Does cardiac resynchronization therapy improve nitric oxide concentration in exhaled gas?
CRT did not affect respiratory rate, tidal volume or minute ventilation, so increased endtidal NO did not result from enhanced production from tracheal and/or bronchial epithelial cells. Therefore, endtidal NO increased because chronic heart failure increased pulmonary perfusion and so raised vascular shear stress. CRT for patients with dilated cardiomyopathy can improve vascular endothelial cell function.
ICAM-1 may be a promising serological biomarker for HCC diagnosis and an independent predictor of DFS and OS after surgical resection and may provide a useful reference for the prediction of intra- and extrahepatic metastasis.