A new diagnostic tool for masked hypertension: impaired sleep quality.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between masked hypertension and impaired sleep quality. Additionally, we evaluated the diagnostic role and prevalence of poor sleep quality among patients with newly diagnosed masked hypertension.

Material And Methods: A total of 112 individuals, 72 patients with newly diagnosed masked hypertension and 40 normotensive healthy volunteers, were included in this study.

Evaluation of Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A Levels in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Associations with Disease Severity.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) represents a systemic disorder characterized by chronic airflow limitation and an increased inflammatory response of the airways. Comorbidities are frequent in COPD and it is crucial to predict these in early stage for adequate management of COPD. Recent studies have reported that elevated levels of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), a zinc-binding metalloproteinase, detected in patients with asthma, lung cancer, and pulmonary embolism and independently associated with cardiovascular events.

Detection of atrial electromechanical dysfunction in obesity.

Introduction: Obesity is associated with atrial fibrillation and is known as an independent risk factor. The aim of our study was to investigate if there was any association between the body mass index and atrial electromechanical intervals in obese and non-obese patients.

Methods: Seventy patients were enrolled in the study.

Post-treatment plasma omentin levels in patients with stage III colon carcinoma.

Purpose: Gastrointestinal carcinomas are ~1.5-2-fold more prevalent in obese populations compared to nonobese ones. Possible factors playing an important role in the association between obesity and cancer include insulin, insulin like growth factor-I, sex steroids and adipocytokines.

Red cell distribution width and mean platelet volume in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Introduction: Possible pathophysiological mechanisms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are interactions between microbial flora of the gut and the mucosal/systemic immune system, post-infectious status and inflammation. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and red cell distribution width (RDW) have been reported as inflammatory markers in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, but they have not been studied in functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Aim: To investigate whether there was an association between haemogram parameters (RDW and MPV) and IBS.

Plasma omentin levels in drug-free patients with schizophrenia.

Aims: We aimed to investigate plasma omentin concentrations in non-obese, drug-free patients with schizophrenia in comparison with healthy volunteers.

Method: Thirty-two patients with schizophrenia and 33 control subjects were recruited. Plasma omentin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Serum levels of omentin are not altered in drug-naive patients with major depression: a pilot study.

Background: Decreased plasma levels of omentin, a relatively novel adipokine, are shown to be associated with metabolic abnormalities and proinflammatory states. Although other adipokines such as leptin and adiponectin have been extensively investigated in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), no studies have evaluated omentin levels in major depression. Therefore, this study sought to test the hypothesis that drug-naive patients with MDD would have lower serum omentin levels than a healthy control group similar in age, sex, and body mass index.

A new diagnostic marker for acute pulmonary embolism in emergency department: mean platelet volume.

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic importance of mean platelet volume (MPV) on acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in the emergency Department (ED).

Methods: Subjects were selected from patients admitted to ED with clinically suspected APE. Demographic, anthropometric and serologic data were collected for each patient.

Detection of atrial electrical and mechanical dysfunction in non-dipper pre-hypertensive subjects.

Introduction: A relationship between atrial conduction time and hypertension was shown in previous studies. Increased atrial electromechanical intervals used to predict atrial fibrillation by measured tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). So we aimed to search if there was any association between the non-dipping status and atrial electromechanical intervals in pre-hypertensive patients.

Serum omentin levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with increased rates of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The basic mechanisms involved in the increased cardiovascular risk of OSAS remain unclear. Recent discoveries of fat-secreted substances which serve endocrine roles improve our understanding of the relationship between OSAS, CVD, and the metabolic syndrome.

Platelet parameters in hepatic hydatid cysts.

Background. Hepatic hydatid cyst infection is caused by microorganisms named Echinococcus which belong to family Taeniidae. Platelets are considered as a mediator in inflammation and infectious diseases because of the various proinflammatory substances that they contain.

Could thrombocyte parameters be an inflammatory marker in the brucellosis?

