What should be the Optimal Carotid Stent Opening Rate Without Post-Dilation?

Background: There is not a widely accepted optimal rate of stent opening in patients underwent carotid artery stenting. In this study we evaluated the effect of carotid stent opening rate (CSOR) without performing post-dilation on in-hospital and long-term outcomes.

Methods: A total of 825 patient patients underwent carotid artery stenting without post-dilation enrolled to the study.

Evaluation of Tp-e Interval, Tp-e/QT Ratio, and Tp-e/QTc Ratio in Patients with Asymptomatic Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is characterized by progressive replacement of ventricular myocytes with variable amounts of fibrous and adipose tissue. Several studies have suggested that the interval from the peak to the end of the electrocardiographic T wave (Tp-e) may correspond to the transmural dispersion of repolarization and that increased Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio are associated with malignant ventricular arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to evaluate repolarization dispersion measured from the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram (including Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/QTc ratio) in asymptomatic ARVD patients METHODS: We selected 27 patients with asymptomatic ARVD and 27 age- and gender-match young, healthy volunteers.

Peripheral self-expandable stent catheter fracture: Retrieval of two different components with two different modalities.

A 58-year-old man whose right superficial femoral artery had been stented 2 weeks previously presented at the emergency service complaining of right leg pain of 2 days' duration. Angiography revealed a radiopaque foreign body distal to the stent. It was removed with a snare.

Two-dimensional strain and strain rate imaging of the left atrium and left ventricle in adult patients with atrial septal defects before and after the later stage of percutaneous device closure.

Aim: Atrial septal defect (ASD) causes chronic volume overload of the right heart. The potential adverse effects of this long-standing volume overload to left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV) and their response to ASD closure has been poorly studied.

Methods: We studied 20 ASD patients before the procedure, at the 24-hour and 1 month following the percutaneous closure.

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).

Huge aortic pseudoaneurysm arising from the aorta-saphenous vein graft anastomosis after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Pseudoaneurysm of the aortic root is a rare condition and potentially fatal if not treated. It may occur in different etiologies. In this case, we aim to show an aortic pseudoaneurysm arising from the aorta-saphenous vein graft anastomosis.

The relationship between gamma-glutamyltransferase and coronary collateral circulation in patients with chronic total occlusion.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between blood gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels and coronary collateral circulation in patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO).

Methods: Two hundred twenty-two patients with chronic stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and CTO were included in this cross-sectional, observational study. Coronary collaterals were graded from 0 to 3 according to the Rentrop method.

Decreased plasma adiponectin is associated with impaired left ventricular longitudinal systolic function in hypertensive patients: a two-dimensional speckle tracking study.

The influence of plasma adiponectin levels on myocardial contractile function has not been fully examined. We aimed to investigate the relationship between three-directional systolic function and plasma adiponectin levels in asymptomatic hypertensive patients using two- dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. The study population consisted of 78 patients with hypertension and 40 healthy controls.

Evaluation of autonomic functions by heart rate variability after stenting in patients with carotid artery stenosis.

Objective: Although carotid stenting is an effective treatment for severe carotid stenosis, it has been associated with alterations in autonomic functions during or shortly after the procedure. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an established tool for the asessment of autonumic functions. In this study, our aim was to investigate the relation between the alterations in autonomic functions and HRV by Holter monitoring parameters.

The comparison in reduction of QT dispersion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention according to existence of thrombectomy in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the standard treatment in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Thrombectomy devices are used to remove thrombus or to prevent embolization of thrombus and plaque during PPCI. QT dispersion (the difference between maximal and minimal QT interval calculated on a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram) represents the regional nonuniformity of ventricular repolarization.

Early effect of left coronary system revascularization on right ventricular mechanics in patients with right coronary artery chronic total occlusion.

Objective: No data exist on the functional relevance of collateral vessels in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Also, the subtle effects of improved collateral flow on right ventricular (RV) function are difficult to assess. However, novel echocardiographic approaches like tissue-Doppler imaging (TDI) and two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) can quantify RV regional myocardial function.

P-wave dispersion by 12-lead electrocardiography in carotid artery stenting.

Objective: Although carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an effective treatment for severe carotid stenosis, it has been associated with alterations in autonomic functions during or shortly after the procedure. And, autonomic functions influence P-wave durations. In this study, our aim was to investigate P-wave durations on 12-lead surface electrocardiography after CAS.

Time course of right ventricular remodeling after percutaneous atrial septal defect closure: assessment of regional deformation properties with two-dimensional strain and strain rate imaging.

Background: Quantitative assessment of the right ventricular (RV) function in atrial septal defect (ASD) patients before and after closure remains difficult. The aim of this study was to assess the regional RV function in ASD patients, to evaluate the extent and time course of RV remodeling following ASD closure, and to investigate whether any regional difference exists in RV remodeling.

Methods: Twenty patients with ASD and 20 age-matched controls were included.

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.

Acute sleep deprivation in healthy adults is associated with a reduction in left atrial early diastolic strain rate.

Background: Sleep deprivation (SD) is known to be associated with adverse cardiovascular events. Strain and strain rate measure the local deformation of the myocardium and have been used to evaluate atrial phasic function in various disease states. The aim of the study was to investigate whether strain rate imaging enables the identification of left atrial dysfunction in otherwise healthy young adults with acute SD which has not been studied previously.

Impact of body iron status on myocardial perfusion, left ventricular function, and angiographic morphologic features in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Previous studies have shown that the effects of iron stores on atherogenesis through promotion of free radical formation and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation largely depend on the state of hypercholesterolemia (HCL) in animal models. A synergistic association of serum ferritin and LDL cholesterol with the risk of myocardial infarction has also been observed in humans.

Methods: We sought to assess the relationship of serum iron parameters to myocardial perfusion and wall motion abnormalities and to the extent of angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with HCL.