The Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS3-786T>C) Genetic Polymorphism in Chronic Heart Failure: Effects of Mutant -786C allele on Long-term Mortality.

Background: Nitric oxide plays an important role in the regulation of basal vascular tone and cardiac myocyte function. We investigated the NOS3-786T>C polymorphism in chronic heart failure (CHF) and its effects on long-term mortality.

Methods: Ninety-one patients with CHF who were referred to the Department of Cardiology of Siyami Ersek Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Center for cardiopulmonary exercise testing between April 2001 and January 2004 and 30 controls were enrolled in this study.

Relation between dynamic change of red cell distribution width and 30-day mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Introduction And Objectives: Recent studies suggest that an increase in red cell distribution width (RDW) levels have a better prognostic value than a single measurement. In the current study, we investigated the predictive value of increasing RDW levels for mortality in acute pulmonary emboli (APE) patients.

Materials And Methods: For the study, 199 APE patients who were hospitalized were enrolled.

Clinical usefulness of red cell distribution width to angiographic severity and coronary stent thrombosis.

Background: Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a quantitative measurement and shows heterogeneity of red blood cell size in peripheral blood. RDW has recently been associated with cardiovascular events and cardiovascular diseases, and it is a novel predictor of mortality. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of measuring RDW in patients with coronary stent thrombosis.

The accuracy of combined use of troponin and red cell distribution width in predicting mortality of patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: Cardiac troponins and red cell distribution width (RDW) are associated with increased mortality in acute pulmonary embolism (PE). In this study, we aimed to investigate the accuracy of the combined use of troponin and RDW in predicting short-term mortality in acute PE patients.

Methods: The data of 201 patients with the diagnosis of acute PE were retrospectively analyzed.

Relation of Low T3 to One-Year Mortality in Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients.

Background: Low T3 which is defined as decreased triiodothyronine (T3) and normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxin (T4) levels is present in many acute diseases and is related to increased mortality. We studied low T3 level's relation to long-term mortality in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) patients.

Methods: T3, T4, and TSH levels of consecutive NSTE-ACS patients were measured.

Relation of contrast nephropathy to adverse events in pulmonary emboli patients diagnosed with contrast CT.

Objective: Limited data exist on the incidence of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) and its impact on in-hospital prognosis of patients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) using contrast computerized tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA). In this study, we examined the frequency of nephropathy after CTPA in APE patients and its link to in-hospital adverse outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 189 patients (mean age 67+16years, 48% male) with APE who underwent CTPA.

Impact of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease on Myocardial Perfusion in Nondiabetic Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Limited data exist on the role of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (FLD) as a potential independent risk factor in the setting of acute coronary syndromes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of FLD on myocardial perfusion and inhospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in the setting of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We examined 186 consecutive nondiabetic patients (mean age 58 ± 11 years and 76% men) who underwent primary PCI for STEMI by ultrasound within 72 hours of admission.

Coronary artery fistula: review of 54 cases from single center experience.

Background: Demographic and clinical characteristics and angiographic findings of Turkish patients with coronary artery fistula have been investigated in this study and diagnostic tests and treatment methods used in these patients have also been evaluated in detail.

Methods: We have examined the cardiac catheterization laboratory database retrospectively between March 2006 and July 2010. Among 49,567 patients, we have noted 60 patients diagnosed as coronary artery fistula.

Red cell distribution width as a novel prognostic marker in patients undergoing primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Red cell distribution width (RDW), a measure of red blood cell size heterogeneity, was evaluated in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Background: Higher RDW is associated with mortality in patients with symptomatic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and also in the general population. We hypothesized that admission RDW would be predictive of adverse outcomes in patients after primary PCI.

Impact of the metabolic syndrome on aortic pulse pressure and ascending aortic pulsatility in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries.

Background: Large artery stiffness is a major determinant of pulse pressure (PP), and PP at baseline has been associated with future coronary events.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the metabolic syndrome on aortic PP and ascending aortic pulsatility (AP) in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries.

Methods: Forty-two patients with the metabolic syndrome and 40 age matched control subjects without the metabolic syndrome were included in the study.

Relationship between aortic valve sclerosis and left ventricular hypertrophy in chronic haemodialysis patients.

