Although in vivo gene transfer through an infusion balloon catheter can be accomplished within 1 minute, the therapeutic use of this protocol is limited by the small number of cells that are transduced.

Background. The mechanisms responsible for the transformation of stable angina to unstable angina, a major cause of morbidity and mortality, are commonly believed to be plaque rupture and thrombosis. We determined whether additional mechanisms are operative by analysing the histopathology and immunohistopathology of coronary plaques retrieved by directional atherectomy of patients with unstable angina in whom no intraluminal thrombus was demonstrated by angiography.Methods and Results. The histological findings of atherectomy specimens from 34 patients with unstable angina were compared with those of 24 patients with postangioplasty restenosis, whose lesions are known to be composed of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and 10 patients with stable angina, whose lesions contain

Summary:This study set out to examine prospectively two logistic formulae based on admission clinical data to predict ventricular or atrial fibrillation complicating acute myocardial infarction. A prospective study of 87 consecutive patients with acute transmural myocardial infarction was conducted. The formula for predicting ventricular fibrillation from the diastolic blood pressure, degree of ST-segment elevation, and QTc had a sensitivity of 93 %, specificity of 83 % , and a predictive value for an abnormal test of 62% (13 of 14 patients who developed ventricular fibrillation were identified). The formula for predicting atrial fibrillation from the age of the patient, a history of heart failure, systolic blood pressure, and four electrocardiographic parameters had a sensitivity of 78 % , specificity of 85 %, and a predictive value of 67% (14 of 18 patients identified). Our study shows that patients with myocardial infarction who are liable to develop ventricular or atrial fibnllation can be identified on admission from simple clinical data.

Ten-year survival and event-free survival were similar in patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris treated by coronary balloon angioplasty, with no evidence of an increased rate of recurrent cardiovascular events in the unstable group.