Speckle-tracking echocardiography can predict atrial fibrillation in patients with supraventricular tachycardia.

Purpose: Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is the most common supraventriculer arrhythmia in daily clinical practice. Comorbidity of AVNRT and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been well documented in some patients and AF development has been observed more frequently in AVNRT patients during their long-term follow-up. This study was conducted in order to investigate the left atrial two-dimensional-speckle-tracking echocardiographic (STE) parametres as the predictors of the occurence of AF in long-term follow-up in patients with spontaneously developed AF during AVNRT ablation.

Acute effects of inhaled iloprost on intracardiac conduction in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe, life-threatening disorder despite the availability of specific drug therapy. A lack of endogenous prostacyclin secondary to downregulation of prostacyclin synthase in PAH may contribute to vascular pathologies. Therefore, prostacyclin and its analogs including inhaled iloprost may decrease pulmonary arterial pressure and ventricular pressure.

Relationship between impaired repolarization parameters and poor cardiovascular clinical outcomes in patients with potentially serious coronary artery anomalies.

Background: Congenital coronary artery anomalies (CCAAs) have the potential for life-threatening complications, including malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between impaired repolarization parameters and poor cardiovascular clinical outcomes in patients with potentially serious CCAAs.

Methods: This retrospective study included 85 potentially serious CCAA patients (mean age: 54.

Safety of low-dose prolonged infusion of tissue plasminogen activator therapy in patients with thromboembolic events in the intensive care unit.

Objective Thromboembolic events such as acute coronary syndrome related prosthetic heart valve thrombosis, pulmonary artery embolism and renal artery embolism are a rare condition but a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In this study we discussed low-dose thrombolytic therapy, in patients with thromboembolic events in the intensive care unit.Methods The study was performed on 12 consecutive patients [8 female; 50.

Impaired repolarization parameters may predict fatal ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (from the CILICIA Registry).

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is significantly associated with high risk of fatal ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). Increased frontal QRST angle (fQRSTa), Tpe interval, and Tp-e/QTc ratio are described as ventricular repolarization parameters which are related to arrhythmias. In this study, we aimed to investigate the predictive value of these repolarization parameters for fatal VAs in patients with HCM.

The relationship between incomplete surgical obliteration of the left atrial appendage and thromboembolic events after mitral valve surgery (from the ISOLATE Registry).

Left atrial appendage (LAA) is a common site of thrombus formation especially in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Complete surgical LAA closure (cSLC) is the surgical aim, however incomplete surgical LAA closure (iSLC) is not rare. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the risk of thromboembolic complications (TEC) in AF patients with iSLC after mitral valve surgery.

Prognostic nutritional index predicts mortality in infective endocarditis.

Objective: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI), based on serum albumin and lymphocyte concentration, is an inflammation-based nutritional score that has been shown to be a prognostic determinant in several populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of PNI on mortality in patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

Methods: A total of 131 patients with IE were enrolled in this retrospective study.

In-Hospital and long term results of primary angioplasty and medical therapy in nonagenarian patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Although percutaneous coronary intervention is an accepted "first-line" therapy in acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in general population, few data are available on the short- and long-term outcomes of very old patients (age >90 years). Our aim is to evaluate and compare the short and long-term outcomes after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) or medical therapy in nonagenarian patients with STEMI. We retrospectively identified patients older than 90 years old in our clinic, with acute STEMI who presented within 12 hours after symptoms onset, either underwent PPCI or medically treated.

The diagnostic value of serum copeptin levels in an acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a common disease which is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Circulating level of copeptin, which was demonstrated to be elevated in heart failure, acute myocardial infarction and pulmonary arterial hypertension, were reported to be independent predictors of poor outcome in recent studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical utility of copeptin in the diagnosis of APE.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients with left atrial myxoma.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with left atrial (LA) myxoma.

