No abstract

Background The prognostic significance of elevated circulating uric acid level in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is conflicting. This meta‐analysis aimed to assess the prognostic value of hyperuricemia in patients with ACS. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed in Pubmed, Embase, VIP, CNKI and WanFang databases up to 16 June 2018. All observational studies that investigated the prognostic value of hyperuricemia in ACS patients were selected. Outcome of interests was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), all‐cause mortality or cardiovascular mortality. Results A total of nine studies enrolling 8776 ACS patients were included and analysed. ACS patients with hyperuricemia had an increased risk of MACEs (risk ratio [RR]: 1.86; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.47‐2.35), all‐cause mortality (RR 1.86; 95% CI: 1.49‐2.32) and cardiovascular mortality (RR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.36‐2.22) after adjustment for the conventional risk factors. Stratified analysis showed that the prognostic significance of hyperuricemia was consistently observed in each subgroups. Conclusions This meta‐analysis suggests that hyperuricemia independently predicts MACEs and death in ACS patients. Determination of uric acid level has potential to improve risk stratification of adverse outcomes in ACS patients.

In recent years, it is found that increase in Hcy level in blood can directly or indirectly cause vascular endothelial cell injury and induce vascular calcification. However, the mechanism of vascular endothelial cell injury and vascular calcification has not been studied thoroughly. This paper carried out experiment for research aiming at discussing the effect and action mechanism of Hhcy on endothelial cells and vascular calcification. Firstly, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and then intervened by Hcy of different concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0 mmol/L) and at different action time (3, 6, 12, 24 h). Then apoptosis rate and reactive oxygen were detected by flow cytometry. At the same time, the model for the culture of rat vascular calcification was set up and induced into Hhcy so as to detect the total plasma Hcy level and judge vascular calcification degree. The results showed that with the increase in Hcy concentration and extension of action period, the apoptosis rate and generation of reactive oxygen of HUVECs all significantly increased, and the differences were all statistically significant (P < 0.01). In animal calcification model, mass of black particle deposition was seen after Von Kossa staining of rat vessels in calcification group. Compared with the control group, the vascular calcium content, alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin content in calcification group all increased (P < 0.01). The content of plasma lipid conjugated olefine from highest to lowest wasas follows: calcification plus homoetheionin, homoetheionin, and calcification group. There was no significant difference between the calcification group and control group. All these findings suggested that Hcy could induce the apoptosis of endothelial cells and its effect degree depended on its concentration and action period; Hhcy could promote the calcification of blood vessels, and its mechanism might relate with the strengthening of lipid peroxidation. The above results leave great benefits on clinical prevention works.

ObjectivesN-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) is an unfavourable factor responsible for poor outcomes in the cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, the prognostic role of NT-pro-BNP in type B aortic dissection (TBAD) remains unclear. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between NT-pro-BNP levels and in-hospital and long-term adverse prognosis in patients with TBAD.DesignA retrospective multicentre study.SettingLiutie Central Hospital, Nanfang Hospital and Huiyang Hospital in China.ParticipantsA total of 657 consecutive patients with TBAD were enrolled in the study. NT-pro-BNP was measured at admission and included patients were divided into three groups according to the tertiles of NT-pro-BNP (pg/mL): <95 (n=220), 95–312 (n=218) and >312 (n=219).Primary and secondary outcome measuresLong-term mortality and in-hospital major adverse clinical events.ResultsOverall, in-hospital death occurred in 27 patients (4.1%), which was significantly higher in upper tertiles of NT-pro-BNP (0.5% vs 4.1% vs 7.8%, p<0.001). The incident of in-hospital major adverse clinical events increased along with higher NT-pro-BNP (1.4% vs 11.5% vs 15.5%, p<0.001). NT-pro-BNP >210 pg/mL had 81.5% sensitivity and 58.6% specificity for predicting in-hospital death (area under the curve= 0.774, 95% CI 0.692 to 0.855; p<0.001). After a median of 3.1 years of follow-up, 97 (14.8%) patients died. The Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the long-term cumulative mortality was higher in patients with NT-pro-BNP >210 pg/mL compared with patients with NT-pro-BNP ≤210 pg/mL (log-rank=26.92, p<0.001). In multivariable Cox survival modelling, NT-pro-BNP >210 pg/mL was independently associated with long-term death (adjusted HR 2.47, 95% CI 1.45 to 4.22, p=0.001).ConclusionsNT-pro-BNP resulted as an independent predictor of adverse prognosis in patients with TBAD, thus could be used as a potential risk-stratification tool.