The role of selected adipokines and ghrelin in the prognosis after myocardial infarction in a 12-month follow-up in the presence of metabolic syndrome.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of selected adipokines in the improvement in the ejection fraction and in the development of adverse cardiac remodeling during 12 months of follow-up among patients with an ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the presence of metabolic syndrome (MeS).

Material And Methods: The study population consisted of 69 patients (49 male; mean age: 59 ±10 years) with a first STEMI that was treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). In this group, 36 patients (18 male; mean age: 60 ±15 years) had MeS according to the definition of the International Diabetes Federation.

In-hospital daily insulin dose predicts long-term adverse outcome in patients with diabetes with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with successful primary percutaneous angioplasty.

Introduction: Early initiation of reperfusion therapy including primary percutaneous coronary revascularization (PPCI) has been recognized as a crucial factor determining clinical outcomes in the acute phase of myocardial infarction. In unstable patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) the clear benefit from PPCI was proven. We aim to evaluate the prognostic value of factors describing glycometabolic state on admission in patients with T2D undergoing PPCI in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Prognostic value of platelet indices after acute myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a strong predictor of impaired angiographic reperfusion and 6-month mortality in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). No data is available for other platelet volume indices: platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR). The aim was to assess the impact of 3 platelet volume indices on long-term prognosis in patients treated with primary PCI in acute MI.

Predictors of successful acetylsalicylic acid resistance suppression after percutaneous coronary revascularisation.

Background And Aim: There is no established management of resistance to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We hypothesised that simply doubling the usual daily dose of ASA could be effective in overcoming ASA resistance.

Methods: Our study comprised 40 subjects with CAD (male 67.

Transthoracic measurement of left coronary artery flow reserve improves the diagnostic value of routine dipyridamole-atropine stress echocardiogram.

Introduction: We hypothesized that coronary flow reserve (CFR) in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) can be effectively measured during an accelerated dipyridamole-atropine stress echocardiography (DASE) protocol to improve the diagnostic performance of the test.

Material And Methods: In 64 patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease scheduled for coronary angiography DASE with concomitant CFR measurement in LAD was performed.

Results: Coronary flow reserve measurement and calculation were feasible in 83% of patients.

Characteristics, management and five-year outcomes of patients with high risk, stable multivessel coronary heart disease.

Background: Multivessel coronary artery disease (MCAD) is a common manifestation of advanced coronary atherosclerosis.

Aim: To determine the clinical characteristics and long term follow up prognostic factors in patients with high risk, stable MCAD from a single institution.

Methods: We included in the final analysis 270 patients with stable MCAD.

Influence of crossover on mortality in a randomized study of revascularization in patients with systolic heart failure and coronary artery disease.

Background: To assess the influence of therapy crossovers on treatment comparisons and mortality at 5 years in patients with ischemic heart disease and heart failure randomly assigned to medical therapy alone (MED) or to MED and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in the Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial.

Methods And Results: The influence of early crossover (within the first year after randomization) on 5-year mortality was assessed using time-dependent multivariable Cox models. CABG was performed in 65/602 patients (10.

Severe obesity impairs systolic and diastolic heart function - the significance of pulsed tissue Doppler, strain, and strain rate parameters.

Background: We assessed the impact of morbid obesity on systolic and diastolic heart function in severely obese, but otherwise healthy subjects and age-matched controls.

Methods: Overall, 27 obese patients: 19 female (F) and 8 male (M) mean age 37 ± 9, mean body mass index (BMI) 46 ± 6 and 27 control subjects: mean age 36 ± 10, mean BMI 23 ± 3 were examined by transthoracic echocardiography, including tissue Doppler echocardiographic (TDE) assessment and speckle tracking echocardiography to measure left ventricular longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strain (S) and strain rate (SR) during systolic and early diastolic phase.

Results: Obese patients presented with enlargement of both ventricles and the left atrium, and thicker left ventricular wall.

Real-time 3D echocardiography and tissue Doppler echocardiography in the assessment of right ventricle systolic function in patients with right ventricular myocardial infarction.

Aims: Knowledge of right ventricular (RV) function may be crucial in diagnosis and proper management of patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction (MI). Standard echocardiography has several drawbacks, tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) could be used for evaluation of the RV performance. The purpose of this study was to assess RV function in patients with inferior wall acute MI with both TDE and RT3DE.

Presence of coronary collaterals in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients does not affect long-term outcome.

Introduction: The significance of coronary collateral circulation in the prognosis of patients after myocardial infarction remains disputable.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of coronary collateral circulation, assessed by the Rentrop score, on long-term prognosis in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Patients And Methods: Coronary collateral flow was assessed by angiography in 330 patients with myocardial infarction using the Rentrop score.

The new oral adenosine A1 receptor agonist capadenoson in male patients with stable angina.

Background: Anti-ischaemic effect of A1 adenosine receptor agonists was shown in animal and preclinical studies. The present proof-of-concept study aimed at evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a new adenosine A1 receptor agonist capadenoson in patients with stable angina.

Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single dose-escalating, multicenter trial comparing the effect of capadenoson at 1, 2.

