Predictors of length of hospital stay and in-hospital adverse events in patients with acute decompensated heart failure: in-hospital 24-hour blood pressure monitoring data.

Objective: Neurohumoral alterations in heart failure (HF) affect blood pressure variability (BPV) and vascular compliance, but little is known about this subject among patients admitted to the hospital with decompensated HF. This study sought to investigate in-hospital 24-h blood pressure monitoring (BPM)-derived BPV parameters and vascular compliance in patients with decompensated HF and explore the association of these parameters with hospitalization length and in-hospital adverse events.

Methods: A 24-h BPM was applied during the first 6 h of admission to the hospital in patients with decompensated HF.

Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Level Can Predict Early Organ Damage in Primary Hypertensive Patients: A Pilot Study.

Background: Early detection and treatment of complicated arterial hypertension will prevent its effect on the target organs. In line with this purpose, we aimed to reveal the prediction capability of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin to complicated hypertension.

Methods: In total, 46 patients with hypertension and 21 healthy volunteers were included in the study.

Visceral Adiposity Index Is Associated with the Increased Syntax Score in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

The visceral adipose tissue excess in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the mechanisms that plays role in the development of coronary atherosclerosis. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between visceral adiposity index (VAI), an indicator of visceral adiposity, and Syntax score (SxS), a predictor of the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and type 2 DM. A total of 253 patients with SAP and type 2 DM were included in this cross-sectional study.

Left atrial contractile longitudinal strain determines intrinsic left atrial function regardless of load status and left ventricular deformation.

Purpose: Left atrial (LA) longitudinal strain (S) has been proposed as a superior, non-invasive parameter over LA volumetric assessment. LAS has diagnostic and prognostic value in many cardiovascular pathologies. Nevertheless, the acute effect of hemodynamic changes on LAS indices is not well-established.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of coronary artery disease in patients with a zero coronary calcium score.

Purpose: A zero coronary calcium score (CCS) is not able to provide a definite exclusion for coronary artery disease (CAD). The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated cardiovascular risk factors of CAD in patients with zero CCS.

Methods: Six hundred thirteen patients with zero CCS referred to coronary calcium score analysis (CCSA) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with suspicion of CAD were included.

Analysis of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data in patients with ankylosing spondylitis without clinically evident cardiovascular disease.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Parameters, such as non-dipper, average real variability (ARV), pulse pressure index (PPI), and ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) obtained from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), provide information about adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In this study, these indexes were evaluated in patients with AS.

Relationship Between Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) and the Severity of Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII; platelet count × neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), a novel marker, predicts adverse clinical outcomes in coronary artery diseases (CAD). We hypothesized that SII could provide more valuable information in assessing the severity of CAD than ratios obtained from other white blood cell subtypes. Patients (n = 669) who underwent coronary angiography were analyzed in this retrospective study.

Determination of Myocardial Scar Tissue in Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon and The Relationship Between Amount of Scar Tissue and Nt-ProBNP.

Background: Pathophysiology and prognosis are not clearly determined in patients with the coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP). These patients present with various clinical conditions ranging from being asymptomatic to being admitted with sudden cardiac death.

Objectives: We aimed at assessing the findings of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as an indicator of myocardial fibrosis.

Higher ultrafiltration rate is associated with right ventricular mechanical dispersion.

Objective: Ultrafiltration rate is one of the major determinants of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) therapy. Previous studies have focused on the impact of HD on right ventricular (RV) peak strain values. However, the influence of HD on the temporal characteristics of deformation has not been reported yet.

High-sensitive troponin T increase after hemodialysis is associated with left ventricular global longitudinal strain and ultrafiltration rate.

Background: Circulating troponin levels are both stable and higher in patients with end-stage renal disease, even in the absence of acute coronary syndrome. These patients commonly have underlying cardiac problems that frequently cause troponin elevation. The effect of hemodialysis (HD) on troponin levels has not been well elucidated.

The impact of volume overload on right heart function in end-stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of volume overload on echocardiographic parameters used for the assessment of the right ventricle (RV) and right atrium (RA), to determine volume-independent parameters and to noninvasively investigate the physio-mechanics of RV and RA by examining end-stage kidney patients before and after hemodialysis (HD).

