title: Enhanced Rho-kinase activity in patients with vasospastic angina after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It remains unclear whether disease activity of vasospastic angina (VSA) is altered during a disaster.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake, we examined Rho-kinase activity in circulating neutrophils of 11 VSA patients and their mental stress with the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) questionnaire. Rho-kinase activity was significantly increased at 6 months after the Earthquake, and was returned to baseline level at 12 months. Importantly, percent change in Rho-kinase activity was significantly correlated with the PTSD score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the Rho-kinase activity of VSA patients was transiently enhanced associated with disaster-related mental stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nihei
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tsuburaya
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiroto
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Yasuharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003329:Coronary Vasospasm / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D054460:rho-Associated Kinases