Erythropoietin （EPO） is known as a classical hematopoietic growth factor, which has been used to treat anemia caused by different reasons. In recent years, EPO＇s non-hematopoietic biological effects have gradually become a focus. Among these effects, EPO＇s tissue protection is most attractive and EPO has been proved to protect many different tissues and organs. Myocardial protection has always been the important and key topic in the field of cardiovascular diseases. Reports about EPO＇s myocardial protective effects have been published in the recent two years, which direct the research about myocardial protection with new ideas. In this article, the discoveries and unsolved problems associated with EPO＇s myocardial protection were reviewed.
Abstract: Objective To investigate the influence of cardiopul monary bypass(CPB) to the cellular immune function of T lymphocyte. Me th ods Among 500 patients operated from March 2006 to September 2006，30 patients with rheumatic heart disease were selected randomly as the CPB group, which would replace mitral valve; 30 patients with congenital patent ductus arte reriosus as the nonCPB group, which would ligate ductus arteriosus without CPB . The blood was sampled before operation, at the end of CPB or operation, and 24 hours after operation. After T lymphocyte was seperated, the quantum o f T lymphocyte, apoptosis of T lymphocyte, ability of T lymphocyte to kill tumou r cell were measured. Results The quantum of T lymphocyte i n CPB group at the end of CPB was decreased than that before operation （50.9% ±6.8% vs. 58.5%± 9.1%,Plt;0.05）; apoptosis of T lymphocyte at the end of CPB and 24 hou rs after operation were increased than that before operation （6.5%±2.2% vs. 0. 9%±1.1%, 5.6%±1.8% vs. 0.9%±1.1%;Plt;0.01）; ability to kill tumour cell b reakdown in CPB group at the end of CPB and 24 hours after operation was decrea sed than that before operation （30.4%±6.0% vs. 37.3%±8.6%, 29.0%±4.9% vs . 37 .3%±8.6%;Plt;0.05）. Ability to kill tumour cell breakdown in CPB group was lower than that in nonCPB group at the end of CPB （30.4%±6.0% vs. 33.6%±5. 3%, Plt;0.05）. Conclusion CPB can depress the cellular im mune function,which causes temporary immune depression to the body.
Abstract: The amniotic fluidderived stem cells (AFSC) possess considerable advantageous characteristics including high proliferation potential, easy availability, low immunogenicity and oncogenicity，and accordance with medical ethnics. Moreover, they do not require the sacrifice of human embryos for their isolation and the cells can differentiate into all three kinds of germs. Accordingly，they initiate a new and very promising field in stem cell research and they will be a potential source of stem cells for therapies related to regeneration medicine of cardiovascular diseases. The research about the AFSC utilization in cardiovascular diseases is just started. Though there were some exciting breakthroughs, there still remain many challenges. In the article，we will discuss AFSC characteristics, influence of amniotic fluid harvesting time on stem cells, isolation and purification, emphasizing mainly on the potential of AFSC differentiation into cardiovascular cells, current situation and problems in this field.
Abstract： Objective To explore the application of lower sternal incision with on-pump， beating heart intracardiac procedures in mitral valve replacement （MVR）. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 42 patients （minimal incision group） with valvular heart diseases who underwent MVR via lower sternal incision under the beating heart condition in Xinqiao Hospital of the Third Military Medical University from January 2011 to December 2011. There were 16 male and 26 female patients with their average age of 42.3±12.7 years in the minimal incision group. We also randomly selected 42 patients with valvular heart diseases who underwent MVR via routine midline sternotomy during the same period in our department as the control group. There were 18 male and 24 female patients with their average age of 43.8±13.1 years in the control group. Operation time， cardiopulmonary bypass time， major complications， chest drainage in postoperative 24 hours， skin incision length and average postoperative hospital stay were observed and compared between the two groups. Results There was no major perioperative complication such as in-hospital death. There was no reexploration for postoperative bleeding， complete atrioventricular block， embolism or perivalvular leakage in the minimal incision group. There was no statistical difference in cardiopulmonary bypass time， operation time， or the incidence of reexploration for postoperative bleeding， wound infection and perivalvular leakage between the two groups（P＞0.05）. The skin incision length in the minimal incision group was shortened by 5.2 cm compared to that in the control group （7.9±1.4 cm vs. 13.1±3.3 cm， P=0.000）. Chest drainage in postoperative 24 hours in the minimal incision group was significantly less than that of the control group （183.6±40.2 ml vs. 273.4±59.9 ml， P=0.000）. Postoperative hospital stay in the minimal incision group was significantly shorter than that of the control group （8.1±1.3 d vs. 10.6±2.1 d， P=0.000）. Forty patients in the minimal incision group were followed up for 3-15 months and 2 patients were lost during follow-up. Four patients had postoperative wound pain， and the majority of patients didn’t have significant wound scar formation but a satisfactory quality of life. Thirty-eight patients in the control group were followed up for 3-15 months， 4 patients were lost during follow-up， and 17 patients had postoperative wound pain. Conclusion Lower sternal incision with beating heart can reduce the surgical injury， simplify the operation procedure and improve the therapeutic efficacy. It is a safe， effective and esthetic surgical approach for MVR.