Circulation. 2005;111:2551
(Circulation. 2005;111:2551.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.
Issue Highlights
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EFFECT OF DIFFICULTY AFFORDING HEALTH CARE ON HEALTH STATUS AFTER CORONARY REVASCULARIZATION, by Spertus et al.
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Eliminating socioeconomic disparities in health status is an
important goal of the United States’ Healthy People 2010
initiative. Spertus and colleagues investigated whether economic
burden was related to baseline and 6-month symptoms after percutaneous
intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). At
baseline, increasing economic burden was associated with increased
angina, physical limitation, and poorer quality of life. Although
both groups improved symptomatically, patients with increasing
economic burden receiving percutaneous intervention had persistent
poorer health status, whereas their counterparts receiving CABG
improved. The authors speculate that the diminished economic
disparity after CABG as opposed to percutaneous intervention
may relate to less access to follow-up care, counseling, and
medications after the procedure. The authors note the importance
of future research into the mechanism and remediation of socioeconomic
disparities in revascularization outcome if we are to maximize
cardiovascular health. See p
2572.
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QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF REGIONAL MYOCARDIAL FUNCTION IN MICE BY TISSUE DOPPLER IMAGING: COMPARISON WITH HEMODYNAMICS AND SONOMICROMETRY, by Sebag et al.
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Small animal models increasingly are being used to evaluate
the molecular pathways involved in left ventricular dysfunction.
Echocardiography plays an important role in the assessment of
the progressive geometric and functional changes that occur
in these animals, but for the most part these measurements have
been based on load-dependent semiquantitative indices of function.
In this issue of Circulation, Sebag et al demonstrate that sophisticated,
quantitative tissue Doppler echocardiography can be performed
in the mouse model. Despite the very small animal size and the
extreme tachycardia, accurate and reproducible information is
derived under varying states of contractility and load. This
model expands the utility of echocardiography in the small animal
model and increases our ability to detect earlier myocardial
abnormalities than previously recognizable. See p
2611.
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IMPAIRED VASCULAR GROWTH IN LATE ADOLESCENCE AFTER INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION, by Brodszki et al.
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To explore the relationships between growth in utero and vascular
variables later in postnatal life, Brodszki and colleagues report
vascular responses in a unique cohort of young adults whose
circulations were examined in detail during fetal life. Specifically,
21 adolescents with growth restriction and abnormal fetal aortic
blood flow patterns were compared with 23 controls with normal
birth weight who were similarly studied during fetal life. The
authors found no differences in blood pressure and endothelial-dependent
and -independent vascular physiology, but the growth-restricted
group had significantly smaller aortas and popliteal artery
diameters, as well as higher resting heart rates. Thus, fetal
growth restriction associated with abnormal fetal arterial blood
flow produced persistent impairment of vascular growth. This
study adds new and interesting information about physiology
and mechanisms for fetal contributions to adult cardiovascular
disease. See p
2623.
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Images in Cardiovascular Medicine
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Leaking Saccular Aortic Arch Aneurysm. See p
e303.
Balloon Dilatation of Coronary Sinus Spasm During Placement of a Biventricular Pacing Lead. See p e304.
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Correspondence
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See p
e306.
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