Comparison of inflammatory markers for the prediction of atrial fibrillation recurrence following cryoablation.

The aim of this study is to investigate the value of inflammatory markers for atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence prediction after cryo-balloon ablation (CA). The study included 399 patients divided into two groups by AF recurrence after CA. Inflammatory markers including uric acid/albumin ratio (UAR), systemic immune inflammation index (SIII) and CRP/albumin ratio (CAR) were evaluated.

Assessment of Lipoprotein (a) Levels in Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Single Center Experience from Türkiye.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the role of elevated lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels as a potential contributor to residual risk in individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Considering that approximately 90% of Lp(a) levels are genetically determined and can vary regionally, we assessed Lp(a) levels in a cohort of ASCVD patients from the Turkish population, where data is currently limited.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of data and Lp(a) measurements collected from individuals diagnosed with ASCVD at a single center.

The Association between Exercise-Induced Ventricular Premature Contractions and Long-Term Mortality in Patients without Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: The treadmill exercise test is widely used to determine cardiovascular risk and mortality. Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are frequently observed during exercise stress testing. The literature on the role of PVCs observed during treadmill exercise testing in predicting prognosis is controversial.

Which Diastolic Pressure Should Be Used to Assess Diastolic Function?

Background: Although high left ventricular filling pressures [left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP)] are widely taken as surrogates for LV diastolic dysfunction, the actual distending pressure that governs LV diastolic stretch is transmural pressure difference (∆PTM). Clinically, preferring ∆PTM over PCWP may improve diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. We aimed to compare the clinical implications of diastolic function characterization based on PCWP or ∆PTM.

Turkish Real Life Atrial Fibrillation in Clinical Practice: TRAFFIC Study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism, ischemic stroke, impaired quality of life, and mortality. The latest research that shows the prevalence and incidence of AF patients in Türkiye was the Turkish Adults' Heart Disease and Risk Factors study, which included 3,450 patients and collected data until 2006/07.The Turkish Real Life Atrial Fibrillation in Clinical Practice (TRAFFIC) study is planned to present current prevalence data, reveal the reflection of new treatment and risk approaches in our country, and develop new prediction models in terms of outcomes.

Is Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure a Reliable Indicator of Postcapillary Pulmonary Hypertension?

Although current pulmonary hypertension (PH) guidelines recommend a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) >15 mm Hg for the detection of a postcapillary component, the rationale of this recommendation may not be quite compatible with the peculiar hemodynamics of PH. We hypothesize that a high PCWP alone does not necessarily indicate left-sided disease, and this diagnosis can be improved using left ventricle transmural pressure difference (∆ P). In this 2-center, retrospective, observational study, we enrolled 1,070 patients with PH who underwent heart catheterization, with the final study population comprising 961 cases.

Predictors of Long-Term Mortality in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris and Coronary Slow Flow.

: Coronary slow flow (CSF) is an angiographic phenomenon characterized by the slow progression of an injected contrast agent during diagnostic coronary angiography in the absence of significant stenosis. Although CSF is a common angiographic finding, the long-term outcomes and mortality rates are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the underlying causes of mortality over a 10-year period in patients diagnosed with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and CSF.

Automated Bird Counting with Deep Learning for Regional Bird Distribution Mapping.

A challenging problem in the field of avian ecology is deriving information on bird population movement trends. This necessitates the regular counting of birds which is usually not an easily-achievable task. A promising attempt towards solving the bird counting problem in a more consistent and fast way is to predict the number of birds in different regions from their photos.