Sou Ouk Bang

Comparison of the Effects of Nicardipine and Sodium Nitroprusside for Control of Increased Blood Pressure after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

We compared the haemodynamic effects of nicardipine and sodium nitroprusside after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. When post-surgery systolic blood pressure reached > 150 mmHg, patients were randomly given nicardipine (N group, n = 26) or sodium nitroprusside (S group, n = 21). The drugs were infused at a rate of 2 μg/kg per min for 10 min. If the target blood pressure (120-140 mmHg) was not achieved, the infusion rate was increased by 1 üg/kg per min every 10 min. Cardiac and stroke volume indices had increased significantly in the N group after 10 min and in both groups after 60 min. The infusion duration and total dose of drug were significantly lower in the N group compared with the S group. Nicardipine infusion controlled post-operative hypertension more rapidly and was superior to sodium nitroprusside in maintaining left ventricular performance immediately after drug infusion.

Expression of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 (NAG-1) inversely correlates with tumor progression in gastric adenomas and carcinomas

PurposeThe expression of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 (NAG-1), one of TGF-β superfamily gene, is reported to be responsible for NSAID-induced apoptosis. We analyzed NAG-1 expression in gastric cancer and adenoma to find out its clinical implication.MethodsImmunostaining was performed using standard procedures with antibody to NAG-1 on gastric tissue microarrays of tissue specimens obtained by gastrectomy. The immunoreactivity of normal and tumor tissues was graded as no, weak, moderate, and strong expression.ResultsThe NAG-1 expression was stronger in intestinal metaplasia and adenoma than normal gastric epithelium. 47 (74.6%) of 63 normal gastric epithelium showed no or weak expression, but 33 (56.9%) of 58 and 13 (86.7%) of 15 intestinal metaplsia and adenoma showed moderate or strong expression. Only NAG-1 expression in diffuse type gastric cancer was weaker than in normal gastric tissue. Compared to intestinal metaplasia, both intestinal and diffuse type gastric cancer showed weaker expression. The intensity of NAG-1 expression inversely correlated with tumor differentiation and T and N stage status. While only 1 (2.2%) of 45 T1 stage cases lacked NAG-1 expression, 27 (45.8%) of 59 T3 stage cases lacked NAG-1 expression. Likewise, in N0 stage tumors only 10 (15.4%) of 65 cases lacked NAG-1 expression, but 17 (63.0%) of 27 N3 cases lacked NAG-1 expression.ConclusionsThe NAG-1 was expressed strongly in intestinal metaplasia and adenoma, and inversely correlated to tumor stages. This interesting finding may provide new targets for chemoprevention and future development of drugs.