Evaluation of cardiac electromechanics in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between subclinical left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and ECG parameters in newly diagnosed hypertension patients.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adults diagnosed with hypertension based on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitor recordings were included. The patients were classified into two groups based on the presence of subclinical LV systolic dysfunction according to LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS).

Predictive role of left atrial and ventricular mechanical function in postoperative atrial fibrillation: a two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the role of left-sided mechanical parameters in postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Ninety patients with coronary artery disease and normal left ventricular (LV) function in sinus rhythm were enrolled in the study. Preoperative LV and left atrial (LA) mechanics were evaluated by two-dimensional (2D) speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE), including strain and rotation parameters, and volume indices.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients with left atrial myxoma.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with left atrial (LA) myxoma.

Methods: Thirty-six consecutive patients with LA myxoma (10 men, mean age: 49.3 ± 15.

Right ventricular and atrial functions in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the right ventricular and right atrial functions in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy by novel echocardiographic measures.

Methods: In all, 40 patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and 26 healthy subjects were consecutively included. Left ventricular, right ventricular, and right atrial functions were assessed by tissue Doppler imaging and two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

Early Detection of Bi-ventricular and Atrial Mechanical Dysfunction Using Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Patients with Sarcoidosis.

Purpose: Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease with unknown etiology involving several organs. Myocardial involvement, pericarditis, severe rhythm abnormalities, and heart valve disease due to papillary muscle dysfunction are some of the cardiac manifestations. Conventional echocardiographic methods remain insufficient for the determination of subclinical myocardial dysfunction in patients with sarcoidosis.

Apical transverse motion is associated with speckle-tracking radial dyssynchrony in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objective: Apical transverse motion (ATM) is a new parameter for assessing left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony. Speckle-tracking radial strain analysis seems to be the best method to identify potential responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between ATM and radial dyssynchrony assessed by speckle-tracking echocardiography in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NDC).

Right ventricular function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A speckle tracking echocardiography study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore right ventricular (RV) mechanical function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) by 2-D speckle tracking echocardiography (2-D-STE).

Methods: Forty-three patients with HCM (mean age 48, 17 females) and 40 healthy subjects were consecutively included in this cross-sectional study. The diagnosis of HCM was based on the presence of typical clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG), and echocardiographic features.

Two-dimensional strain and strain rate imaging of the left atrium and left ventricle in adult patients with atrial septal defects before and after the later stage of percutaneous device closure.

Aim: Atrial septal defect (ASD) causes chronic volume overload of the right heart. The potential adverse effects of this long-standing volume overload to left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV) and their response to ASD closure has been poorly studied.

Methods: We studied 20 ASD patients before the procedure, at the 24-hour and 1 month following the percutaneous closure.

Effect of increased severity of mitral regurgitation and preprocedural right ventricular systolic dysfunction on biventricular and left atrial mechanical functions following percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty.

Background: Severe mitral stenosis (MS) may impair left atrial (LA) pump function, and increase LA and pulmonary venous pressure resulting in right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate biventricular and LA function after percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) by tissue Doppler (TDI) and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE).

Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with severe symptomatic rheumatic MS (11 men, mean age: 39 ± 7 years) who were referred for PMBV were included in the study.

The value of plasma D-dimer level on admission in predicting no-reflow after primary percutaneous coronary intervention and long-term prognosis in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

D-dimer is a final product of fibrin degradation and gives an indirect estimation of the thrombotic burden. We aimed to investigate the value of plasma D-dimer levels on admission in predicting no-reflow after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI) and long-term prognosis in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We retrospectively involved 569 patients treated with p-PCI for acute STEMIs.

Soluble CD40 ligand release in patients with stable coronary artery disease during elective stent implantation: effect of drug-eluting stent over bare metal stent.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the effect of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation on soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) levels in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing stent replacement.

Study Design: Eighty-nine consecutive patients (33 women, 56 men; mean age 61±10 years) with stable coronary artery disease undergoing stent replacement were recruited. Pre- and post-procedural blood samples were collected for sCD40L analysis, and differences in plasma levels were calculated and expressed as delta sCD40L.

Left ventricular and atrial functions in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients with very high LVOT gradient: a speckle tracking echocardiographic study.

Background: Determination of myocardial deformation (strain) by two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a new method for evaluating left ventricular (LV) regional function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The aim of this study was to assess LV and left atrial (LA) functions with 2DSTE in HCM patients and to investigate relation between strain analysis and LV outflow tract (LVOT) gradient.

Methods: Forty consecutive HCM patients (26 male, mean age: 47.

The effect of myocardial fibrosis on left ventricular torsion and twist in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) rotation, twist, and torsion are important aspects of the cardiac performance. Myocardial fibrosis can be identified as the late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). In this study, we investigated the association between myocardial fibrosis and LV rotational parameters in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NDC).

Soluble endothelial protein C receptor levels and protein C activity in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objectives: In contrast to its membrane-bound form, soluble endothelial protein C receptor (sEPCR) expresses procoagulant activity through binding to protein C. We aimed to investigate the relationship between sEPCR levels and protein C activity in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: The study population included 60 STEMI patients who had undergone a primary percutaneous coronary intervention and 29 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) with significant coronary stenosis on angiography.

Time course of right ventricular remodeling after percutaneous atrial septal defect closure: assessment of regional deformation properties with two-dimensional strain and strain rate imaging.

Background: Quantitative assessment of the right ventricular (RV) function in atrial septal defect (ASD) patients before and after closure remains difficult. The aim of this study was to assess the regional RV function in ASD patients, to evaluate the extent and time course of RV remodeling following ASD closure, and to investigate whether any regional difference exists in RV remodeling.

Methods: Twenty patients with ASD and 20 age-matched controls were included.

Anemia in heart failure.

Chronic heart failure is a common problem and a major cause of death, hospital admission, poor physical function and impaired quality of life. In addition to the direct effect of heart failure on prognosis, several modifiable and non-modifiable factors contribute to the worse prognosis in heart failure. Anemia, which is common in patients with heart failure, may represent a modifiable risk factor for adverse outcome.

In-hospital prognostic value of admission plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels in patients undergoing primary angioplasty for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Objectives: We assessed in-hospital prognostic value of admission plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI) for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Study Design: In a retrospective design, we evaluated 992 patients (801 males, 191 females; mean age 56 ± 12 years) treated with p-PCI for STEMI. The patients were divided into two groups according to the admission BNP levels, taking the cut-off value of BNP as 100 pg/ml; i.

In-hospital prognostic value of hemoglobin levels on admission in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty.

Purpose: Anemia is a common comorbidity in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to investigate the in-hospital prognostic value of admission hemoglobin (Hb) levels in patients with acute STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI).

Methods: This is a retrospective study of 1,625 patients with STEMI stratified by quartiles of admission Hb concentration (Q1 ≤12.

Congenital left main coronary artery aneurysm.

Left main coronary artery aneurysm (LMCAA) is an uncommon coronary abnormality seen in 0.1% of patients during routine diagnostic coronary angiographies. The most common etiology is atherosclerosis in acquired cases.

Unusual left atrial mass: inverted left atrial appendage caused by massive pericardial effusion.

Left atrial appendage inversion is a very rare cause of left atrial mass that usually occur after cardiac surgery. Its echocardiographic appearance often misleads clinicians to the diagnosis of thrombus or cardiac neoplasms. Unfortunately, misdiagnosed patients often undergo unnecessary anticoagulation or surgical treatment.