Accuracy of Visual Estimation of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Compared With Echocardiography in Children.

Background: This study compared visual assessments of left ventricular systolic function in children by pediatric physicians with quantitative measurements using the Simpson method.

Methods: This was a transverse, cohort study conducted between January and June 2023. Patient's echocardiography were performed by a certified pediatric cardiologist in the presence of 2 pediatricians: a senior pediatric intensivist (S.

Temporal trends and prognostic impact of reperfusion modalities in Tunisian patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: A 20-year analysis.

Introduction: With the advent of reperfusion therapies, management of patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has witnessed significant changes during the last decades.

Aim: We sought to analyze temporal trends in reperfusion modalities and their prognostic impact over a 20-year period in patients presenting with STEMI the Monastir region (Tunisia).

Methods: Patients from Monastir region presenting for STEMI were included in a 20-year (1998-2017) single center registry.

Mid-term subclinical myocardial injury detection in patients who recovered from COVID-19 according to pulmonary lesion severity.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV 2) may cause damage to the cardiovascular system during the acute phase of the infection. However, recent studies reported mid- to long-term subtle cardiac injuries after recovering from acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to determine the relationship between the severity of chest computed tomography (CT) lesions and the persistence of subtle myocardial injuries at mid-term follow-up of patients who recovered from COVID-19 infection.

Design and Rationale of the National Tunisian Registry of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Protocol for a Prospective Multicenter Observational Study.

Background: Coronary artery diseases remain the leading cause of death in the world. The management of this condition has improved remarkably in the recent years owing to the development of new technical tools and multicentric registries.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the in-hospital and 1-year clinical outcomes of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Tunisia.

Long-term predictors of death among Tunisian patients presenting for non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in emerging countries. Contemporary data about clinical profile and prognosis in Tunisian patients presenting for non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) are lacking.

Aim: We sought to study the risk profile and 3-year mortality predictors in Tunisian patients presenting for NSTE-ACS in the contemporary setting.

Left atrial appendage closure with Watchman device: Insights from the first-ever Tunisian experience and six-year follow-up.

Background: Stroke is a major complication of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Despite its proven efficacy in stroke prevention, oral anticoagulation (OAC) is associated to a significant increase in bleeding complications. New techniques such as percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure were developed.

Role of SCN5A coding and non-coding sequences in Brugada syndrome onset: What's behind the scenes?

Background: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a rare inherited cardiac arrhythmia associated with a high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to ventricular fibrillation (VF). BrS is characterized by coved-type ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads (V1-V3). Mutations in SCN5A gene coding for the α-subunit of the NaV1.

Prognostic value of hyperglycemia on-admission in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Tunisia.

Background: Hyperglycemia on-admission is a powerful predictor of adverse events in patients presenting for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Aim: In this study, we sought to determine the prognostic value of hyperglycemia on-admission in Tunisian patients presenting with STEMI according to their diabetic status.

Methods: Patients presenting to our center between January 1998 and September 2014 were enrolled.

Clopidogrel utilization in patients with coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus: should we determine CYP2C19*2 genotype?

Purpose: Clopidogrel non-responsiveness is multifactorial; several genetic and non-genetic factors may contribute to impaired platelet inhibition. The goal of this study is to determine the effect of the cytochrome P450 CYP2C19*2 polymorphism on the platelet response to clopidogrel in patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: We conducted an observational study in patients with coronary artery disease and consequent exposure to clopidogrel therapy (75 mg/day for at least 7 consecutive days).

Prevalence and prognostic significance of anemia in patients presenting for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a Tunisian center.

Background: Anemia on admission is a powerful predictor of major cardiovascular events in patients presenting for acute coronary syndromes. We sought to determine the prevalence and prognostic impact of anemia in patients presenting for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: We analyzed data from a Tunisian retrospective single center STEMI registry.

Clinical features and prognosis of infective endocarditis in children: Insights from a Tunisian multicentre registry.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare condition in the paediatric setting. No data on the epidemiology and prognosis of IE in children are available from North African countries.

Aim: To investigate the epidemiological profile and prognosis of IE in children in Tunisia.

Risk profile and in-hospital prognosis in elderly patients presenting for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the Tunisian context.

Objectives: Little is known about the risk profile and in-hospital prognosis of elderly patients presenting for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Tunisia. We sought to determine in-hospital prognosis of elderly patients with STEMI in a Tunisian center.

Methods: The study was carried out on a retrospective registry enrolling 1403 patients presenting with STEMI in a Tunisian center between January 1998 and January 2013.

Absence of family history and phenotype-genotype correlation in pediatric Brugada syndrome: more burden to bear in clinical and genetic diagnosis.

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an autosomal-dominant genetic cardiac disorder caused in 18-30 % of the cases by SCN5A gene mutations and manifested by an atypical right bundle block pattern with ST segment elevation and T wave inversion in the right precordial leads. The syndrome is usually detected after puberty. The identification of BrS in pediatric patients is thus a rare occurrence, and most of the reported cases are unmasked after febrile episodes.

