood was collected from each fasting patient on the third morning. Plasma homocysteine level was measured by an enzymatic cycling assay with a CX5 reader （Beckman, USA）. Plasma homocysteine levels ≥ 16μ mol/L were defined as hyperhomocysteinemia. Clinical neurological function deficit scoring was also performed for each ischemic stroke patient using Chinese stroke scales. Scores ranged from 0 45 （0-15： mild neurological function deficits, 16-30： moderate neurological deficits, and 31-45： severe neurological deficits）. The scores positively correlated with severity of stroke. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Incidence of ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients complicated by hyperhomocysteinemia and the effects of patient age and gender; plasma homocysteine levels of each type of ischemic cerebrovascular disease; and effects of ischemic cerebrovascular disease conditions on plasma homocysteine levels. RESULTS： All 601 inpatients with acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease were included in the final analysis. The detection rate of homocysteine was significantly higher in aged patients than in middle-aged and young patients （ x^2 = 5.353 0, P 〈 0.05）. The incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia was significantly higher in male patients than in female patients （ x^2 = 9.484 4, P 〈 0.05）. There was no significant difference in the incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia among various types of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases （P 〉 0.05）. No significant difference in incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia existed between mild, moderate, and severe cerebrovascular disease patients （P 〉 0.05）. CONCLUSION： There is a greater chance of ischemic cerebrovascular disease complicated by hyperhomocysteinemia in older, male patients.

Meta-analysis of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphism as a risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease in a Chinese Han population

OBJECTIVE： To assess whether 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene polymorphism （TT genotype or T allele） is a risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease （ICVD）. DATA SOURCES： MEDLINE and PubMed databases from September 1997 to December 2009 were searched for case-control studies that examined MTHFR genotype in human ICVD using ＂MTHFR, gene, polymorphism, and ischemic cerebrovascular disease＂ as search key words. STUDY SELECTION： Eighteen associated studies were identified. The methods used to collect relevant information factors were similar between case and control groups, and diagnosis of ischemic cerebrovascular disease was in accordance with Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria classification, with some referring to European Stroke Diagnostic Criteria. Quality of all included studies was evaluated, and meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan4.2 software （Cochrane Collaboration, http：//www.cochrane-handbook.org） following strict screening. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The correlation between MTHFR gene TT genotype or T allele and ICVD was determined. RESULTS： Eighteen studies involving 4 295 patients with ICVD and 6 169 control subjects were included for this meta-analysis. There was a significant difference in MTHFR gene TT genotype or T allele frequency （x^2 = 15.737, 9.186, P 〈 0.01） between ICVD cases and controls. In addition, six Chinese Han population studies were specially reviewed by meta-analysis. Results showed no significant difference between ICVD and control groups with regard to frequency of MTHFR gene TT genotype and T allele （x^2 = 1.076, 2.434, P 〉 0.05） in the Chinese Han population. CONCLUSION： Results from the present meta-analysis suggested that the MTHFR gene TT genotype or T allele is a risk factor for ICVD. However, the TT genotype or T allele is not a risk factor for ICVD in the Chinese Han population.

Illness perception and cardiovascular health behaviour among persons with ischemic heart disease in Indonesia

Objective:A study was conducted to explore the level of illness perception,the level of cardiovascular health behaviour and the relationship between illness perception and cardiovascular health behaviour among persons with ischemic heart disease(IHD)in a community setting.Method:The participants comprised 235 persons with IHD.The instruments used were as follows:1)Demographic Data and Health Information,2)The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire(Brief IPQ),3)The Open-ended Questionnaire(OEQ),and 4)The Modified Cardiac Health Behaviour Scale(MCHBS).Findings from the OEQ are used to assess in-depth illness perception and to extend the information obtained from the Brief IPQ.The design of the study was descriptive correlational.The data were analysed using descriptive statistics to present the demographic data and health information.Inferential statistics was used to resolve the relationship between illness perception and cardiovascular health behaviour by using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation.Result:The mean score of illness perception was at a moderate level(M=43.65,SD=3.93),whereas the mean score of cardiovascular health behaviour was at a high level(M=80.29,SD=5.42).A significant positive relationship existed between illness perception and cardiovascular health behaviour among persons with IHD(r=0.38,P<0.01).Conclusion:Persons with higher illness perception showed a positive correlation with higher cardiovascular health behaviour at a significant level of 0.01.Results provided important information for nurses to develop an intervention program to promoting appropriate illness perception and cardiovascular health behaviour among persons with IHD.

Is the Mortality Trend of Ischemic Heart Disease by the GBD2013 Study in China Real?