Background: Cardiac valve calcification is a frequent finding in chronic haemodialysis patients. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a significant predictor of cardiovascular mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. We evaluated the influence of aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) on the development of LVH in chronic haemodialysis patients.

Tissue Doppler imaging adds incremental value in predicting exercise capacity in patients with congestive heart failure.

Left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic parameters derived from Doppler echocardiography have been used widely to predict functional capacity but diastolic filling is affected by various factors. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) that records systolic and diastolic velocities within the myocardium and at the corners of the mitral annulus, has been shown to provide additional information about regional and global LV function. The goal of this study was to examine whether TDI-derived parameters add incremental value to other standard Doppler echocardiographic measurements in predicting exercise capacity.

Correlation of the myocardial performance index with plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels in patients with mitral regurgitation.

Objective: The Myocardial performance index (MPI) is an echocardiographic index of combined systolic and diastolic function, calculated as isovolumetric relaxation time plus isovolumetric contraction time divided by ejection time. The aim of this study was to define the correlation of the MPI with plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and echocardiographic parameters in patients with chronic mitral regurgitation (MR).

Methods: About 33 patients with at least moderate MR of organic etiology were enrolled to the study.

Exercise-induced increase in lipid peroxidation in patients with chronic heart failure: relation to exercise intolerance.

Background: Little is known about the relationship between exercise intolerance and lipid peroxidation in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between exercise-induced plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) changes in CHF patients and to determine whether there is any association between plasma MDA levels and exercise capacity assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Methods: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was applied to 31 CHF patients (16 ischemic, 15 idiopathic) and controls.

Plasma homocysteine concentration in patients with poor or good coronary collaterals.

Background: Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations are associated with an increased risk of vascular disease. Hcy is known to inhibit endothelial cell proliferation in vitro. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of plasma Hcy concentrations on development of collateral circulation in single-vessel chronic total occlusion.

A case of prosthetic mitral valve Brucella endocarditis complicated with torsades de pointes.

Brucella endocarditis is a zoonosis transmitted by contaminated dairy products. Endocarditis is a rare complication of brucellosis and mainly the aortic valve is infected. We present the case of a female patient with prosthetic mitral valve endocarditis associated with QT prolongation and torsades de pointes.

Abnormal heart rate recovery immediately after cardiopulmonary exercise testing in heart failure patients.

An attenuated heart rate recovery (HRR) immediately after exercise has been shown to be predictive of mortality. It is not known whether HRR predicts mortality when measured in patients with heart failure. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the ability of HRR to predict mortality in patients with heart failure.

Impact of early tirofiban administration on myocardial salvage in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing infarct-related artery stenting.

Background/aims: The timing of GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor administration may be important in achieving early epicardial and myocardial reperfusion. We evaluated the effect of early tirofiban on myocardial salvage and cardiovascular outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing infarct-related artery stenting.

Methods: Patients (n = 66) with a first AMI presenting <6 h from onset of symptoms were randomized to either early administration of tirofiban in the emergency room (n = 32) or later administration in the catheterization laboratory (n = 34) (tirofiban bolus dose of 10 microg/kg, followed by 0.

Effect of hormone replacement therapy on plasma lipoproteins and apolipoproteins, endothelial function and myocardial perfusion in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-alpha IVS1-397 C/C genotype and established coronary artery disease.

Unlabelled: Effect of hormone replacement (HRT) therapy on plasma lipoproteins and apolipoproteins, endothelial function and myocardial perfusion in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) IVS1-397 C/C genotype and established coronary artery disease.

Background/aims: Associations between various ER-alpha polymorphisms and clinical phenotypes have been studied, including lipid levels and coronary atherosclerosis. We studied 48 postmenopausal women to determine the effect of ER-alpha IVS1-397 polymorphism on the response to treatment with HRT.

Single high-dose bolus tirofiban with high-loading-dose clopidogrel in primary coronary angioplasty.

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) decreases the incidence of major adverse cardiac events. These effects directly result from the level of platelet inhibition. It was shown that standard dosing of tirofiban is insufficient for optimal platelet inhibition.

Neurofibromatosis as a cause of multiple coronary aneurysms.

Neurofibromatosis is a rare cause of coronary aneurysm. We present a case of multiple coronary artery aneurysms in a patient with neurofibromatosis. Coronary angiography was performed because of postmyocardial infarction angina.