Aim: To investigate links between platelet parameters mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet count (PC), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet mass (PM) and brucella tube agglutination titers (BSTAT) in patients with brucellosis. Initially, PC, MPV, PM and PDW calculations were compared between periods before and after treatment. The correlation between inflammation markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR, white blood cell count, WBC, and C reactive protein, CRP) and platelet parameters was subsequently investigated.

Cardiac autonomic function in healthy young smokers.

The present study examined the heart rate turbulence (HRT) and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in healthy young smokers (<40 years) to assess the effects of smoking on cardiac autonomic function. The study included 75 smokers with a history of habitual smoking for at least 1 year (41 males and 34 females; mean age, 29.3 ± 7.

Detection of subclinical atrial dysfunction by two-dimensional echocardiography in patients with overt hyperthyroidism.

Background: Hyperthyroidism is an important cardiovascular risk factor in the development of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Increased atrial electromechanical intervals are used to predict atrial fibrillation, measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI).

Aims: To evaluate atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) and left atrial (LA) mechanical function in patients with overt hyperthyroidism.

Glycated haemoglobin is correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease independently of traditional risk factors in young patients.

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in < 40 years old patients.

Material And Methods: The study population consisted of 211 premature coronary atherosclerotic patients (pCAP) (aged 36.4 ± 2.

Predictive value of mean platelet volume in young patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes: a retrospective observational study.

Objective: Platelets play an important role in both initiation and propagation of acute coronary syndromes. We sought to evaluate the predictive value of mean platelet volume (MPV) in young patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS).

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study; evaluating the MPV values of 79 NSTE-ACS patients aged under 45 years and 45 control subjects having normal coronary anatomy.

Atrial conduction time and atrial mechanical function in patients with impaired fasting glucose.

Background: Prolonging atrial conduction time, as measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), is an independent predictor of new onset or recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated atrial conduction time and cardiac mechanical function in patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) using echocardiography.

Methods: Thirty patients with IFG (19 males and 11 females; age, 46.

Coronary artery ectasia is associated with atrial electrical and mechanical dysfunction: an observational study.

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate total atrial conduction time and left atrial (LA) mechanical function in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia (ICAE).

Methods: Sixty patients with ICAE without any visible coronary stenosis were enrolled to this cross-sectional observational study. The control group consisted of 40 age- and gender-matched patients.

Preeclampsia: is it because of the asymptomatic, unrecognized renal scars caused by urinary tract infections in childhood that become symptomatic with pregnancy?

Preeclampsia is an important disease of pregnancy whose exact etiology is still unknown despite continuing developments in medicine. Although most commonly it is believed to be caused by a defective placentation, in this paper, we hypothesize that the primary underlying problem in the development of preeclampsia can be in kidneys in a greater proportion of cases than it is believed today. The increased intravascular volume and the increased work load of kidneys together with the resulting glomerular hypertrophy may precipitate nephrotic syndrome, which in this case is called "preeclampsia" in a previously affected kidney.

Evaulation of atrial conduction abnormalities and left atrial mechanical functions in patients with subclinical thyroid disorders.

Introduction: Changes of thyroid hormones levels may lead to effects, not only in ventricular function, but also atrial function. The aim of this study was to investigate left atrial (LA) mechanical functions, atrial electromechanical coupling and P wave dispersion in patients with subclinical thyroid disorders.

Material And Methods: Eighty patients with subclinical thyroid disorders and forty controls were included.

Evaluation of left ventricular systolic asynchrony in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Background: The heart was very sensitive to fluctuating thyroid hormone levels. To assess intra-left ventricular (LV) systolic asynchrony in patients with subclinical thyroid dysfunction.

Methods: Fifty patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and 40 controls were included.

Serum levels of omentin in end-stage renal disease patients.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, evaluation and prevention of cardiovascular diseases in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are very important. The plasma level of omentin was found to be associated with different conditions such as insulin resistance.

Aqueous humour and serum concentration of asymmetric dimethyl arginine in pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Objective: Asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) is the major endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. ADMA is related to endothelial dysfunction and is an independent cardiovascular risk factor. This study aimed to evaluate the concentration of ADMA in aqueous humour and serum samples of patients with pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome.