Effects of external counter-pulsation on endothelial function assessed by peripheral artery tonometry, levels of glycaemia and metabolic markers in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Research focus and theme evolution on enhanced external counterpulsation: A bibliometric analysis

Aims

The study delved into the identification of key research areas and evolving trends within the domain of Enhanced External Counterpulsation, aiming to gain comprehensive insights into the subject matter.

Methods

Utilizing the sophisticated search parameter of 'topic' (TS) on the Web of Science (WoS) database, the necessary information was retrieved. This research employed an array of tools for effective data extraction, analysis, and visualization, which included Microsoft Excel for tabular management, HistCite Pro for citation analysis, GunnMap for geographical mapping, BibExcel for bibliometric assessments, and VOSviewer for network visualization purposes.

Results

From its establishment up until March 31, 2024 a total of 535 entries were recorded in the WoS database, with 491 of these relevant to the specified subject matter. The USA was the most prolific country, and China ranked second. Sun Yat Sen University was the most productive institution, which was from China. And 80 % of the top 10 institutions were from the USA. A keyword co-occurrence analysis was conducted, revealing four distinct research foci. And they were the application of EECP in cardiovascular disease, the main indications of EECP, the mechanism of EECP and the therapeutic effect of EECP, respectively. Researchers paid the most attention to the application of EECP on the cardiac cardiovascular system. Professor Lawson WE, Hui JCK and Kennard ED were the top three prolific authors. Lawson WE, Henry TD, Braith RW and Zheng ZS were identified as the core authors in the author co-citation network analysis.

Conclusion

A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the literature surrounding improved enhanced external counterpulsation in this investigation, which can help researchers understand the theme trend better and grasp the research gap, to carry out further research and promote the progress of the topic.

The EXCEL Study: Long-term Observation of the Effectiveness of Drug and Non-drug Rehabilitation in Patients with Ischemic Heart Failure

AIM

To study the long-term effect of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy on exercise tolerance, quality of life (QoL), and indicators of the structural and functional state of the cardiovascular system in patients with stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) complicated by chronic heart failure (CHF).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This open randomized EXCEL study included 120 patients with verified IHD complicated by NYHA II-III functional class CHF with reduced or mid-range left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction. Patients were randomized into group 1 (n=40), optimal drug therapy (ODT) and EECP (35 hours, 2 courses per year); group 2 (n=40), ODT and EECP (35 hours, 1 course per year); and group 3 (control; n=40), ODT and placebo counterpulsation (35 h, 1 course per year). All patients underwent a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), evaluation of clinical status, QoL with the MLHFQ and SF-36 questionnaires, structural and functional state of large blood vessels and microvasculature, measurement of brain natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-proBNP), and echocardiography at baseline and after 12 months.

RESULTS

In groups 1 and 2 after 12 months, the 6MWT distance increased statistically significantly (44.5 and 24.9%, respectively) and the following indexes improved: QoL (SF-36, MLHFQ), the condition of large blood vessels (phase shift, radial augmentation index, central aortic systolic pressure (CASP)) and microvasculature (occlusion index, percentage of perfused capillaries, percentage of capillary recovery), and the LV systolic function (from 40.6±7.5 to 47.5±10.2% and from 41.3± 6.8 to 43.9±10.3%, respectively). The proportion of patients with a >20% increase in the 6MWT at 12 months was 97.5, 72.5, and 7.7%, respectively. A statistically significant decrease in NT-proBNP was observed in all groups. In group 3, the incidence of hospitalizations for CHF and the risk of the composite endpoint were significantly higher.

CONCLUSION

For the 12-month study period, the effects of EECP in patients with IHD complicated by CHF included improvements in exercise tolerance, QoL, vascular and cardiac functional parameters, and a decrease in the incidence of adverse outcomes.

Impact of Enhanced External Counter-pulsation Therapy on Glycaemic Control in People With Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Enhanced external counter-pulsation (EECP) therapy is approved for refractory angina in coronary artery disease (CAD). EECP is being explored as a treatment modality in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: The Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (PubMed), ClinicaltTrials. gov, CNKI database, Clinical Trials Registry-india (CTRI), and Google Scholar databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving patients receiving EECP therapy in the intervention arm. The primary outcome was the changes in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The secondary outcomes were the changes in blood glucose parameters, inflammatory markers and any adverse events. Results: Data from 3 RCTs involving 71 people with T2DM/prediabetes was analysed to find out the impact of EECP therapy compared with placebo. As compared with placebo, patients receiving EECP had significantly lower HbA1C immediately after completion of therapy (mean difference [MD] -0.70%, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.95. -0.45;p<0.00001), at 2-4 weeks post completion of therapy (MD -1.04%, 95%CI -1.32. -0.77; p<0.00001) and 7-12 weeks after therapy completion (MD -0.98%, 95% CI -1.22, -0.74; p<0.00001). EECP therapy was well tolerated without any increased side effects (risk ratio 2.36, 95% CI 0.11-52.41; p=0.59. Conclusion: EECP therapy is effective in blood glucose and pressure lowering over at least 7-12 weeks of therapy completion. Blood glucose and pressure should be monitored with suitable modulation of drug doses to prevent hypoglycaemia and hypotension in patients with angina undergoing EECP therapy. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42023434533.

