Can high-sensitive troponin levels within the normal range predict positivity in treadmill test?

Background: This study aimed to determine whether a high level of high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) predicts a positive treadmill test in patients with suspected stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD).

Methods: In all, 366 patients with suspected SIHD were included in the study. We measured the serum hsTnT levels before the treadmill test.

Q fever endocarditis: is it always subacute or chronic?

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium, which cannot be grown using routine blood culture methods. Although C. burnetii is reported to be the causative agent in approximately 50% of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis cases in developed countries, the incidence in Turkey is yet to be defined.

Predictors of left ventricle ejection fraction and early in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Single-center data from a tertiary referral university hospital in Istanbul.

Background: Little is known about the management and mortality rates of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients in developing countries. In this study, to expose independent predictors of early (24 h) in-hospital mortality and ejection fraction, we report our experience with 362 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients admitted to the Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, a tertiary referral university hospital, and treated with primary percutaneous intervention.

Methods: This is a retrospective study that enrolled all patients (362) admitted with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction to Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, between January 2015 and December 2016.

Galectin-3: A Novel Biomarker Predicts Sudden Cardiac Death in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a primary cardiac disease characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy, myocyte hypertrophy and irregularities and interstitial fibrosis in the absence of any cardiac or systemic diseases and may lead to sudden cardiac death (SCD). Galectin-3 is a β-galactoside-binding lectin that has been associated with cardiac fibrosis and inflammation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between serum galectin-3 levels and the criteria for 5-year sudden death risk, recently defined in the European Society of Cardiology guidelines (2014), in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Endocan: a novel biomarker associated with well-developed coronary collateral circulation in patients with stable angina and chronic total occlusion.

Angiogenesis and arteriogenesis have a crucial role in the formation of coronary collateral vessels. It has been shown that endocan and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) are potential angiogenetic factors. We investigated the relationship between serum endocan levels and grade of coronary collaterals, and also the correlation of endocan levels with serum VCAM-1 levels.

Nitric oxide mediated effects of nebivolol in myocardial infarction: the source of nitric oxide.

Objective: After MI pathological LV remodeling is one of the major causes of death. We previously showed the NO mediated beneficial effects of nebivolol in rat MI model, in this study we aimed to evaluate the NOS related mechanisms in this phenomenon.

Materials And Methods: Rats were divided into four groups: sham operated (sham-control), MI-induced (MI-control), immediate nebivolol loaded (MI-neb1), orally nebivolol treated (MI-neb2).

The relationship between T-wave peak-to end interval and ST segment recovery on intracoronary ECG during primary PCI.

Objective: T-wave peak to end interval (TPE) is a measure of repolarization dispersion, which has been reported as a major arrhythmogenic factor post acute myocardial infarction. The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in TPE in this patient population with regard to peri-procedural intracoronary ECG findings.

Patients And Methods: Forty-four patients (34 male and mean age of 54.

Doppler-derived strain imaging detects left ventricular systolic dysfunction in children with Turner syndrome.

Objectives: Children with Turner syndrome (TS) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but associations with subclinical CVD are not well-characterized. The purpose of this study was to assess myocardial function using strain imaging (SI) by echocardiography in children with TS and without known CVD.

Methods: The study included 48 children with TS aged 4-16 years and 20 healthy control children.

Effect of carvedilol on silent anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity assessed by strain imaging: A prospective randomized controlled study with six-month follow-up.

Background: The use of antracycline (ANT) in breast cancer has been associated with adverse cardiac events. Two-dimensional (2D) strain imaging (SI) can provide a more sensitive measure of altered left ventricular (LV) systolic function. We aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of carvedilol administration assessed by SI in a patient with breast cancer treated with ANT.

Impact of vitamin D insufficiency on the epicardial coronary flow velocity and endothelial function.

Objective: Increasing evidence suggests a relationship between vitamin D (VD) insufficiency and cardiovascular disease. The present study evaluated the effect of VD insufficiency on epicardial coronary flow rate, subclinical atherosclerosis, and endothelial function.

Methods: The present study was cross-sectional and observational.

Relationship Between Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation, Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness and Coronary Flow Reserve in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD), carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Fifty patients with coronary artery disease, except left anterior descending artery (LAD), who showed no cardiac symptoms and 45 control subjects underwent assessment of brachial artery FMD, carotid artery intima-media thickness by high-resolution ultrasound. In addition, transthoracic second harmonic Doppler echocardiography was used to measure CFR.

Nebivolol prevents remodeling in a rat myocardial infarction model: an echocardiographic study.

