A coronary proatherosclerotic marker: Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and its association with coronary calcium score and carotid intima-media thickness.

Background: Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the arteries, is responsible for the greatest number of deaths in westernized societies, with numbers increasing at a marked rate in developing countries. Coronary calcium score (CCS), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) are predictors for the development of atherosclerosis.

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between CCS, CIMT and PAPP-A for earlier diagnosis of atherosclerosis.

The Investigation of a Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin Motifs (ADAMTS) 1, 5 and 16 in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections.

Background: Disintegrin-like and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin Motifs (ADAMTS) proteins that are fundamentally located in the extracellular matrix (ECM) have critical roles on different cellular processes by altering the ECM architecture. It has been known that expression of some members of these proteinases increases in aneurismal and dissectional aortic tissue. The purpose of this study is to investigate ADAMTS1, 5, 16 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-1, -2 (TIMP-1, -2) levels in aortic tissue obtained from patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections and to achieve new insights about the function of ADAMTS family members.

Association between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width and Coronary Artery Calcification in Patients Undergoing 64-Multidetector Computed Tomography.

Background And Objectives: The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been found to be associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine whether the RDW measures are associated with the coronary artery calcification score (CACS) in patients who did not present with obvious coronary heart disease (CHD).

Subjects And Methods: A total of 527 consecutive patients with a low to intermediate risk for CHD but without obvious disease were enrolled in this study.

Adropin: a new marker for predicting late saphenous vein graft disease after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Purpose: Saphenous vein graft disease (SVGD), defined as an occlusion of 50% or more of the SVG excluding distal anastomotic occlusion, is an important predictor of morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Late graft occlusion is a serious complication that often limits the use of the saphenous vein as a coronary bypass graft. Late graft occlusion is particularly common in old, degenerated venous grafts with advanced atherosclerotic plaques.

Heart Rate Acceleration and Recovery Indices are Not Related to the Development of Ventricular Premature Beats During Exercise Test.

Background: Changes in heart rate (HR) during exercise and recovery from exercise are mediated by the balance between sympathetic and vagal activity. HR acceleration (HRA) and recovery (HRR) are important measures of cardiac autonomic dysfunction and directly correlated with sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. It is not known if the autonomic nervous system related to ventricular arrhythmias during exercise.

Epicardial adipose tissue and pericoronary fat thickness measured with 64-multidetector computed tomography: potential predictors of the severity of coronary artery disease.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between pericoronary fat and the severity and extent of atherosclerosis, quantified using 64-multidetector computed tomography, in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Methods: The study population consisted of 131 patients who were clinically referred for noninvasive multislice computed tomography coronary angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Patients were classified as follows: no atherosclerosis, Group 1; nonobstructive atherosclerosis (luminal narrowing <50% in diameter), Group 2; and obstructive atherosclerosis (luminal narrowing ≥ 50%) in a single vessel or obstructive atherosclerosis in the left main coronary artery and/or multiple vessels, Group 3.

Fragmented QRS predicts the arrhythmic events in patients with heart failure undergoing ICD implantation for primary prophylaxis: more fragments more appropriate ICD shocks.

Background: Fragmented QRS complex (fQRS) is associated with cardiovascular outcomes in various patient populations. Although there were clinical studies investigating the association of fQRS with arrhythmic events in patients with systolic heart failure, the results were conflicting regarding the association of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks and fQRS. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between the presence and extent of fQRS with appropriate ICD shocks and/or all-cause mortality.

Relationship of late arteriovenous fistula stenosis with soluble E-selectin and soluble EPCR in chronic hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous fistula.

Background/aims: Vascular access dysfunction caused by stenosis is a major complication for hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, physiopathology of late arteriovenous fistula (AVF) stenosis is still under investigation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between plasma soluble EPCR (sEPCR) with serum soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) concentration and late AVF stenosis in HD patients.

CA 125 levels and left ventricular function in patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze associations between serum cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) levels and left ventricular (LV) function in patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis (HD).

Methods: CA 125 levels, pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) and biochemical parameters were measured, and echocardiography was performed for 110 patients and 47 healthy controls.

Results: The mean CA 125 level in patients, 38.

Usefulness of preprocedural serum uric acid level to predict restenosis of bare metal stents.

Serum uric acid (SUA) level is known as a significant predictor for cardiovascular diseases, partly through increased inflammatory response and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Inflammation and smooth muscle cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of in-stent restenosis (ISR). However, the relation between SUA and ISR has not been studied.

Upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis and downhill esophageal varices caused by long-term pacemaker implantation.

Upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis is common after pacemaker or cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. Only 1% to 3% of patients with upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis become symptomatic. Downhill esophageal varices develop in the upper third of the esophagus as a result of the obstruction of the superior vena cava.

[Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of infective endocarditis].

Objectives: We evaluated the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

Study Design: During a five-year period (January 2002-December 2006), 96 patients (56 men, 40 women; mean age 47+/-15 years; range 16 to 81 years) were treated and followed for IE. All the patients underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography.

Coronary artery to left ventricular fistula demonstrated by transthoracic echocardiography.

Coronary artery fistulas are rare coronary anomalies which generally require coronary angiography for definitive diagnosis. Improvements in ultrasound technology has enabled direct, transthoracic visualization of long portions of coronary arteries. We report a patient with a symptomatic coronary to left ventricular fistula, which was diagnosed with transthoracic echocardiography.

Comparison of the electrocardiographic features of complete left bundle branch block in patients with ischemic and nonischemic left ventricular dysfunction.

Background: Differentiating ischemic (ILVD) from nonischemic left ventricular dysfunction (NILVD) is important prognostically and therapeutically but might be difficult clinically. The differentiating role of electrocardiographic (ECG) features in the presence of left bundle-branch block (LBBB) is debatable on differentiating ILVD from NILVD.

Objective: The present study assessed whether there is the role of certain ECG features in differentiating ILVD from NILVD in the presence of the complete LBBB.

Comparison of presence and extent of coronary narrowing in patients with left bundle branch block without diabetes mellitus to patients with and without left bundle branch block but with diabetes mellitus.

We prospectively analyzed the clinical, echocardiographic, and coronary arteriographic data of 51 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with left bundle branch block (LBBB), 51 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without LBBB, and 51 patients with isolated LBBB matched for age and gender. Extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) was classified according to the standard method into 1-, 2-, or 3-vessel disease and was estimated by calculation of the Gensini score. The left ventricular ejection fraction was analyzed by echocardiography.