Methods: Thirty-six consecutive patients with LA myxoma (10 men, mean age: 49.3 ± 15.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio: a novel marker for predicting hospital mortality of patients with acute type A aortic dissection.

Introduction: The inflammatory process has been reported to be associated with aortic dissection (AD) from the development to the prognosis. The aim of the study was to investigate a relationship between the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD) who underwent surgical repair.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-four patients who were admitted with the diagnosis of type A AAD who underwent surgical repair at two large tertiary hospitals.

Thrombus aspiration during primary percutaneous coronary intervention associated with reduced platelet activation.

Objectives: To determine the effect of thrombectomy on platelet function in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: This retrospective study included 413 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent PPCI between March 2012 and September 2013 at Kartal Kosuyolu High Specialty Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey that were assigned to the thrombus aspiration (TA) group or the non-TA group. Platelet count and mean platelet volume (MPV) were obtained at baseline and 24 hours (h), 48 h, and 72 h post PPCI.

Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio Can Predict Postoperative Mortality in Patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate clinical importance of neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio in patients with Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Methods: 125 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension were operated pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in our center between February 2011 and August 2013. 106 patients included into the study due to limitations.

The Predictive Value of Admission Fragmented QRS Complex for In-Hospital Cardiovascular Mortality of Patients with Type 1 Acute Aortic Dissection.

Background: Fragmented QRS (fQRS) arises from impaired ventricular depolarization due to heterogeneous electrical activation of ischemic and/or infarcted ventricular myocardium. The short- and long-term prognostic values of fQRS have been reported for myocardial infarction, heart failure, fatal cardiac arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of admission fQRS complex for in-hospital cardiovascular mortality of patients with type 1 acute aortic dissection (AAD).

Association between restless leg syndrom and slow coronary flow.

Objective: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep disorder in which patients feel unpleasent leg sensations and urge to move the legs during rest, especially at night, and symptoms are improved by leg movement. Prior studies analyzing the associations between cardiovascular disease and restless legs syndrome has shown controversial results. The goal of the study was to estimate the relationship between restless legs syndrome and slow coronary flow (SCF).

A cockscomb-like aneurysm of the right coronary artery after bare metal stent implantation.

Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) formation is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening event after coronary balloon angioplasty or stent implantation. In this report, we present a case of a patient who had a cockscomb-like aneurysm after bare metal stent implantation which was successfully treated with a coronary graft stent.

Comparison of short-term outcomes after carotid artery stenting according to different stent designs.

Introduction: In the developed countries, stroke is the third most common cause of death. There are many data indicating that stents reduce the risk of embolism but there are few publications assessing whether different stent designs can influence the periprocedural complications.

Aim: To determine the effects of open- and closed-cell stent designs on 1-month results of carotid artery stenting (CAS).

Relationship of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio with the presence, severity, and extent of coronary atherosclerosis detected by coronary computed tomography angiography.

We evaluated whether the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was associated with the presence, severity, and extent of coronary atherosclerotic plaques detected by computed tomography angiography (CTA). We studied 238 patients who underwent dual-source 64-slice CTA for the assessment of coronary artery disease. Coronary arteries were evaluated on 16-segment basis and critical plaque was described as luminal narrowing >50%.

The relationship between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and the coronary collateral circulation in patients with chronic total occlusion.

Objectives: Previous studies showed the association between the major adverse cardiovascular outcomes and both higher neutrophil and lower lymphocyte counts. We aimed to investigate whether there is an association between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) value and the development of coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO).

Methods: A total of 274 patients with CTO were included in this study.

Effect of blood donation-mediated volume reduction on regional right ventricular deformation in healthy subjects.

Strain (S) and strain rate (SR) are known to be altered in diseases associated with right ventricular (RV) pressure/volume overload and RV myocardial dysfunction; however determinants of S/SR are incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of blood donation-mediated volume reduction on regional RV deformation in healthy young adults. Study population was composed of 61 consecutive healthy subjects who were volunteers for blood donation.