Many epidemiological studies have reported an association between hemostatic factors and risk of both coronary and peripheral artery diseases. Using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis, we investigated the association between coronary artery disease and polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T and A1298C), prothrombin (G20210A), and factor V (A4070G) genes. We screened these gene variants in 174 subjects who had undergone coronary angiography -115 patients with patent coronary artery disease (grade 3 vessel disease, i.e., significant coronary stenosis), and 59 healthy controls with grade 0 vessel disease. The analysis of our data did not show any statistically significant association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and the investigated polymorphisms.

Direct coronary stenting without balloon predilatation may cause lower postprocedural minor myocardial injury in comparison to conventional stenting with balloon predilatation.Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is increased in acute myocardial ischaemia. 40 patients with single vessel and single lesion coronary artey disease who underwent elective stent implantation were divided into Group I (n=20) treated with direct coronary stenting (DS) and Group II (n=20) with conventional stenting (CS). Blood samples for Troponin I and CK-MB measurement were obtained at baseline, just after the intervention procedure, 6 hours after and 12 hours after stenting and for BNP levels at baseline, 6 hours and 12 hours after stenting. In Group II there was a significant increase in Troponin I level 12 hours after the procedure (baseline 0.033 ± 0.028 ng/ml vs. 0.084 ± 0.085 ng/ml; p < 0.05).Plasma BNP level in Group I decreased significantly both in base line vs. 6 hours after procedure and baseline vs. 12 hours after procedure (105.2 ± 73.7 pg/ml vs. 81.3± 67.1 pg/ml; p < 0.05 and 105.2 ± 73.7 pg/ml vs. 89.9 ± 62.3pg/ml ; p < 0.05 respectively). With direct stenting BNP levels decreased significantly with no change in Troponin I level, while with conventional stenting Troponin I levels increased significantly. Key words: Brain natriuretic peptide, Direct stenting, Conventional stenting.   doi:10.3329/uhj.v4i2.2066 University Heart Journal Vol. 4 No. 2 July 2008 p9-15 Â

A marked decrease in FENa, FWC and urinary nitrite output, together with a significant increase in plasma ET level in response to octreotide, may indicate renal dysfunction in cirrhotic patients. This deleterious renal effect of octreotide may be more enhanced in patients with elevated baseline RRI.