Matrix metalloproteinase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-12 gene polymorphisms and the risk of ischemic stroke in a Tunisian population.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in early atherosclerosis, extracellular matrix remodeling, plaque rupture and myocardial infarction. MMP gene polymorphisms contribute to the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we investigated, for the first time, the association between MMP-1-16071G/2G, MMP-12 -82A/G and MMP-12 1082A/G genotypes and haplotypes and the risk of ischemic stroke (IS) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Combined effects of the C161T and Pro12Ala PPARγ2 gene variants with insulin resistance on metabolic syndrome: a case-control study of a central Tunisian population.

We investigated the synergism between variants at the PPARγ locus (C161T and Pro12Ala polymorphisms) with insulin resistance on metabolic syndrome (MS). Five hundred twenty-two subjects were investigated for biochemical and anthropometric measurements. The diagnosis of MS was based on the IDF definition (2009).

Interaction Effects of the Leu162Val PPAR α and Pro12Ala PPAR γ 2 Gene Variants with Renal Function in Metabolic Syndrome Population.

Leu162Val PPAR α and Pro12Ala PPAR γ 2 were investigated for their individual and their interactive impact on MS and renal functionality (RF). 522 subjects were investigated for biochemical and anthropometric measurements. The diagnosis of MS was based on the IDF definition (2009).

[Association between oxidative stress parameters and inflammation markers according to the gravity of the acute coronary syndrome].

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the consequence of appearance and development of atherosclerosis lesions of associated with a inflammatory complication.

Aim: To elucidate a possible association between several inflammation and oxidative stress markers according to the severity of coronary artery disease.

Methods: This study was carried on 93 coronary subjects with: unstable angina (UA; n=42); stable angina (SA; n=15) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI; n=36) and 140 control subjects to whom lipidic, oxidative and inflammatory parameters were determined.

High density lipoprotein-anionic peptide factor effect on reverse cholesterol transport in type 2 diabetic patients with and without coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To verify if HDL3 Anionic Peptide Factor (HDL3-APF) is as an apolipoprotein that promotes the reverse cholesterol transport.

Design And Methods: We investigated a possible association between plasma HDL3-APF concentration, cholesterol efflux from Fu5AH cells and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity in type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (n=36), those without CAD (n=20), and 37 healthy subjects.

Results: Plasma APF concentrations were decreased in diabetics with CAD compared to controls (p<0.

TNF-alpha -308G>A and IL-6 -174G>C polymorphisms in Tunisian patients with coronary artery disease.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the contribution of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha -308G>A and interleukin (IL)-6 -174G>C gene promoter variants to the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Tunisians.

Design And Methods: Study subjects comprised 418 angiographically proven CAD patients and 406 age-, gender-, and ethnic origin-matched controls. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.

[Abnormalities of the interatrial septum associated with cerebral ischemia in young adults: contribution of trans-oesophageal echocardiography].

Background: About 40% of the mechanism of ischaemic stroke in young adults remains unclear. A paradoxical embolism associated with persistence of a patent foramen ovale and/or the presence of an atrial septal anevrysm are significantly more frequent in patients examined for ischaemic stroke of unknown cause than in control subjects.

Aim: was to evaluate the contribution of trans-oesophageal echocardiography to the diagnosis of abnormalities of the interatrial septum and to identify the role played by this condition in unexplained ischemic stroke.

Association of homocysteine thiolactonase activity and PON1 polymorphisms with the severity of acute coronary syndrome.

Introduction: Excess of total homocysteine (tHcy) and decrease of thiolactonase activities (HTase) have been proposed as risk factors for coronary artery diseases (CAD).

Objectives: We evaluated the relationship of tHcy and HTase with paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene polymorphism according to CAD severity.

Design And Methods: 118 healthy volunteers and 91 CAD patients were compared.

Reverse modulation of the HDL anionic peptide factor and phospholipid transfer protein activity in coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: The high density lipoprotein Anionic Peptide Factor (HDL(3)-APF) was previously described as an apolipoprotein that promotes the reverse cholesterol transport. Since phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) is involved in such mechanism we attempted to focus on the two APF and PLTP proteins.

Design And Methods: We recruited 56 type 2 diabetic patients with (n=36) or without (n=20) coronary artery disease (CAD) and 19 CAD patients.

Apolipoprotein gene polymorphisms and plasma levels in healthy Tunisians and patients with coronary artery disease.

Aim: To analyze apolipoprotein gene polymorphisms in the Tunisian population and to check the relation of these polymorphisms and homocysteine, lipid and apolipoprotein levels to the coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: In healthy blood donors and in patients with CAD complicated by myocardial infarction (MI) four apolipoprotein gene polymorphisms [APO (a) PNR, APO E, APO CI and APO CII] were determined and plasma levels of total homocysteine, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HLD-C) and apolipoproteins (apo A-I, Apo B, Apo E) were measured.

Results: Analysis of the four apolipoprotein gene polymorphisms shows a relative genetic homogeneity between Tunisian population and those on the other side of Mediterranean basin.