Effect of air pollution exposure on risk of acute coronary syndromes in Poland: a nationwide population-based study (EP-PARTICLES study).

Background: Air pollution (AP) is linked up to 20% of cardiovascular deaths. The aim of this nationwide study was to investigate subpopulations vulnerable to AP for non-ST- (NSTEMI) and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) incidence.

Methods: We analysed short- (lags up to seven days) and mid-term (0-30 days moving average) influence of particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO), nitrogen dioxide (NO) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on hospitalizations due NSTEMI and STEMI in 2011-2020.

Environmental and socioeconomic determinants of heart failure.

Background: Over 1.5 million people in Poland suffer from heart failure (HF). The risk of hospitalization is related to environmental and socioeconomic factors and the organization of the healthcare system.

Pericarditis and Takotsubo Syndrome-Diagnosis of Cardiac Complications of Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome in a 77-Year-Old Woman.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus infection most often takes the form of acute COVID-19 respiratory disease, but in some patients, it turns into acute COVID-19 syndrome after a few weeks. Cardiac complications occur in the form of acute and post-acute diseases and the most common are myocarditis, pericarditis, arrhythmias, and acute coronary syndromes or Takotsubo syndrome. Cardiovascular complications are often the cause of hospitalization and death in COVID-19 patients.

Exposure to air pollution and its effect on ischemic strokes (EP-PARTICLES study).

It is well known that exceeded levels of particulate matter in the air and other air pollutants harmfully affect the cardiovascular system. Empirical analyses of the effects of these factors on stroke incidence and mortality are still limited. The main objective of our analyses was to determine the association between short-term exposure to air pollutants and stroke incidence in non-industrial areas, more specifically in north-eastern Poland.

Comparing Atrial-Fibrillation Validated Rapid Scoring Systems in the Long-Term Mortality Prediction in Patients Referred for Elective Coronary Angiography: A Subanalysis of the Białystok Coronary Project.

Rapid scoring systems validated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) may be useful beyond their original purpose. Our aim was to assess the utility of CHA2DS2-VASc, HAS−BLED, and 2MACE scores in predicting long-term mortality in the population of the Białystok Coronary Project, including AF patients. The initial study population consisted of 7409 consecutive patients admitted for elective coronary angiography between 2007 and 2016.

Echocardiography, Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Differential Diagnosis of a Tumor in the Left Atrium of the Heart.

Cardiac tumors are rare. Most often they are metastatic tumors, while primary tumors are much less common. In addition to proliferative changes in the heart, there are also non-neoplastic structures, such as thrombus, vegetation or inflammatory tumors.

Do Muslims Living in Poland Approve of Organ Transplantation?

BACKGROUND Although the International Society for Islamic Legal Studies and the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences have officially approved of transplantations, Muslims' opinions on this issue are not uniform. The aim of this study was to assess the general knowledge, attitudes, and opinions concerning organ transplantation among Muslim Tatars living in North-East Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 78 Muslim Tatars and was carried out at the Center of Muslim Culture using the diagnostic poll method.

Fractional Flow Reserve in the Diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Disease in a Patient with Coronary Artery Ectasia.

Coronary artery ectasias (CAE) are diffuse dilatations of coronary artery segments with a diameter 1.5 times greater than the largest adjacent normal segment of the vessel. They are found in 0.

Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Kidney Disease-A Risky Combination for Post-Contrast Acute Kidney Injury.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) symptoms may mimic coronary artery disease (CAD) which reflects the difficulties in qualifying AF patients for invasive diagnostics. A substantial number of coronary angiographies may be unnecessary or even put patients at risk of post-contrast acute kidney injury (PC-AKI), especially patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to investigate the hypothesis indicating higher prevalence of PC-AKI in patients with AF scheduled for coronary angiography.

Exposure to air pollution and renal function.

Air pollution contributes to the premature death of approximately 428,000 citizens of Europe every year. The adverse effects of air pollution can be observed in respiratory, circulatory systems but also in renal function. We decide to investigate the hypothesis indicating that we can observe not only long- but also short-term impact of air pollution on kidney function.

Primary Takotsubo Syndrome as a Complication of Bladder Cancer Treatment in a 62-Year-Old Woman.

BACKGROUND The main causes for takotsubo syndrome (TS) in oncological patients are stress related to cancer diagnosis and treatment, pain in the course of the disease, treatment complications, and paraneoplastic syndromes. CASE REPORT An obese 62-year-old female patient, with a 3-day history of chest pain, was admitted to the hospital with a suspected acute coronary event. She had been diagnosed with high-grade bladder cancer 6 months before.