To determine the reason for the different mortality trends of ischemic heart disease （IHD） for China between Global Burden of Disease （GBD） 2010 and GBD2013, and to improve garbage code （GC） redistribution. All data were obtained from the disease surveillance points system, and two proportions for assigning chronic pulmonary heart disease （PHD） as GC to IHD were from GBD2010 and GBD2013,

Are women more susceptible to ischemic heart disease compared to men? A literature overview

Ischemic heart disease(IHD) is known as the leading cause of death in both genders. Moreover, significant sex differences were found in cardiac structure, function, pathophysiology, presentation, treatment, and outcome of IHD. The presence of unique risk factors such as exposure to menarche and pregnancy, more anemia, hypertension, and autoimmune disorders in women have recently received attention. Ischemic symptoms are more indefinite and vague in women compared to men as well as a delay in diagnosis, treatment, and worse outcomes compared to men. Women usually receive less evidence-based treatment and intervention, with less concern on preventive health care. Clinical trials primarily recruit male patients and women are underrepresented. Without any correct diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, these problems are accumulated and continue up to older age. Accordingly, with the belief of longer life in women and the increased prevalence of IHD with aging, it will become an important public health problem and concern in the future. This narrative review aimed to provide an overview of some of the differences between the two genders in terms of IHD with paying more attention to practical points.

Is Any Correlation between Platelet Indices with Extent of Coronary Artery Involvement in Ischemic Heart Diseases?

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the most common cause of death around the world. Nowadays Platelet counts (PC) and volumetric platelet indices are available routinely in most laboratories and reflect the level of mobility and production of platelets. It seems that the excessive flexibility and size of the platelets and their local activation have correlation with extent of ischemic heart disease. So our objective is the study of platelet indices in ischemic heart disease. This non-randomized prospective study was performed on 245 patients with ischemic heart disease, who underwent the coronary angiography. The patients were divided into four groups: stable angina, unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction and control group;and then platelet indices, including the platelet counts (PC), the average platelet volume (MPV), the Platelet Distribution Width (PDW) and plateletcrit (PCT) in each group with the extent of coronary disease were compared based on an Syntax Score system and observational methods. The average ages of the patients were 57 years and 65% of them were male and the rest were female. A significant difference is exists between indices in all three groups compared to the control that this difference was related to gender and the type of the coronary artery involvement. However, only in infarction group, PDW in different disease intensities was significantly different. In this study, unlike many of the previous studies no relationship was found between the MPV with the extent of coronary disease.

Clinical Effect of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and 64-slice Spiral CT in the Diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Disease Patients

Objective:To explore the clinical methods and clinical effects of applying magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and 64・slice spiral computed tomography(CT)in the diagnosis of patients with ischemic heart disease.Methods:100 patients with ischemic heart disease were selected as the research objects.Selecting the patients from May 2020 to May 2021 as a sample,the patients were divided into two groups,and different diagnostic methods were used to compare the clinical diagnosis effects.Results:In terms of the diagnostic accuracy of the two groups of patients,the maximum value was 92.00%(experimental group)and the minimum value was 80.00%(control group).There was a big difference in data between the two groups,P<0.05,which was statistically significant.The patient9s(experimental group)diagnosis accuracy rate is highe Conclusion:In the process of research work for patients with ischemic heart disease,it is particularly important to diagnose the patients.The combined application of and 64-slice spiral CT can improve the clinical diagnosis efficiency and achieve significant results.

Genetic relationship between serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A gene polymorphism and ischemic cerebrovascular disease in a Northern Han Chinese population

The present study recruited 193 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease from Inpatient and Outpatient Departments at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, China from August 2008 to May 2010, as well as 120 healthy volunteers from the Medical Examination Center at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, China, who served as controls for this study. Patients and control subjects were from the Han population in northern China. Enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay analysis revealed increased levels of serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A （PAPP-A） in ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients compared with healthy controls. In addition, the patients exhibited greater frequency of genotype CC and C alleles in a missense A/C （Tyr/Ser） polymorphism （dbSNP： rs7020782） of exon 14 in the PAPP-A gene. Multiple-factor logistic regression analysis on correction of age, gender, history of smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesteremia, and ischemic stroke family history showed that the risk for ischemic cerebrovascular disease in the population without the A allele at the A/C genetic locus in exon 14 of the PAPP-A was 2-folds greater than the population expressing the A allele. These experimental findings suggested that ischemic cerebrovascular disease correlated with the C allele in exon 14 of PAPP-A. In addition, the A allele is likely a protective gene; individuals carrying the A allele were less prone to ischemic cerebrovascular disease compared with individuals without the A allele.