Melatonin - a somniferous option which does not aggravate sleep-disordered breathing in cardiac risk patients: a Holter ECG based study.

Background And Aim: We hypothesised that melatonin may represent a safe somniferous drug for cardiac patients, and assessed the effects of administering 5 mg of melatonin daily before bedtime for 30 days in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) regarding changes in the nocturnal breathing pattern.

Methods: Sixty patients with CAD (aged 48-80 years) were randomised to melatonin/placebo treatment in a 2:1 ratio. A Holter ECG-based method (Lifescreen Apnea software) which has been validated as a screening tool for sleep-disordered breathing was used to estimate the apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI).

The effects of intracoronary delivery of mononuclear bone marrow cells in patients with myocardial infarction: a two year follow-up results.

Background: Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) is a new method of prevention of left ventricular (LV) remodelling in post-infarction patients. Studies published to date point to LV systolic and diastolic function improvement following this therapy however only a few studies assessed the long-term effects of BMSC.

Aim: To assess the 2 year prognosis in patients with anterior myocardial infarction (MI) treated with BMSC transplantation in the acute phase.

The prevalence and the prognostic value of microvolt T-wave alternans in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (nVT) may have ominous implications for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA) has been proposed as a noninvasive tool-identifying patients at risk of sudden cardiac death and ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF). The aim of the study was to determine the significance of TWA in predicting nVT episodes and compare how other electrocardiographic parameters can predict the occurrence of nVT.

Direct comparison of the diagnostic value of point-of-care tests detecting heart-type fatty acid binding protein or glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB in patients with acute coronary syndromes with persistent ST-segment elevation.

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) with its complications is one of the most serious challenges in contemporary cardiology. Among biochemical markers of myocardial necrosis, heart-type specific fatty acid binding protein (h-FABP) showed excellent sensitivity and specificity for the early diagnosis of an acute MI. The h-FABP is released rapidly (after 30 min) from the cardiomiocyte to the circulation in response to myocardial injury and may be useful for rapid confirmation or exclusion of MI.

Influence of treatment strategy on serum adiponectin, resistin and angiogenin concentrations in patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease after one-year follow-up.

Background: Adiponectin and resistin, as well as the novel angiogenetic factor angiogenin, may be associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. However, the available data are limited regarding adipocytokines and angiogenesis factors long-term serum concentration changes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Aim: To evaluate the treatment strategy-dependent changes in serum concentrations of adiponectin, resistin and angiogenin in patients with stable multivessel CAD (MCAD) and their association with cardiovascular events.

Elevated resistin opposed to adiponectin or angiogenin plasma levels as a strong, independent predictive factor for the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease over 1-year follow-up.

Background: Adipokines such as adiponectin and resistin, as well as angiogenin, may be associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. The relationship between their levels and prognosis in high risk patients is, however, still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of these adipokines in patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease (MCAD).

Relationship of serum angiogenin, adiponectin and resistin levels with biochemical risk factors and the angiographic severity of three-vessel coronary disease.

Background: Patients with advanced coronary artery disease (CAD) have an unfavorable prognosis. Therefore, early identification of this high-risk group is important. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters supported by novel atherogenesis and angiogenesis markers in identifying patients with stable, three-vessel coronary artery disease.

[Simultaneous subacute thrombosis in bare metal stents implanted into right coronary artery and left anterior descending artery without coexistence of resistance to antiplatelet therapy].

In-stent thrombosis is a rare but devastating complication of coronary stent implantation, occurring in 0.5% to 1.9% of patients with bare metal stents (BMS).

A coronary fistula diagnosed in the eighth decade of life: The utility of non-invasive methods in the selection of treatment approach.

A 77-year-old woman was referred to our Department of Cardiology because of exacerbation of chest pain and decreased exercise intolerance. No acute ischemic electrocardiography changes were seen in an electrocardiogram recorded on admission. An exercise test was terminated at 7 METS because of shortness of breath without evidence of ischemia.

[Heart valves after 22 years - good long-term function of aortic homograft, advanced impairment in function of atrioventricular valves].

We report a case of a 61-year-old female patient with a history of aortic valve replacement, who was admitted to our hospital with symptoms and signs of decompensated heart failure (NYHA class III). Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed mitral valve and tricuspid valve regurgitation (III grade) with normal function of aortic valve homograft implanted 22 years ago. The patient underwent cardiosurgical mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve annuloplasty with very good result.

Acute myocardial infarction as the first presentation of thyrotoxicosis in a 31-year old woman - case report.

Unlabelled: : A 31-year old woman, previously fit & well was admitted with pressing retrosternal chest pain and palpitations of sudden onset. Her body weight was normal (BMI 20.5 kg/m2) and there was no significant family history of cardiac disease.

Quality of life in high-risk patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease treated either medically or with coronary artery bypass graft surgery - 12-month follow-up.

Background: Treatment of chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, usually leads to significant short-term improvement. Mid- and long-term results are not always as satisfactory. That is why improvement of quality of life should be the leading qualification criterion for invasive procedures, which sometimes carry a risk of complications.