Compared with the contemporary strategy of primary reperfusion, mechanically conditioning the myocardium using a novel axial flow catheter while delaying coronary reperfusion decreases LV wall stress and activates a myocardial protection program that up-regulates SDF-1α/CXCR4 expression, increases cardioprotective signaling, reduces apoptosis, and limits myocardial damage in AMI.

BACKGROUND Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is an important treatment modality during severe sickle cell crisis (SCC). SCC patients who refuse, or cannot accept, RBCs present a unique challenge. Acellular hemoglobin (Hb)‐based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) might be an alternative for critically ill patients in SCC with multiorgan failure due to life‐threatening anemia. HBOC‐201 (HbO2 Therapeutics) has been administered to more than 800 anemic patients in 22 clinical trials, but use of any HBOCs in critically ill sickle cell patients with organ failure is exceedingly rare. In the United States, HBOC‐201 is currently only available for expanded access. CASE REPORT We report three cases of HBOC‐201 administered to critically ill sickle cell disease patients in SCC with multiorgan failure, either who refused RBCs (Jehovah's Witnesses) or for whom compatible RBCs were not available. RESULTS Two patients received more than 20 units of HBOC‐201, while the other received 6. The 27 units used in the third case equals the largest volume a patient has successfully received to date. All three patients survived to hospital discharge. CONCLUSION These reports suggest that blood substitutes such as HBOC‐201 can provide an oxygen bridge in SCC with multiorgan failure, until corpuscular Hb levels recover to meet metabolic demand, and highlight the compelling biochemical properties that warrant further investigation.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and the TandemHeart left ventricular (LV) assist device are increasingly employed as mechanical circulatory support devices during acute LV injury. We examined the effects of right atrial to femoral artery (RA–FA; VA-ECMO) bypass versus left atrial to femoral artery (LA–FA; TandemHeart) bypass using a centrifugal pump (Cardiac Assist Inc, Pittsburgh, PA) on LV hemodynamics in a swine model of acute LV injury. In eight male swine, the RA–FA bypass group employed a 21 Fr inflow cannula in the right atrial (RA) and a 17 Fr FA outflow cannula. The LA–FA bypass group employed a 21 Fr inflow cannula in the LA and a 17 Fr FA outflow cannula. Both pump configurations were activated at 3,500 rotations per minute (RPMs) followed by balloon angioplasty-mediated occlusion of the left circumflex (LCx) artery. After 30 minutes of LCx occlusion, RPMs through the centrifugal pump were increased from 3,500, 5,500 then to a maximum at 7,500 RPMs. At 7,500 RPMs, RA–FA and LA–FA bypass generated 3.5 ± 0.1 and 3.6 ± 0.2 liters/minute (LPM) of flow, respectively. At maximum flow, RA unloading increased LV end-systolic pressure and estimated wall stress, whereas LA unloading reduced LV end-diastolic pressure, end-diastolic volume, and native stroke volume without changing estimated wall stress. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation acutely increases mean arterial pressure (MAP) without unloading the LV, whereas the TandemHeart maintains MAP and unloads the LV. These findings indicate that RA versus LA cannulation for circulatory support have distinct acute hemodynamic effects on the LV.

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Summary:Serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein B were evaluated as potential indicators of the risk of coronary artery disease in young ( < 46 years) normocholesterolaemic, non-diabetic men who had previously sustained a myocardial infarction (n = 50) and in healthy age and sex matched controls (n = 122) with a similar socioeconomic background.Significant differences were observed between patients and controls in the mean concentrations ofserum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, as well as in the ratios of total cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I to apolipoprotein B. No significant difference was demonstrated in the concentration of apolipoprotein A-I between the two groups. Stepwise discriminant analysis indicated that apolipoprotein B was the best discriminant between patients and controls. The percentage ofexact classification was 74% in patients and 66% in controls.When the patients were compared to a subset ofcontrols (n = 50) matched for age and total cholesterol, significant differences were demonstrated only in the mean concentrations of apolipoprotein B. Discriminant analysis confirmed that the best single discriminating variable was apolipoprotein B.The results therefore indicate that in young normocholesterolaemic, non-diabetic Indian men with myocardial infarction, apolipoprotein B is superior to other lipid parameters studied, as a marker for coronary artery disease.

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