Effects of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 on ischemic cerebrovascular disease

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1, a nuclear transcription factor, is induced by hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1, a heterodimeric DNA-binding protein, is composed of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and hypoxia-inducible factor 1βsubunits, which are family members of the basic helix-loop-helix-PER, ARNT, SIM （PAS） protein. O2 concentration regulates hypoxia-inducible factor 1 activity via this subunit. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α plays a major role in response to hypoxia and transcriptional activation, as well as in the target gene specificity of the DNA enhancer. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1β cannot be induced by hypoxia. This effect may be due to hypoxia-inducible factor 1 stability and activated conformation due to dimerization. Previous studies have shown that hypoxia-inducible factor 1 mRNA expression increases in the penumbra following ischemia/hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 plays an important role in brain tissue injury after ischemia by affecting a series of target genes, elevating tolerance to hypoxia, and ensuring survival of neural cells. This article summarizes the structure, function, expression, regulatory mechanisms, biological effects, and significance of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease. As a transcriptional activator, hypoxia- inducible factor 1 plays a key role in hypoxic responses by stabilizing the internal environment. It also has been shown to regulate the expression of several genes. The regulatory effects of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease have been described. The present review re-examined the concept of brain protection at the level of gene regulation.

Pursuing meaningful end-points for stem cell therapy assessment in ischemic cardiac disease

Despite optimal interventional and medical therapy, ischemic heart disease is still an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although not included in standard of care rehabilitation, stem cell therapy(SCT) could be a solution for prompting cardiac regeneration. Multiple studies have been published from the beginning of SCT until now, but overall no unanimous conclusion could be drawn in part due to the lack of appropriate endpoints. In order to appreciate the impact of SCT, multiple markers from different categories should be considered: Structural, biological, functional, physiological, but also major adverse cardiac events or quality of life. Imaging end-points are among the most used-especially left ventricle ejection fraction(LVEF) measured through different methods. Other imaging parameters are infarct size, myocardial viability and perfusion. The impact of SCT on all of the aforementioned end-points is controversial and debatable. 2 D-echocardiography is widely exploited, but new approaches such as tissue Doppler, strain/strain rate or 3 D-echocardiography are more accurate, especially since the latter one is comparable with the MRI gold standard estimation of LVEF. Apart from the objective parameters, there are also patient-centered evaluations to reveal the benefits of SCT, such as quality of life and performance status, the most valuable from the patient point of view. Emerging parameters investigating molecular pathways such as non-coding RNAs or inflammation cytokines have a high potential as prognostic factors. Due to the disadvantages of current techniques, new imaging methods with labelled cells tracked along their lifetime seem promising, but until now only pre-clinical trials have been conducted in humans. Overall, SCT is characterized by high heterogeneity not only in preparation, administration and type of cells, but also in quantification of therapy effects.

Role of Coagulation Factor Ⅶ in Pathogenesis of Ischemic Heart Disease

To study the variation and significance of plasma coagulation factor Ⅶ （FⅦ） in different kinds of ischemia heart disease （IHD） and examine its relation with plasma lipid and gene polymorphism. FⅦa was determined with one stage clotting assay by using a recombinant soluble tissue factor （rsTF）. FⅦc was measured with one stage clotting assay. FⅦag was quantified with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Polymorphism was analyzed with PCR-urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Our results showed that FⅦa in stable angina （SA）, unstable angina （UA）, obsolete and acute myocardial infraction （OMI, AMI） patients was higher than those of normal group with the differences being significant within any two groups. FⅦag in UA, OMI and AMI was higher than those in SA and normal groups. There were positive correlations between FⅦa and serum triglycerides, FⅦa and FⅦc, FⅦc and FⅦag. FⅦ-323 0/10 bp polymorphism analysis was performed in 60 patients and 0/10 bp polymorphism was found in 5 cases. FⅦc and FⅦag were much lower in cases of 0/10 bp groups than those in cases of 0/0 bp groups. It is concluded that there was activation of extrinsic coagulation pathway in every kind of IHD to different extent. FⅦa was the risk factor in the development of IHD, and more sensitive in reflecting the severity of cardiovacutar disease than FⅦc or FⅦag. FⅦa was higher in OMI, which may be one of the risk factors of re-infraction. Serum triglyceride may indirectly lead to the development of IHD by increasing the level of FⅦa, FⅦ-323 0/10 bp polymorphism was present in Chinese patients with IHD and it was correlated with the level of FⅦc, FⅦag in plasma. 10 bp allelomorphic gene was a protective factor against thrombogenesis.