Cardiac External Counterpulsation Attenuates Myocardial Injury by Regulating NRF2-mediated Ferroptosisin and Oxidative stress Injury

Objectives

To explore the role of the external counterpulsation (ECP) myocardial injury by controlling NRF2-mediated ferroptosis and oxidative stress damage in acute myocardial infarction.

Methods

Twenty acute myocardial infarction (AMI) participants hospitalized from January 2021 to January 2022 were enrolled. In addition, 20 healthy individuals who had a physical examination at our hospital served as normal controls. Before the AMI patients were given ECP therapy, the blood samples were collected and echocardiography was performed as the data of AMI cohort. Then, the blood samples were collected and echocardiography was performed following the ECP therapy as the data of AMI + ECP cohort. The heart function was assessed by echocardiography test.

Results

Our findings demonstrated that ECP could reduce heart damage in patients with AMI. In the current study, we found that ECP could reduce heart damage in patients with AMI through increasing the LV-EF% and enhancing LVEDV and LVESV, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). ECP could reduce the levels of oxidative stress and ferroptosis markers in blood samples of AMI patients, which was through the upregulation of NRF2 and HO-1 expression, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Taken together, all data implied that ECP was able to attenuate myocardial injury by regulating NRF2-mediated ferroptosis and oxidative stress in AMI patients, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our findings in this research are that cardiac ECP is able to attenuate myocardial injury by regulating NRF2-mediated ferroptosis and oxidative stress injury in AMI patients. This certainly gives the possibility of a clinically effective treatment for AMI patients, although further clinical trials need to be validated.

Medium-term Effects of Enhanced External Counterpulsation in the Structural and Functional Parameters of Blood Vessels in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Aim. To study the mid-term effects of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) in the structural and functional parameters of blood vessels, exercise tolerance and quality of life indicators in patients with verified coronary artery disease (CAD).

Material and methods. Patients (n=70) with verified stable CAD (angina pectoris class II-III) complicated by chronic heart faillure class II-III (NYHA) were included in the study. Data from 65 patients (48 to 74 years old; 45 men and 20 women) are included in the final analysis. All patients had a course of EECP (35 hours procedures with a compression pressure of 220-280 mm Hg). All patients at baseline, 3 and 6 months later had a 6 walk minute test (6WMT), an assessment of the clinical status, quality of life of patients (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, SF-36). Computer nailfold video capillaroscopy, photoplethysmography with pulse wave recording and contour analysis, applanation tonometry to assess central aortic systolic pressure and radial augmentation index were performed to assess the structural and functional state of large and microcirculatory vessels.

Results. Significant improvement in exercise tolerance both after 3 and after 6 months (increase in distance in 6WMT by 44.6% after 3 months and 34.3% after 6 months, p <0.05), improved quality of life (increased overall score on the SF-36 questionnaire from 50.3±8.1 to 59.8±8.8, p<0.05), an increase in the left ventricular ejection fraction were found. Significant improvement in indicators showing the function of the endothelium of both large vessels (phase shift: from 5.6 [2.45; 7.3] to 6.8 [3.1; 8.1] m / s) and microcirculatory vessels (occlusion index: from 1.51 [1.21; 1.7] to 1.66 [1.2; 1.9]), as well as a decrease in functional disorders of the capillary bed of the skin (% of perfused capillaries, density of the capillary network in the test with reactive hyperemia) were found after 3 months. However, after 6 months, there were no significant changes in these parameters compared to the baseline value. No significant change in indicators showing structural remodeling of both large vessels and microcirculatory vessels was found.

Conclusion. The positive effect of the EECP course on the functional status (exercise tolerance) and quality of life in patients with stable coronary artery disease complicated by chronic heart faillure was found both after 3 and 6 months. Positive dynamics of the functional state of large vessels and microvasculature was found only after 3 months.