Association of dipping pattern of blood pressure and atherosclerotic burden of coronary arteries in hypertensive patients

Aim    The aim of this study was to determine the association between the dipping pattern of BP and coronary artery disease in hypertensive patients.Material and methods    A total of 356 hypertensive patients were included in the study. The results of ambulatory BP monitoring, echocardiography, and coronary computerised tomographic angiography were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of their ambulatory BP monitoring: 1) patients with the dipping pattern of BP; 2) patients with the non-dipping pattern (NDP).Results    Among the 356 patients, 145 were male (40.7 %). The smoking status was higher in patients with NDP (p=0.023). The statin usage in patients with the dipping pattern was higher in patients with NDP (p=0.027). There were no significant differences in the echocardiographic findings. 58.6 % of the patients without plaque formation had the dipping pattern of BP (p<0.05), however 84.4 % of patients with >50 % plaque formation had the NDP of BP (p<0.001).Conclusion    The NDP of BP might be related to the increased atherosclerotic process in coronary arteries, and pa-tients with NDP might have an increased atherosclerotic burden for coronary arteries when compared with patients with a dipping pattern.

Clinicopathological Features of Breast Cancer with Polysomy 17 and Its Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Objective

The interpretation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) results may be challenging in tumors with polysomy 17, which is defined as increased signals of chromosome enumeration probe 17 (CEP17). The effect of polysomy 17 on HER2 protein expression and tumor treatment response has not been established. In this retrospective study, we investigated the clinicopathological features of breast cancer with polysomy 17 and determined the tumors' response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

Materials and Methods

The study included 366 patients with primary breast cancer whose tumors had a CEP17 count of ≥ three/nucleus based on HER2 FISH studies. These cases were categorized according to HER2/CEP17 ratio and HER2 signals/nucleus using the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) guidelines. We compared the clinicopathological characteristics and tumor response to NACT among different groups.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference in patients' age at diagnosis, tumor pathological grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor status, and NACT response among different HER2 FISH groups. Polysomy 17 tumors in group 1 had a higher rate of response (pathological complete response and residual cancer burden class I) to NACT containing anti-HER2 reagent than did those in other groups (p = 0.004), whereas polysomy 17 tumors in group 3 did not show a significant response to anti-HER2 treatment.

Conclusion

Polysomy 17 tumors in different HER2 FISH groups have different pathological features and respond to NACT differently. These results may help us identify patients who will benefit from anti-HER2 therapy.