The results of this study demonstrate that the improvement of endothelial dysfunction induced by nebivolol in hypertensive patients may be related to its effect on circulating ADMA levels. Although the mechanism by which nebivolol reduces circulating ADMA in hypertensive patients remains unclear, our ex vivo results suggest that the upregulation of DDAH2 expression may have a role.

Our results suggest that in mildly hypertensive patients without organ damage zofenopril, beyond its BP-lowering effects and through its sustained antioxidant activity, offers important advantages in reducing endothelial activation.

Objectives-The purpose of this study was to establish whether oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) contributes to cytokine overproduction via upregulation of CD14 and toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) expression on circulating monocytes of unstable angina (UA) patients. Methods and Results-Expression of CD14 and TLR-4 on circulating monocytes, and the concentration of plasma oxLDL, (interleukin [IL])-6, IL-1 beta, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were measured in 27 control (C) subjects, 29 patients with stable angina (SA), and 27 with UA. CD14 and TLR-4 expression on monocytes and circulating IL-6, IL-1 beta, and oxLDL were higher in UA than in SA and C subjects (PϽ0.001). In in vitro experiments, oxLDL increased CD14 and TLR-4 expression (PϽ0.001) in control monocytes as well as IL-6, IL-1 beta, and at a lower extent TNF-␣ and MCP-1 levels in the supernatant (P from Ͻ0.05 to Ͻ0.001).The preincubation of sera derived from UA patients but with control monocytes also induced a significant increase of CD14 and TLR-4 expression (PϽ0.001) and of IL-6 and IL-1 beta production (PϽ0.001) in the supernatant. Conclusions-In UA patients oxLDL may contribute to monocyte overproduction of some cytokines by upregulating

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We hypothesized that patients with hemophilia or von Willebrand disease might be protected from atherosclerosis because of their coagulation defect. We studied 40 subjects affected by these two coagulation diseases using echocolor Doppler of the abdominal aorta and leg arteries, and compared the results with those obtained in 40 control patients who were homogenous with study patients in terms of sex, age, and risk factors for atherosclerosis. The probands presented a lower number of plaques than the 40 control subjects in the aorta and in the leg arteries. The most serious hemophilic patients had fewer plaques than controls or than patients with mild hemophilia. Both hemophilia and von Willebrand disease seem to protect against atherosclerosis.