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To investigate the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes and their association with the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) in elderly residents in Haizhu District of Guangzhou.Stratified random sampling was employed to select a total of 1800 resident aged 50 years or older in the region. The fasting fingertip blood glucose5.6 mmol/L was used as the criterion for the initial screening. The data were collected from qualified subjects via scheduled questionnaire surveys, blood collection and testing, and physical examination. The subjects were divided into the 3 groups, namely normal blood glucose, prediabetes, and diabetes groups. The combination rates of the relevant risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipemia, obesity, and central obesity) were compared among the groups by Framingham Heart Study to predict the occurrence of CHD in 10 years.The incidence was 11.00% for prediabetes and 7.56% for diabetes in the elderly residents in Haizhu District. The occurrence of hypertension, hyperlipemia, obesity, and central obesity was significant higher in the prediabetes and diabetes group than in the normal blood glucose group, and showed no significant differences between the former two groups. The 10-year risks for CHD were markedly higher in both the prediabetes and diabetes groups than in the normal blood glucose group, but similar between the former two groups.Elderly patients with prediabetes and diabetes have significantly increased 10-year risk for CHD in comparison with those with normal blood glucose, but the risk is similar between the former two groups, indicating a close association of IGR (impaired fasting glucose+ impaired fasting glucose) with CHD. Early control of blood glucose is essential to the prevention and control of CHD.

To investigate the changes of CD4(+)CD28(-) T cell and CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cell (Treg) subsets in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).Twenty-eight patients with angiographically established CAD were recruited in this study, including 16 with unstable angina (UA group) and 12 with stable angina (SA group). Eleven patients with chest pain syndrome served as the control group. The proportions of peripheral CD4(+)CD28(-) T cells and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg subsets were determined with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).The proportions of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg were significantly lower in UA group (6.55-/+2.45%) than in SA (14.01-/+4.92%) and control groups (13.55-/+3.87%). The proportions of CD4(+)CD28(-) T cells were significantly higher in UA group (10.55-/+4.76%) than in SA (2.64-/+1.33%) and control (2.75-/+1.55%) groups.Alterations of circulating T-lymphocyte subsets occur in patients with UA. The changes of Treg and CD4(+)CD28(-) T cells may lead to breakdown of peripheral autoimmune tolerance and play an important role in the development and progression of CHD.

To investigate the changes in plasma urotensin II(U II) expression levels in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).Plasma U II levels in 50 CHD patients with coronary stenosis indicated by coronary angiography and 20 healthy subjects were determined by radio immunoassay.Venous plasma U II levels were significantly lowered in CHD patients in comparison with the healthy subjects (1.61+/-1.02 pg/ml vs 3.70+/-1.30 pg/ml, P=0.000). In the CHD patient group, significantly differences were noted in the U II levels between patients with stable angina (2.62+/-1.20 pg/ml), unstable angina (1.39+/-0.80 pg/ml) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI, 1.04+/-0.45 pg/ml, P=0.004). CHD patients with coronary artery occlusion and those with only coronary stenosis had comparable venous plasma U II levels (1.29+/-1.02 pg/ml vs 1.76+/-1.00 pg/ml, P=0.131), whereas the patients with restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) had higher U II levels than the other subjects in the CHD patient group (2.28+/-0.94 pg/ml vs 1.40+/-0.96 pg/ml, P=0.008), and the femoral plasma U II levels were significantly elevated after PTCT, increasing from 1.18+/-1.14 pg/ml to a postoperative level of 2.22+/-1.77 pg/ml (P=0.001).U II might play a role in the pathophysiological process of CHD and can be involved in the restenosis after angioplasty.