Is elabela/toddler a poor prognostic marker in heart failure patients?

Background: Elabela/toddler (ELA-32) is a recently identified endogenous apelin receptor ligand. ELA levels are known to rise in heart failure (HF) patients. However, the association between elevated ELA levels and prognosis in these patients remains unknown.

Lipoprotein(a): A New Intensive Care Unit Admission Predictor in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients.

Objective: Endothelium-related events in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 are linked to a poor prognosis. Lipoprotein(a) plays a role in vascular endothelial cell dysfunction. This research aims to investigate whether baseline serum lipoprotein(a) levels could be a predictor for intensive care unit admission and related clinical parameters in coronavirus disease 2019 patients.

Effect of Treatment Regimen on Long-Term Mortality of Geriatric Patients Diagnosed With Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Background Increased life expectancy across the world has resulted in an increase in the proportion of the elderly population who are lost to heart diseases. Advanced age and comorbidities are believed to change the response to treatments. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of surgical and medical treatments on the mortality of stable coronary diseases.

Assessment of Awareness Levels About Anticoagulants in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Presenting to Emergency Department.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a rhythm disorder observed mostly amongst adults. AF has been regarded as one of the most important medical problems because it leads to thromboembolism and paralysis risks. Although warfarin has been used in the past to cope with this health problem, new oral anticoagulant medicines have replaced it in the last few years.

Association of abnormal coronary sinus reflux with coronary slow flow and importance of the Thebesian valve.

Background: The relationship between coronary slow flow (CSF) and coronary sinus (CS) reflux has not been previously studied. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between CSF and CS reflux and Thebesian valve presence as well as the relationship between CS reflux and serum annexin-V and ICAM-1 levels.

Methods: In this case-control study, patients were divided into two groups: CSF (n = 13) and control (n = 7) groups.

What have we learned from Turkish familial hypercholesterolemia registries (A-HIT1 and A-HIT2)?

Background And Aims: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disease of high-level cholesterol leading to premature atherosclerosis. One of the key aspects to overcome FH burden is the generation of large-scale reliable data in terms of registries. This manuscript underlines the important results of nation-wide Turkish FH registries (A-HIT1 and A-HIT2).

Predictive value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in severe degenerative aortic valve stenosis.

Background: Aortic valve stenosis (AVS) is the most common cause of left ventricular outflow obstruction, and its prevalence among elderly patients causes a major public health burden. Recently, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been recognized as a novel prognostic biomarker that offers information about both aggregation and inflammation pathways. Since PLR indicates inflammation, we hypothesized that PLR may be associated with the severity of AVS due to chronic inflammation pathways that cause stiffness and calcification of the aortic valve.

Assessment of the effects of frequent ventricular extrasystoles on the left ventricle using speckle tracking echocardiography in apparently normal hearts.

Objective: Impairment in left ventricular (LV) function due to excessive ventricular extrasystoles (VESs) occurs during long-time follow-up. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been shown to be superior to conventional methods for evaluating cardiac functions. We aimed to use STE for early detection of LV dysfunction in patients with apparently normal hearts who have frequent VESs.

Left Ventricular Twist Mechanics Are Impaired in Patients with Coronary Slow Flow.

Purpose: Coronary slow flow (CSF) is a rare condition described as the delayed angiographic passage of a contrast agent in the absence of stenosis in epicardial coronary arteries. Left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunctions have been described in the presence of CSF. However, the effect of CSF on LV twist functions has not been assessed.

Comparison of the GRACE risk score and the TIMI risk index in predicting the extent and severity of coronary artery disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Objective: The prognostic value of the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score (GRS) and the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk index (TRI) has been reported in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the GRS, TRI, and severity of CAD evaluated by SYNTAX score (SS) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: Patients with ACS who were admitted to the coronary care unit of our institution were retrospectively evaluated in this study.

The evaluation of left ventricular dyssynchronization in patients with hypertension by phase analysis of myocardial perfusion-gated SPECT.

Purpose: Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, hypertension may also result in left ventricular dyssynchrony (LVD) which is characterized by delayed activation of certain ventricular segments leading to uncoordinated contraction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the LVD measured by phase analysis of gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging in patients with hypertension.

The relationship between fragmented QRS complexes and SYNTAX and Gensini scores in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Fragmented QRS (fQRS) complexes on 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) have been reported to be predictors of cardiac events and all-cause mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD).

Aim: To investigate the relationship between fQRS complexes and SYNTAX and Gensini scores in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: A total of 302 patients (223 men and 79 women) with ACS (133 ST elevated myocardial infarction [STEMI], 107 non-STEMI [NSTEMI], and 62 unstable angina pectoris [USAP]) were evaluated retrospectively in this study.

A wandering intravascular scalpel fragment after lumbar discectomy: a case report.

Vascular complications after lumbar discectomy are rarely seen. We present a unique and potentially life-threatening postoperative complication from this procedure. A 27-year-old man was admitted to our emergency vascular unit 1 day after a lumbar discectomy, during which a scalpel blade fragmented and a part was lost.

Assessment of serum hepcidin levels in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: Hepcidin is an acute-phase reactant produced in the liver displaying intrinsic antimicrobial activity. There are few studies about hepcidin considered to be acute and chronic inflammatory marker in acute coronary syndromes patients. We investigated in our study whether the level of hepcidin has increased in the acute phase of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction patients (NSTEMI) known as acute inflammatory aggravation of chronic atherosclerotic process.

Arrhythmia risk assessment using heart rate variability parameters in patients with frequent ventricular ectopic beats without structural heart disease.

Background: Ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs) are usually considered a benign condition that can be managed with conservative measures. Heart rate variability (HRV), which is one of the most important methods for assessing autonomic activity, is a noninvasive, quantitative method of analyzing autonomic effects on the heart. We aimed to investigate the risk of arrhythmia in patients with VEBs and without cardiovascular disease by using HRV parameters.

Assessment of left-atrial strain parameters in patients with frequent ventricular ectopic beats without structural heart disease.

Ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs) are often encountered in daily clinical practice. Clinical significance of VEBs seen in patients without structural cardiovascular diseases is controversial. We aimed to investigate the effects of VEBs on left atrium (LA) function using speckle tracking echocardiography with LA strain parameters.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome.

Introduction. Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune epithelitis. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an important and severe complication, which is encountered in many collagen tissue disorders.