Evaluation of therapeutic and toxic levels of serum digoxin concentration: a cross-sectional study from a tertiary hospital.

Objective: Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside for treating heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Despite its limited therapeutic range and complex pharmacokinetic properties, this medication continues to be frequently prescribed. This study aimed to evaluate the serum digoxin concentration (SDC) at therapeutic, subtherapeutic, and toxic levels and explore the factors affecting these levels in patients receiving digoxin therapy for heart failure.

Harnessing the Near-Peer Effect in Anatomy Education.

Benefits of near-peer teaching are well-documented, but its time requirements can be prohibitive. We integrated the near-peer effect into a clinical anatomy course with weekly student-developed handouts vetted by faculty to provide an element of near-peer teaching without the burden of extra time.

The Relationships Between Chocolate Consumption and Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients with Heart Failure.

Objective: Dietary recommendations, in addition to medications, have recently become important in the treatment of heart failure. Our study aimed to show the positive effects of both milk chocolate and dark chocolate on heart failure through endothelial functions.

Methods: Twenty patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction were included in the study.

Use of phase-contrast MRI to measure aortic stiffness in young-onset hypertension: a pilot study.

Background: Young-onset hypertension is defined as hypertension diagnosed before the age of 40 years. Aortic pulse wave velocity is an indication of aortic stiffness. MRI assessment has been well verified compared to invasive pressure recordings for evaluating aortic pulse wave velocity.

Evaluation of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction according to heart rate turbulence and variability in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background/aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by neurodegeneration or demyelination; the relapsing–remitting phase of MS is characterized by acute exacerbation of disease activity. The most commonly used noninvasive approach to assess autonomic function is the determination of heart rate turbulence (HRT) and heart rate variability (HRV). The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction using HRT and HRV parameters determined via 24-h Holter ECG monitoring in patients with relapsing–remitting MS without known heart disease.

A Rare Non-penetrant Abdominal Wall Injury Caused by High-pressure Water: A Case Report.

Background: High-pressure water jet injuries are an uncommon cause of trauma. Highpressure water injuries are usually seen at the extremities and less often in the thorax and abdominal areas. A review of the literature reveals a few case reports describing intraabdominal injuries due to penetrating trauma.

Evaluation of the CT imaging findings in the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension due to chronic thromboembolism.

Purpose: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is the only pulmonary hypertension that can be treated surgically. Multidedector computerized tomography angiography (MDCTA) is considered as an important tool. In this study, the important CT findings of CTEPH and the vascular MDCTA findings of CTEPH were classified as central, peripheral, central and peripheral.

Effects of clipping endoscopic thoracal sympathectomy at Th on cardiopulmonary functions, quality of life and psychosocial functions.

Background: In this study, we evaluated the cardiopulmonary and psychosocial effects of endoscopic thoracal sympathectomy (ETS) by clipping procedure at the level of Th and effects of ETS on quality of life of patients with hyperhidrosis.

Methods: We performed a prospective study in 52 patients complaining of local sweating who applied to our clinic. Cardiac maximal treadmill stress test (CMTST), pulmonary function tests, Beck anxiety-depression inventory, Liebowitz social anxiety scale and SF-36 quality of life questionnaires were administered at preoperative period and postoperative 6th month.

The Usefulness of Admission Plasma NT-pro BNP Level to Predict Left Ventricular Aneurysm Formation after Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) is an important complication of acute myocardial infarction. In this study, we investigated the role of N- Terminal pro B type natriuretic peptide level to predict the LVA development after acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 1519 consecutive patients with STEMI.

Role of aortic stiffness and inflammation in the etiology of young-onset hypertension.

Background/aim: Young-onset hypertension is a form of condition diagnosed in patients aged below 40. Cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and also MCP-1 may play a role in the development of arterial hypertension. Aortic stiffness can be detected by measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV).

CD68/CD31 immunohistochemistry double stain demonstrates increased accuracy in diagnosing pathologic antibody-mediated rejection in cardiac transplant patients.

Pathologic antibody-mediated rejection (pAMR) occurs in 10% of cardiac transplant patients and is associated with increased mortality. The endomyocardial biopsy remains the primary diagnostic tool to detect and define pAMR. However, certain challenges arise for the pathologist.

Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and AIDS are known to cause cardiovascular diseases such as premature coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias. Recently, Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio has been shown as a novel marker of ventricular repolarization. We aimed to evaluate the ventricular repolarization using Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.

Assessment of the atrial electromechanical properties of patients with human immunodeficiency virus.

The relationship between atrial fibrillation and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was evaluated. Electro-echocardiographic methods can be used to predict the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). In this study, we aimed to investigate the atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) parameters of HIV (+) patients.

Relation between lymphocyte to monocyte ratio and short-term mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Introduction: The relationship between inflammation and mortality after acute pulmonary embolism (APE) has previously been investigated with different variables (platelet/lymphocyte ratio, etc).

Objectives: We investigated the predictive value of lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) for mortality in first 30 days after APE.

Methods: The study population included 264 APE patients of which 230 patients were survivors, 34 patients were non-survivors.

Association between serum adropin level and burden of coronary artery disease in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: Previous studies revealed the relationship between stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and serum adropin level, but this relationship has not been investigated in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The present study is an analysis of the relationship between adropin and severity of CAD assessed based on SYNTAX score in patients with NSTEMI.

Methods: A total of 109 participants, 80 patients with NSTEMI and 29 healthy individuals, were prospectively enrolled in the study.

Somatic alterations in juvenile polyps from BMPR1A and SMAD4 mutation carriers.

Juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder predisposing to gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyps and cancer with a pathogenic SMAD4 or BMPR1A germline mutation (1st-hit) being identified in about 40-50% of patients. Little is known, however, about the occurrence and nature of somatic alterations (2nd-hit) in SMAD4-/BMPR1A-related juvenile polyps. In this study, we screened 25 polyps from three patients carrying either a pathogenic SMAD4 (c.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm collides with a well-differentiated pancreatic endocrine neoplasm in an adult man: case report and review of histogenesis.

Objectives: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas is a rare, clinicopathologically distinct neoplasm with a tendency to affect young women. The histogenesis of SPN is not well defined. Pancreatic endocrine neoplasms (PENs) are also uncommon tumors of the pancreas.

Zolmitriptan-induced acute myocardial infarction.

Triptans are an established treatment for acute migraine attacks. By activating 5HT1B/1D receptors they lead to vasoconstriction of the cerebral blood vessels which are dilated during migraine attacks. Moreover, they reduce secretion of vasoactive peptides and conduction of pain stimuli over the cerebral cortex.