A Novel Risk Assessment Model Using Urinary System Contrast Blush Grading to Predict Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Low-Risk Profile Patients.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) can occur after coronary interventions despite protective measures. We evaluated the effect of urinary system contrast blush grading for predicting post-procedure CI-AKI in 486 patients with chronic coronary artery disease. Patient characteristics and blood samples were collected.

A case of tuberculosis pericarditis with an interesting echocardiographic image.

Tuberculosis-associated pericardial disorders are an excessively rare manifestation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The patients may present with constrictive pericarditis or pericardial fluid accumulation leading to cardiac tamponade. This paper reports a case of tuberculosis-associated pericardial effusion with dense fibrinous material not causing tamponade in a foreigner presenting with nonspecific symptoms.

Long-Term Cardiac Remodeling in Elite Athletes: Assessment by Tissue Doppler and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

Aims: Currently, it remains unclear whether there are differences in the long-term physiologic and adaptive changes in an athlete's heart, varying by the type of exercise undertaken. In this study, we used standard and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) to evaluate the long-term effects of cardiac remodeling, which persisted many years after retiring from professional sports (marathon running and wrestling).

Methods And Results: Twenty-four marathon runners, 25 wrestlers, and 24 healthy subjects were included in the study.

Comparison of left atrial mechanical function in nondipper versus dipper hypertensive patients: a speckle tracking study.

Aim: Nondippers are known to carry a high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dipper and nondipper status of hypertension on longitudinal systolic and diastolic functions of left atrial (LA) myocardial tissue by means of two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in treated hypertensive patients.

Methods: A total of 78 outpatients treated with antihypertensive drugs for at least 1 year were included in the study.

The relationship between echocardiographic parameters and brain natriuretic peptide levels in acute and chronic mitral regurgitation.

Objectives: Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level increases with symptoms and severity of mitral regurgitation (MR). We aimed to determine the relationship between plasma BNP levels and echocardiographic parameters in patients with acute and chronic MR.

Study Design: The study included 55 patients (31 males, 24 females) with isolated moderate-to-severe MR.