Impact of short-term air pollution exposure on acute coronary syndrome in two cohorts of industrial and non-industrial areas: A time series regression with 6,000,000 person-years of follow-up (ACS - Air Pollution Study).

Background: There is a lack of studies directly comparing the effect of air pollution on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) occurrence in industrial and non-industrial areas.

Objectives: A comparison of association of air pollution exposure with ACS in two cohorts of industrially different areas.

Materials And Methods: The study covered 6,000,000 person-years of follow-up and five pollutants between 2008 and 2017.

Cardiac Rupture-The Most Serious Complication of Takotsubo Syndrome: A Series of Five Cases and a Systematic Review.

Background: The most serious complication of the acute Takotsubo phase is a myocardial perforation, which is rare, but it usually results in the death of the patient.

Methods: In the years 2008-2020, 265 patients were added to the Podlasie Takotsubo Registry. Cardiac rupture was observed in five patients (1.

The outcome of patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) and impaired kidney function: a 3-year observational study.

Background: Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) constitutes about 10% of the cases of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). It is a working diagnosis and requires further diagnostics to determine the cause of ACS.

Methods: In this study, 178 patients were initially diagnosed with MINOCA over a period of 3 years at the Department of Invasive Cardiology of the University Clinical Hospital in Białystok.

The effect of serum uric acid levels on the long-term prognosis of patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Many studies have reported an association between serum uric acid (sUA) and CVD, and its role as a risk marker for mortality.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between sUA levels and the long-term prognosis of patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

The 10-Year Study of the Impact of Particulate Matters on Mortality in Two Transit Cities in North-Eastern Poland (PL-PARTICLES).

The detrimental influence of air pollution on mortality has been established in a series of studies. The majority of them were conducted in large, highly polluted cities-there is a lack of studies from small, relatively clean regions. The aim was to analyze the short-term impact of particulate matters (PMs) on mortality in north-eastern Poland.

Effectiveness of Levosimendan in an 84-Year-Old Patient with Takotsubo Syndrome Complicated by Acute Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND Although takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is usually mild, severe complications such as acute heart failure may occur in the acute phase. Because of the etiology of TTS, typical catecholamines are not recommended; the use of inotropic drugs with a different mechanism of action is recommended, mainly levosimendan. CASE REPORT An 84-year-old patient with cardiovascular risk factors, hospitalized in a city hospital because of exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was transferred to the clinic with suspected myocardial infarction.

Impact of renal function on patients with acute coronary syndromes: 15,593 patient-years study.

Introduction: Coexistence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the case of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) significantly worsens the outcomes.

Aim: The aim of our study was to assess renal function impact on mortality among patients with ACS.

Materials And Methods: The study was based on records of 21,985 patients hospitalized in the Medical University of Bialystok in 2009-2015.

Exposure to air pollution-a trigger for myocardial infarction? A nine-year study in Bialystok-the capital of the Green Lungs of Poland (BIA-ACS registry).

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of air pollution and weather conditions on the frequency of hospital admissions due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the population of Bialystok, known as the capital of the Green Lungs of Poland.

Materials And Methods: The study analyzed the medical records of 2,645 patients living within the borders of Bialystok who were treated for ACS between 2009 and 2017 and the data on air pollutants-nitrogen dioxide (NO), sulfur dioxide (SO), and particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM) and 10 μm or less (PM)-and the basic meteorological factors (temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure).

Gender Differences in Association between Air Pollution and Daily Mortality in the Capital of the Green Lungs of Poland-Population-Based Study with 2,953,000 Person-Years of Follow-Up.

(1) Introduction: air pollution is considered to be one of the main risk factors for public health. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), air pollution contributes to the premature deaths of approximately 500,000 citizens of the European Union (EU), including almost 5000 inhabitants of Poland every year. (2) Purpose: to assess the gender differences in the impact of air pollution on the mortality in the population of the city of Bialystok-the capital of the Green Lungs of Poland.

Opinions of Followers of Judaism Residing in the Northeastern Part of Poland on Organ Donation.

Background: Families of deceased potential donors often object to organ harvesting on religious grounds. The aim of this study was to learn the attitudes and opinions of Judaism followers regarding organ donation.

Material And Methods: The study included 97 Judaism followers living in the northeastern part of Poland.