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(Circulation. 2005;112:1677.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

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An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	LEVELS OF HEMATOPOIESIS INHIBITOR N-ACETYL-SERYL-ASPARTYL-LYSYL-PROLINE PARTIALLY EXPLAIN THE OCCURRENCE OF ANEMIA IN HEART FAILURE, by van der Meer et al.

 
There is evidence that inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system is associated with the development of anemia in patients. Of 98 patients with heart failure who were treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, 10 had unexplained anemia. They were compared to 10 without anemia. The anemic patients had lower serum ACE activity; their serum inhibited proliferation of bone marrow–derived hematopoietic progenitor cells from healthy donors; and their levels of hematopoiesis inhibitor N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP), which is degraded by ACE, were higher. These preliminary findings led the authors to propose that ACE inhibitors might contribute to anemia by increasing the levels of Ac-SDKP. See p 1743.

	SAFETY AND FEASIBILITY OF AUTOLOGOUS MYOBLAST TRANSPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC CARDIOMYOPATHY: FOUR-YEAR FOLLOW-UP, by Dib et al.

 
Although there is increasing experience with myoblast transplantation by direct intramyocardial injection in patients, little is known about the long-term viability and function of the injected cells. Dib et al provide follow-up for a mean of 27 months in 24 patients who received autologous myoblast injections at the time of coronary bypass surgery and at a mean of 9 months in 6 additional patients who received injections at the time of left ventricular assist device placement. There was PET evidence of increased glucose uptake and echocardiographic evidence of improved cardiac function. There was also histological evidence of myoblast survival in 4 of 6 patients studied 5 days to 6 months after injection. Together, these observations support the feasibility of myoblast transplantation and suggest that injected cells are viable for up to several months. See p 1748.

	ARTERIAL DISTENSIBILITY IN ADOLESCENTS: THE INFLUENCE OF ADIPOSITY, THE METABOLIC SYNDROME, AND CLASSIC RISK FACTORS, by Whincup et al.

 
Atherosclerosis develops from childhood, but the determinants of this . . . [Full Text of this Article]