New insights into the mechanisms of diastolic dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Little is known about the role of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE) in diabetic cardiovascular complications. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association of serum soluble RAGE (sRAGE) levels and left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Our study consisted of 40 patients with type 2 diabetes and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy control group.

Prevalence of coronary artery disease before valvular surgery in patients with rheumatic valvular disease.

Background: Although many patients with valvular heart disease have concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD), there are limited data on the association between rheumatic valvular disease (RVD) and CAD. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of CAD in a group of patients with RVD and undergoing coronary angiography before valvular surgery.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis, we enrolled a total of 1075 patients (658 women, 61.

Diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of echocardiographic indices for detecting left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease and normal ejection fraction.

Objective: The aim of present study was to assess the clinical utility and diagnostic accuracy of diastolic dysfunction criteria that were recommended in current American Society of Echocardiography and European Association of Echocardiography recommendations for prediction of increased LVEDP (>16 mmHg) in patients with coronary artery disease and normal EF.

Methods: Forty-five consecutive patients (mean age=61.5±10.

Pulmonary embolism presenting with evolving electrocardiographic abnormalities mimicking anteroseptal myocardial infarction: a case report.

Objectives: To report a case with dynamic ST segment elevation suggestive of anteroseptal acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that proved to be bilateral pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).

Clinical Presentation And Intervention: A 50-year-old woman with syncope was transferred to the emergency department. Findings from the admission electrocardiogram were suggestive of anteroseptal AMI; however, coronary angiography revealed that the patient had normal coronary arteries.

Are the conventional cutoff values adequate to define hypertension in young women?

Background: Women have lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels than men during early adulthood. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) tends to be just marginally lower in women than men regardless of age.

Objective: Aims of this study were (i) to determine 95th percentile value of SBP, DBP, and mean arterial blood pressure in healthy women, and (ii) to evaluate the effects of basal demographic and anthropometric features on blood pressure.

[Mean systolic annular velocity and strain score index: new and non-invasive parameters for the evaluation of acute myocardial infarction patients].

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of mean annular velocity (MAV) and strain score index (SSI) for determination of the left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with first acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Seventy-one patients (55 male, mean age: 59+/-12 years) with first acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and 30 healthy subjects were included in this cross-sectional and observational study. Echocardiography with tissue Doppler and strain analysis was performed during initial hospital admission.

Intron 4 VNTR polymorphism of eNOS gene is protective for cardiac syndrome X.

Microvascular abnormalities caused by endothelial dysfunction seem to be responsible for the myocardial ischemia in patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX). Nitric oxide is a key mediator of endothelial function and is synthesized by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). We investigated if the 3 potential polymorphisms of the eNOS gene (VNTR in intron 4, T786C polymorphism in the promoter region, and G894T polymorphism in exon 7) are independent risk factors for CSX.

Association of plasma osteopontin levels with coronary calcification evaluated by tomographic coronary calcium scoring.

Evidence indicates that proteins controlling bone mineralization are also involved in the regulation of coronary calcification. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the association between plasma osteopontin (OPN) levels and coronary calcification quantified by using tomographic coronary calcium scoring. Plasma OPN levels were measured from samples of 80 intermediate-risk asymptomatic patients (56 +/- 10 years) who underwent tomographic coronary calcium scoring via multislice computed tomography for incremental risk stratification.

[The early predictors of ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction: the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha].

Objective: Ventricular remodeling (VR) is a pathologic process characterized by progressive ventricular dilatation occurring after acute myocardial infarction (MI) leading to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels to predict the left VR.

Methods: This prospective observational cohort study included 72 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed MI with age ranging between 38-87 years (mean 59 +/- 12 years).

Early electrocardiographic diagnosis of acute coronary ischemia on the paced electrocardiogram.

Background: Twelve-lead electrocardiography (ECG) is the most important source for the early diagnosis of an acute myocardial ischemia. However, its diagnostic value when the sequence of ventricular activation is altered by ventricular pacing is unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ECG changes on the paced ECG during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by doing temporary pacing.