Methods: The echocardiographic images were obtained from 67 patients (49.2 ± 17.

Effect of serum YKL-40 on coronary collateral development and SYNTAX score in stable coronary artery disease.

Objective: Many studies have revealed a role of YKL-40 as a new inflammatory biomarker in angiogenesis, inflammation, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the association of serum YKL-40 level with coronary collateral development and SYNTAX score in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Methods: A total of 165 patients who had ≥90% stenosis in at least one major coronary artery were prospectively enrolled in the study.

Association of rs10757274 and rs2383206 Polymorphisms on 9p21 locus with Coronary Artery Disease in Turkish Population.

Background And Objectives: Genetic predisposition is an important risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of rs10757274 and rs2383206 polymorphisms in chromosome 9p21 on presence and severity of CAD in a Turkish population.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 646 patients who underwent coronary angiography were included in this study.

Dynamics of Concomitant Functional Mitral Regurgitation in Patients with Aortic Stenosis Undergoing TAVI.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the echocardiographic features of functional mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) pre- and post-trans catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods: The study subjects consisted of 79 patients with severe AS, who underwent TAVI. The echocardiographic parameters related to MR severity prior to TAVI and the change in these parameters and MR severity within one month after implantation were retrospectively evaluated.

Increased serum YKL-40 level is associated with the presence and severity of metabolic syndrome.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is defined by a cluster of interdependent physiological, biochemical, and clinical risk factors and linked to a state of chronic inflammation. YKL-40 is known as an inflammatory glycoprotein, which is secreted by various cell lines during inflammation. Thus, we aimed to assess the association of serum YKL-40 levels with the presence and severity of MS.

Relationship between serum vitamin D levels and angiographic severity and extent of coronary artery disease.

Background: Vitamin D is known for its effect in calcium and bone homeostasis. There is an increasing evidence for health benefits accomplished by activated vitamin D that go beyond these classical functions. Previous studies have suggested that lower vitamin D levels are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk.

The Assessment of Atrial Electromechanical Delay in Patients With Acromegaly.

Background: We aimed to evaluate whether atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), which is an indicator for structural and electrical remodelling of the atria, is prolonged in patients with active or inactive acromegaly, or both, compared with a control group.

Methods: A total of 34 patients with acromegaly (18 active/16 inactive) and 35 patients as a control group were enrolled. Both intra- and inter-AEMD were calculated by TDI.

[Association of red blood cell distribution width with presence and severity of rheumatic mitral valve stenosis].

Objective: As an indicator of variability in circulating erythrocyte size, red cell distribution width (RDW) is linked to chronic inflammation. The association of rheumatic heart valve stenosis and inflammation is also well-known. This study aimed to assess the relationship between RDW and presence and severity of rheumatic mitral valve stenosis (RMVS).

Association of serum total bilirubin level with severity of coronary atherosclerosis is linked to systemic inflammation.

Objective: Although cardiovascular protective action of bilirubin has been attributed to its antioxidant effect, there was scarce data regarding the anti-inflammatory properties. Herein, we aimed to assess the relationship between serum total bilirubin level and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in association with the direct inflammatory marker such as C-reactive protein (CRP), the other indirect markers included in inflammation process such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red cell distribution width (RDW) in patients with stable CAD.

Methods: Angiographic data of 1501 patients were analyzed in this retrospective cross-sectional study.

Echocardiographic epicardial adipose tissue measurements provide information about cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis patients.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a cardiovascular risk predictor in general population. However, its value has not been well validated in maintainance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. We aimed to assess associations of EAT with cardiovascular risk predictors in nondiabetic MHD patients.

Markers of early atherosclerosis, oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with acromegaly.

Purpose: Data regarding atherosclerosis in acromegaly is controversial in literature. We aimed to investigate the markers of early atherosclerosis, oxidative stress, inflammation and their relationships with each other in acromegaly.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients with acromegaly and 40 control subjects were enrolled.