A Novel Score to Predict One-Year Mortality after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, Naples Prognostic Score.

: Aortic stenosis (AS) is a widespread valvular disease in developed countries, primarily among the elderly. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a viable alternative to aortic valve surgery for patients with severe AS who are deemed a high surgical risk or for whom the AS is found to be inoperable. Predicting outcomes after TAVR is essential.

The Predictive Value of R Wave Peak Time to Detect Thrombus Burden in St-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Tertiary Medical Center.

Patients with higher thrombus burden have higher procedural complications and more long-term adverse cardiac events. Detecting patients with high thrombus burden (HTB) before coronary intervention could help avoid procedural complications. The research aimed to analyze the R wave peak time (RWPT) on the electrocardiogram to predict thrombus burden before coronary angiography in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

The association between CHADS-VASc score and aortic valve sclerosis.

Background: Antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation is generally managed with the CHADS-VASc score. Aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) is a focal thickening of the aortic valve without a restriction of motion. AVS is related to several cardiovascular risk factors.

Prognostic Nutritional Index as a Novel Predictor of In-Stent Restenosis: A Retrospective Study.

: In-stent restenosis (ISR) is a major problem in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a nutritional status score used in the literature to determine the prognosis of coronary artery disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of preprocedural PNI values on the risk of ISR in patients with stable coronary artery disease who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention.

Evaluation of Echocardiographic Epicardial Fat Thickness as a Sign of Cardiovascular Risk in Positive Exercise Test Patients.

Background: The association between epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and positive exercise test results for the diagnosis of coronary artery diseases (CAD) has yet to be evaluated. This study assessed the predictive value of EFT for CAD on the angiographs of patients with positive exercise tests.

Methods: A total of 91 subjects were chosen consecutively from stable angina pectoris patients who were referred for coronary angiography due to a positive exercise test result.

Effect of Weight Loss Induced by Intragastric Balloon Therapy on Cardiac Function in Morbidly Obese Individuals: A Pilot Study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of intragastric balloon therapy on left ventricular function and left ventricular mass in a cohort of morbidly obese patients.

Subjects And Methods: A prospective trial was performed in a cohort of 17 class II and class III morbidly obese individuals. The intragastric balloon was retained in the stomach for an average of 6 months.

The protective effect of single dose tadalafil in contrast-induced nephropathy: an experimental study.

Objective: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is one of the most common causes of acute renal failure in hospitalized patients. The direct toxic effect of contrast media; ischemic damage caused by reactive oxygen species; increased perivascular hydrostatic pressure; high viscosity and changes in the activity of vasoactive substances play important roles in the pathogenesis. Tadalafil inhibits the phosphodiesterase enzyme which destroys nitric oxide.

The effect of slow coronary flow on right and left ventricular performance.

Objective: To evaluate left and right ventricular functions using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and myocardial performance index (MPI) methods in patients with slow coronary flow (SCF) and to determine the relationship between these parameters and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count in SCF patients.

Subjects And Methods: Thirty-five patients (20 males and 15 females) with SCF who underwent coronary angiography and 35 age- and sex-matched controls (14 males and 21 females) without SCF who underwent elective coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. Left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) functions were examined using conventional echocardiography and TDE.

Predictors of mortality in patients with prosthetic valve infective endocarditis: a nation-wide multicenter study.

Background: Our aim was to investigate the clinical and prognostic features of the patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) in a multicenter nation-wide study.

Methods: The present nation-wide study consisted of 75 consecutive patients with PVE treated at 13 major hospitals in Turkey from 2005 to 2012.

Results: The patients who died during follow-up were significantly older than the survivors and had higher C-reactive protein (CRP), creatinine, poor NYHA functional class and large vegetations.

Heart rate variability and turbulence to determine true coronary artery disease in patients with ST segment depression without angina during exercise stress testing.

Purpose: ST segment depression without angina during an exercise stress test causes diagnostic problems, particularly in non-diabetic patients. Heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) are used to evaluate the changes in cardiac autonomic functions and are also both decreased in patients with coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was determine the values of HRV and HRT that discriminate true coronary artery disease from false positive stress test results.

Is diastolic dysfunction associated with atrial electrocardiographic parameters in Behçet's disease?

Background: The impact of Behçet's disease (BD) on the vascular bed is highly important, as this condition may lead to heart failure from asymptomatic systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Our aim was to evaluate diastolic functions using new echocardiographic parameters and the correlation of these parameters with atrial electrocardiographic (ECG) indices in patients with BD.

Methods: 31 patients with BD and 31 healthy control subjects were enrolled to this study.

Heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence in hypothyroidism before and after treatment.

Background: Cardiac autonomic dysfunction may develop in patients with clinical or subclinical thyroid hormone deficiency. Heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT) are used for evaluating changes in cardiac autonomic functions and also used to provide risk stratification in cardiac and noncardiac diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate cardiac autonomic functions before and 6 months after thyroid replacement therapy in patients with thyroid hormone deficiency.

The effect of adenotonsillectomy on right ventricle function and pulmonary artery pressure in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy.

Objectives: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) is the most common cause of upper airway obstruction in children. Severe upper airway obstruction may have an effect on chronic alveolar hypoventilation, which consequently may lead to right ventricle (RV) dysfunction induced by hypoxemic pulmonary vasoconstriction. The investigators aimed to study RV function and mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) in patients with ATH who were undergoing adenotonsillectomy by using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE).

The relationship between inflammation and slow coronary flow: increased red cell distribution width and serum uric acid levels.

Objectives: The underlying mechanism of slow coronary flow (SCF) has yet to be elucidated. Increased red cell distribution width (RDW) and uric acid level may be indicative of an underlying inflammatory state. We aimed to investigate RDW and serum uric acid levels in patients with normal coronary arteries and SCF without stenosis.