Publications (57) View all
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Article: Therapeutic potential of thymosin β4 in myocardial infarct and heart failure.
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ABSTRACT: Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a peptide known for its abilities to protect and facilitate regeneration in a number of tissues following injury. Its cardioprotective effects have been evaluated in different animal models and, currently, a clinical trial is being planned in patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction. This paper focuses on the effects of Tβ4 on cardiac function in animal studies utilizing different imaging modalities for outcome measurements.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 10/2012; 1269(1):117-24. · 3.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Resting coronary flow velocity in the functional evaluation of coronary artery stenosis: study on sequential use of computed tomography angiography and transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.
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ABSTRACT: Accelerated flow at the site of flow-limiting stenosis can be detected by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE). We studied feasibility and accuracy of sequential coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and TTDE in detection of haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). We prospectively enrolled 107 patients with intermediate (30-70%) pre-test likelihood of CAD. All patients underwent CTA using a 64-slice scanner. Using TTDE, the ratio of maximal diastolic flow velocity to pre-stenotic flow velocity (M/P ratio) was measured in the coronary segments with stenosis in CTA. In all patients, the results were compared with invasive coronary angiography, including measurement of fractional flow reserve when appropriate. All analyses were done blinded. TTDE was feasible in 276 of 285 evaluated coronary segments. Significant coronary stenoses were associated with a higher M/P ratio than non-significant stenoses (3.59 ± 1.82 vs. 1.28 ± 0.60, P < 0.001). The optimal M/P ratio for detection of significant stenosis was 2.2 (area under receiver operating characteristic curve 0.92, P < 0.001). Compared with the strategy of CTA alone, sequential CTA and focused TTDE had a better positive predictive value (PPV; 61 vs. 78%) and diagnostic accuracy (93 vs. 96%, P = 0.006) without impairment of the negative predictive value (97 vs. 97%). Sequential use of CTA and TTDE is feasible for combined anatomic and functional evaluation of coronary stenoses. Compared with coronary CTA alone, addition of TTDE improved PPV for detection of significant CAD.European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging. 08/2011; 13(1):79-85. -
Article: [The effect of public defense of a doctoral thesis on the heart rate of the doctoral candidate].
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ABSTRACT: The effect of public defense of a doctoral thesis on the heart rate of the doctoral candidate Most doctoral candidates find the public defense of a doctoral thesis an exciting and stressful experience. In this study, Holter recording during the defense was made for four doctoral candidates of the Faculty of Medicine. Maximum heart rate among the subjects was on the average 172 beats/min with a median heart rate of 116 beats/min. Sympathicotonia and release of stress hormones associated with the defense raise the heart rate to levels that may be very high for several hours. This is a risk factor for a coronary event and should be considered, if the doctoral candidate has coronary heart disease, carries risk factors for coronary heart disease, or is an elderly person.Duodecim; lääketieteellinen aikakauskirja 01/2011; 127(12):1237-9. -
Article: Injection of bone marrow cell extract into infarcted hearts results in functional improvement comparable to intact cell therapy.
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ABSTRACT: We compared therapeutic benefits of intramyocardial injection of unfractionated bone marrow cells (BMCs) versus BMC extract as treatments for myocardial infarction (MI), using closed-chest ultrasound-guided injection at a clinically relevant time post-MI. MI was induced in mice and the animals treated at day 3 with either: (i) BMCs from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing mice (n = 14), (ii) BMC extract (n = 14), or (iii) saline control (n = 14). Six animals per group were used for histology at day 6 and the rest followed to day 28 for functional analysis. Ejection fraction was similarly improved in the BMC and extract groups versus control (40.6 +/- 3.4 and 39.1 +/- 2.9% versus 33.2 +/- 5.0%, P < 0.05) with smaller scar sizes. At day 6 but not day 28, both therapies led to significantly higher capillary area and number of arterioles versus control. At day 6, BMCs increased the number of cycling cardiomyocytes (CMs) versus control whereas extract therapy resulted in significant reduction in the number of apoptotic CMs at the border zone (BZ) versus control. Intracellular components within BMCs can enhance vascularity, reduce infarct size, improve cardiac function, and influence CM apoptosis and cycling early after therapy following MI. Intact cells are not necessary and death of implanted cells may be a major component of the benefit.Molecular Therapy 05/2009; 17(7):1250-6. · 6.87 Impact Factor -
Article: High dose of red wine elicits enhanced inhibition of fibrinolysis.
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this randomized controlled cross-over study was to determine the acute effects of high doses of alcoholic beverages on circulating markers related to atherosclerosis and fibrinolysis. Twenty-two healthy men consumed a high dose (8.1+/-0.9 dl) of alcohol-containing red wine and dealcoholized red wine, and an equal ethanol dose of cognac (2.4+/-0.3 dl). Blood samples were taken before and shortly after interventions. Red wine, unlike dealcoholized red wine and cognac, increased tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels significantly, indicating an acute inhibition of fibrinolysis after a high dose. Findings may explain the increased risk of cardiovascular mortality among binge drinkers.European journal of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation: official journal of the European Society of Cardiology, Working Groups on Epidemiology & Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology 04/2009; 16(2):161-3. · 2.51 Impact Factor