Objective: Ventricular remodeling (VR) which develops after myocardial infarction (MI) plays an important role in progressive left ventricular dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the role of nebivolol treatment on VR after a MI in a rat ischemia-reperfusion model.

Methods: Rats were divided into 3 groups of 12 each: sham operated (sham-control), MI-induced (MI-control) and nebivolol treated (MI-nebivolol).

No association of the TLR2 gene Arg753Gln polymorphism with rheumatic heart disease and Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology, and infections with different microorganisms including streptococci have been claimed as triggers of inflammatory attacks in BD pathogenesis. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) has been known to recognize several microbial antigens including that of streptococci, and TLR2 gene Arg753Gln polymorphism has been reported to be strongly associated with acute rheumatic fever with an odds ratio of 100. This study aimed to investigate the TLR2 gene Arg753Gln polymorphism in a group of patients with BD and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and to analyze the role of genotyping errors resulting from duplicated gene segments.

Intraaortic balloon occlusion during refractory cardiac arrest. A case report.

Despite recent advances in its management, the outcome from cardiac arrest is often poor despite appropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) achieved during CPR is associated with successful return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Continuous balloon occlusion of the descending aorta is an experimental method that can occlude the 'unnecessary' part of the circulation, thus diverting generated pressure and blood flow to the heart and brain.

The effects of nebivolol on apoptosis in a rat infarct model.

Background: In the present study, nitric oxide (NO) was investigated to see if it mediated effects of nebivolol on apoptosis in the rat myocardial infarction (MI) model.

Methods And Results: Rats were divided into 3 groups: sham operated (sham-control), MI-induced (MI-control) and nebivolol treated (MI-nebivolol). The initial dose of nebivolol was administrated intravenously (iv) within 10 min of post-MI reperfusion and continued orally for 28 days.

Coronary flow reserve after L-thyroxine therapy in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients with subclinical and overt hypothyroidism.

Background/aims: Overt and subclinical hypothyroidism are reported to be associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. We have used coronary flow reserve (CFR) measurement by trans-thoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) to determine coronary microvascular function in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients with overt and subclinical hypothyroidism and to evaluate effects of L-thyroxine replacement on coronary endothelial function.

Methods: In total, 10 overt hypothyroid patients, 10 subclinical hypothyroid patients, and 10 controls were enrolled.

Improvement of endothelial dysfunction with simvastatin in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Cardiovascular problems are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Endothelial dysfunction (ED), which is an early manifestation of vascular injury, has been shown in patients with ADPKD. Statins have a beneficial effect in the reversal of ED.

The role of aspirin resistance on outcome in patients with acute coronary syndrome and the effect of clopidogrel therapy in the prevention of major cardiovascular events.

Background: Aspirin resistance may increase up to more then threefold the risk of major cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Aim: The aim of our study was to determine; the prevalence of aspirin resistance in patients with acute coronary syndromes, the role of aspirin resistance on outcome in the follow-up and the effect of clopidogrel therapy in the prevention of MACE in aspirin resistant subjects.

Material And Methods: We detected the prevelance of aspirin resistance in 105 patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Association of haematological indices with the degree of microvascular injury in patients with acute anterior wall myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: In acute myocardial infarction (AMI), increased neutrophil count has been associated with more severe coronary artery disease and larger infarct size. Increased mean platelet volume (MPV) is also associated with poor clinical outcome and impaired angiographic reperfusion in patients with AMI. However, the associations of neutrophil count and MPV with the indices of tissue level reperfusion were not fully elucidated.

Impaired endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation in Behçet's disease: more prominent endothelial dysfunction in patients with vascular involvement.

Brachial artery endothelial dysfunction was shown previously in a small group of Behçet's disease (BD) patients. This study aimed to compare the endothelial function in BD patients with and without vascular involvement. The study group consisted of 25 BD patients with vascular involvement, 25 BD patients without any vascular disease and 46 healthy controls.

Endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic periodontitis and its improvement after initial periodontal therapy.

Background: Recent epidemiological data suggested that there is a relationship between periodontal health and atherosclerotic coronary heart disease. Although hypothetical models were proposed, the exact mechanism of this association has not been clarified. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is an endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic periodontitis and, if present, whether recovery is possible with therapy.

Comparison of the effects of trimetazidine and diltiazem on exercise performance in patients with coronary heart disease. The Turkish trimetazidine study (TTS).

Objective: A multicentre, double-blind comparative study was performed to compare the effects of trimetazidine with diltiazem on exercise performance in patients with stable angina pectoris.

Methods And Results: A total of 116 male patients with documented coronary artery disease at 11 centres were randomized into trimetazidine and diltiazem groups both including 58 men (mean age 55.1+/-8.