A summary of research on benefiting Qi and activating blood to regulate mitophagy to prevent and treat ischemic heart disease

Ischemic heart disease has the characteristics of high morbidity and high mortality, which seriously endangers people's health. Mitophagy can selectively remove damaged organelles, and has a role in maintaining the homeostasis of myocardial cells and protecting ischemic myocardium. Significance. More and more studies have found that traditional Chinese medicine can improve ischemic damage of cardiomyocytes by regulating mitochondrial function and autophagy. Using mitochondria as the target of traditional Chinese medicine in cardiomyocytes to explore the treatment of ischemic Effective measures for heart disease have become a hotspot for related Chinese medicine workers. Based on the above background, this article outlines the main regulatory pathways of mitochondrial autophagy, and reviews related researches on traditional Chinese medicine of benefiting qi and activating blood and mitophagy in this field.

Association between Depression, Pressure Pain Sensitivity, Stress and Autonomous Nervous System Function in Stable Ischemic Heart Disease: Impact of Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Blockade

Background: Depression and ischemic heart disease (IHD) are associated with persistent stress and autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction. The former can be measured by pressure pain sensitivity (PPS) of the sternum, and the latter by the PPS and systolic blood pressure (SBP) response to a tilt table test (TTT). Beta-blocker treatment reduces the efferent beta-adrenergic ANS function, and thus, the physiological stress response. Objective: To test the effect of beta-blockers on changes in depression score in patients with IHD, as well as the influence on persistent stress and ANS dysfunction. Methods: Three months of non-pharmacological intervention aiming at reducing PPS and depression score in patients with stable IHD. Beta-blocker users (N = 102) were compared with non-users (N = 75), with respect to signs of depression measured by the Major Depressive Inventory questionnaire (MDI), resting PPS, and PPS and SBP response to TTT. Results: MDI score decreased 30% in non-users (p = 0.005) compared to 4% (p > 0.1) among users (between-group p = 0.003;effect size = 0.4). Resting PPS decreased in both the groups. Among most vulnerable patients with MDI ≥ 15, reductions in MDI score and resting PPS score correlated in non-users, only (r = 0.69, p = 0.007). Reduction in resting PPS correlated with an increase in PPS and SBP response to TTT. Conclusions: Stress intervention in patients with IHD was anti-depressive in non-users, only. Similarly, the association between the reduction in depression, reduction in persistent stress, and restoration of ANS dysfunction was only seen in non-users, suggesting a central role of beta-adrenergic receptors in the association between these factors.

Hidden Markov Models to Estimate the Lagged Effects of Weather on Stroke and Ischemic Heart Disease

The links between low temperature and the incidence of disease have been studied by many researchers. What remains still unclear is the exact nature of the relation, especially the mechanism by which the change of weather effects on the onset of diseases. The existence of lag period between exposure to temperature and its effect on mortality may reflect the nature of the onset of diseases. Therefore, to assess lagged effects becomes potentially important. The most of studies on lags used the method by Lag-distributed Poisson Regression, and neglected extreme case as random noise to get correlations. In order to assess the lagged effect, we proposed a new approach, i.e., Hidden Markov Model by Self Organized Map (HMM by SOM) apart from well-known regression models. HMM by SOM includes the randomness in its nature and encompasses the extreme cases which were neglected by auto-regression models. The daily data of the number of patients transported by ambulance in Nagoya, Japan, were used. SOM was carried out to classify the meteorological elements into six classes. These classes were used as “states” of HMM. HMM was used to describe a background process which might produce the time series of the incidence of diseases. The background process was considered to change randomly weather states, classified by SOM. We estimated the lagged effects of weather change on the onset of both cerebral infarction and ischemic heart disease. This fact is potentially important in that if one could trace a path in the chain of events leading from temperature change to death, one might be able to prevent it and avert the fatal outcome.

Self-reported ischemic heart disease: Prevalence, sociodemographics, health behavior, health-care utilization, and quality of life

The aim of this study was to present the prevalence of self-reported Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) based on a national population-based survey and to characterize people with self-reported IHD with respect to health behavior, risk factors, health-care services utilization and health-related HRQoL;further to compare people with self-reported IHD to those with other chronic illness and people without chronic illness. Based on the Danish Health Interview Survey 2005 (SUSY), a sample of 10,983 persons aged 35 years or older was examined. Data was collected through personal interviews (response rate = 66.7%) and self-administered questionnaires (51.5%). The sample was divided into three mutual exclusive groups: IHD;other chronic illnesses;and no chronic illness. The prevalence of IHD was 5.6% (5.2 - 6.0). The disease was more common in men than women, and the average age was 67.5 years. People with self-reported IHD were characterized as having poorer health behaviors;more risk factors: 40% smokers, 21% sedentary lifestyle, 26% obese;higher utilization of the health-care services;and poorer HRQoL. When compared to people with other chronic diseases, people with IHD continued to show the same characteristics. The IHD group had more problems affecting their daily lives than the other two groups. The issues that affected the people with IHD have also been shown to increase the load on the health-care system. Therefore, it is important to the patients, health-care, and society that the prevalence of IHD is reduced and the burden of disease is made a priority.