Comparison of strain doppler echocardiography and radiologic left ventriculography for quantitative assessment of regional myocardial function.

Objective: We aimed to study the comparison of strain and strain rate parameters with conventional left ventriculography derived regional function.

Method: Forty patients were included in the study. The study group was selected from patients who had undergone left ventriculography and coronary angiography for clinical indications.

QT interval dispersion changes according to the vessel involved during percutaneous coronary angioplasty.

Increased QT dispersion (QTd) is a noninvasive marker of an electrophysiologic abnormality associated with high mortality in coronary artery disease. The purposes of this study were to measure changes in QTd and ST-segment changes immediately before, during and after intracoronary balloon inflation and to determine whether the coronary artery vessel involved and/or the duration of inflation affect(s) QTd. A total of 45 patients (32 men, 13 women, mean age 58 +/- 11 years) who were referred for elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were included.

Effects of acute exercise on fibrinolysis and coagulation in patients with coronary artery disease.

Acute physical exertion may trigger an acute coronary syndrome. Furthermore, acute physical exercise may influence hemostatic markers in healthy individuals. However, the effect of acute exercise on blood fibrinolysis and coagulation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is still not well understood.

Determination of left ventricular filling pressure by new echocardiographic methods in patients with coronary artery disease.

Aim: The present study was designed to determine the reliability of the analysis of the time difference between onset of mitral inflow and onset of early diastolic mitral annulus velocity and mean systolic strain index, and comparing them with E/E' in the detection of increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) in patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods: Eighty patients (mean age: 57.2 +/- 11.

Renal cell carcinoma extending from superior vena cava into right atrium.

Tumoral invasion of inferior vena cava by renal cell carcinoma is reported to be relatively frequent. Usually the tumor grows intraluminally into the renal vein and inferior vena cava as an extension of primary tumor. In this report, we present an unusual case of venous system involvement, invasion of renal cell carcinoma into superior vena cava.

Aorta-right atrial fistula: a rare complication of prosthetic aortic valvular endocarditis.

Aortic root abscess is a well-known complication of aortic valve endocarditis but intracardiac fistulas are rarely seen. This report describes a patient with prosthetic valve endocarditis who had an aortic root abscess that ruptured into the right atrium creating an aortic-right atrial fistula and causing a highly mobile vegetative mass in the right atrium.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in female systemic lupus erythematosus patients: what is the clinical significance?

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) especially during the late phase of the disease. This study was conducted to evaluate B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in female SLE patients without cardiac symptoms and to investigate whether BNP levels correlated with echocardiographic findings. We studied 59 women with SLE and 33 healthy women.

Holter monitoring for 24 hours in patients with thromboembolic stroke and sinus rhythm diagnosed in the emergency department.

It is well known that patients with ischemic stroke show ST-T abnormalities and various rhythm abnormalities on an electrocardiogram (ECG). The most commonly encountered rhythm abnormality is atrial fibrillation. It was recently shown that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is an important causative factor in patients with stroke.

Plasma osteopontin levels are elevated in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Background: The regions of ruptured atherosclerotic plaques have numerous macrophages. Osteopontin that modulates macrophage function has been shown in atherosclerotic plaques. We aimed to study the plasma levels of osteopontin in patients with unstable angina or non-ST-seg ment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and the rela tionship between osteopontin and the extent of the coronary artery disease (CAD).

Effects of trapidil on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

There is increasing evidence to suggest that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species play a role in the pathogenesis of renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study was designed to determine the possible protective effects of trapidil treatment against oxidative and nitrosative tissue injury of kidney induced by I/R. A renal I/R injury was induced by a left renal pedicle occlusion by ischemia for 45 minutes, followed by 1 hour of reperfusion with contralateral nephrectomy in I/R and I/R + trapidil groups.