Effects of Smoking on Very-Long Term Mortality after First ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: The smoking paradox has been a matter of debate for acute myocardial infarction patients for more than two decades. Although there is huge evidence claiming that is no real paradox, publications supporting better outcomes in post-MI smokers are still being released.

Objective: To explore the effect of smoking on very long-term mortality after ST Elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Aortic Arch Calcification on Routine Chest Radiography is Strongly and Independently Associated with Non-Dipper Blood Pressure Pattern.

Background: Non-dipper blood pressure (NDBP) is one of the important causes of hypertension-related target organ damage and future cardiovascular events. Currently, there is no practical tool to predict NDBP pattern.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between aortic arch calcification (AAC) on chest radiography and NDBP pattern.

Fibulins: a new biomarker for pulmonary thromboembolism?

Objectives: Fibulin-1, -2, -4, and -5 have important role in several vascular diseases. We aimed to investigate if fibulin-4 and -5 can be used as a biomarker for pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).

Methods: This is a prospective case control study.

Onychomycosis is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes.

Background: We aimed to investigate the association of toenail onychomycosis with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Patients And Methods: Consecutive diabetic patients who were seen at our outpatient clinic were enrolled. The carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was assessed and toenail onychomycosis was diagnosed with microscopic evaluation.

Increased serum asymmetric dimethylarginine level is an independent predictor of contrast-induced nephropathy.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate whether serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) level is an independent predictor of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN).

Study Design: The study involved 90 consecutive patients with stable angina pectoris who underwent coronary angiography and ventriculography. Baseline serum creatinine (SCr) levels ranged between ≥1.

Does estimated glomerular filtration rate have an effect on left ventricular function after ST-elevation myocardial infarction?

Objectives: Little is known about whether estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) affect left ventricular (LV) function and gain benefit with antiremodeling treatment in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We investigated the effect of eGFR on LV function using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) parameters. In addition, we sought to evaluate the antiremodeling effect of standard treatment at follow-up in patients with renal insufficiency (RI) after STEMI.

Increased gamma-glutamyl transferase level is associated with absence of coronary collateral vessels in patients with acute coronary syndrome: an observational study.

Objective: Elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level has been proposed as a risk factor for coronary artery disease and is associated with poor clinical outcome in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to evaluate the relationship between GGT level and presence of coronary collateral vessels (CCV) patients with ACS.

Methods: We evaluated 178 patients with ACS in this cross-sectional-observational study.

Copeptin level and copeptin response to percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty in mitral stenosis.

We aimed to investigate copeptin levels in mitral stenosis (MS) patients and the behavior of copeptin after hemodynamic improvement achieved by percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV). The study involved 29 consecutive symptomatic patients with moderate to severe rheumatic MS who underwent PBMV. Twenty-eight age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers composed the control group.

Hemodialysis does not impair ventricular functions over 2 years.

We aimed to evaluate the long-term effect of hemodialysis (HD) treatment on left and right ventricular (LV and RV) functions in patients with end-stage renal disease. The study population consisted of 22 patients with newly diagnosed end-stage renal disease. Before an arteriovenous fistula was surgically created for HD, the patients were evaluated by echocardiography for systolic and diastolic functions.

Comparison of traditional risk factors, angiographic findings, and in-hospital mortality between smoking and nonsmoking Turkish men and women with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The prevalence of smoking is high in Turkey. However, there are no data available evaluating the differences between smokers and nonsmokers according to their sex in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Turkey.

Hypothesis: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of smoking and its relationship to age, localization, and extension of coronary heart disease (CHD), and other risk factors in Turkish men and women with first AMI.

Relationship between no-reflow phenomenon and serotonin levels in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous intervention.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the effects of serotonin, which is a severe vasoconstrictor agent, on the occurrence of no-reflow phenomenon.

Methods: In this cross-sectional controlled study, 40 patients, admitted to our clinic with chest pain in the first 12 hours and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention because of acute myocardial infarction were enrolled. Patients with TIMI 0 grade basal flow and normal post-procedure flow were included in group 1 and patients with flow grade TIMI < or =were enrolled in group 2.

Prevalence of risk factors of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in Turkish patients living in Central Anatolia.

Objective: There is not enough available data in our country about the prevalence of risk factors for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), which has the highest in-hospital mortality rate within subtypes of acute coronary syndromes. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of risk factors for STEMI in Central Anatolia, one of the regions with high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 1210 patients (962 men, 248 women) with the diagnosis of STEMI in 3 tertiary-medical centers in 3 cities in Central-Anatolia (Ankara, Konya, and Kayseri).

The relationship between Chlamydophila pneumoniae IgG titer and coronary atherosclerosis.

Background: The role of Chlamydophila pneumoniae (CP) in the progression of atherosclerosis is controversial. Also no sufficient angiographic study is available about the impact of CP infection on severity and intensity of coronary atherosclerosis. We investigated the relation between CP IgG antibody titers and severity and intensity of coronary atherosclerosis

Methods: The study population consisted of 516 consecutive patients who underwent a coronary angiography.