Multi-Center Experience of Coronary Artery Perforation During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Clinical and Angiographic Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes Between 2010 and 2020.

Background: Coronary artery perforations are one of the most feared, rare, and catastrophic complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. Despite the remarkable increase in coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention, there is no large database that collects coronary artery perforation for the Turkish population. Our study aimed to report our experience over a 10-year period for clinical and angiographic characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of coronary artery perforation during the percutaneous coronary intervention at different cardiology departments in Turkey.

HbA1c, Coronary atheroma progression and cardiovascular outcomes.

Background And Aims: We tested the hypothesis that on-treatment HbA1c levels independently associate with coronary atheroma progression and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina) rates.

Methods: We performed a pooled analysis of data from seven prospective, randomized trials involving serial coronary intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS). The percent atheroma volume (PAV) was calculated as the proportion of the entire vessel wall occupied by atherosclerotic plaque.

Type 1 Kounis Syndrome Induced by Inactivated SARS-COV-2 Vaccine.

Background Vaccination is the most important way out of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Vaccination practices have started in different countries for community immunity. In this process, health authorities in different countries have preferred different type of COVID-19 vaccines.

CHA2DS2-VASc score and modified CHA2DS2-VASc score can predict mortality and intensive care unit hospitalization in COVID-19 patients.

In this study, we investigated whether the CHA2DS2-VASc score could be used to estimate the need for hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU), the length of stay in the ICU, and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Patients admitted to Merkezefendi State Hospital because of COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed by RNA detection of virus by using polymerase chain reaction between March 24, 2020 and July 6, 2020, were screened retrospectively. The CHA2DS2-VASc and modified CHA2DS2-VASc score of all patients was calculated.

Warfarin Use Is Associated With Progressive Coronary Arterial Calcification: Insights From Serial Intravascular Ultrasound.

Objectives: This study compared serial changes in coronary percent atheroma volume (PAV) and calcium index (CaI) in patients with coronary artery disease who were treated with and without warfarin.

Background: Warfarin blocks the synthesis and activity of matrix Gla protein, a vitamin K-dependent inhibitor of arterial calcification. The longitudinal impact of warfarin on serial coronary artery calcification in vivo in humans is unknown.

Atrial fibrillation, progression of coronary atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction.

Background Despite atrial fibrillation representing an established risk factor for stroke, the association between atrial fibrillation and both progression of coronary atherosclerosis and major adverse cardiovascular events is not well characterized. We assessed the serial measures of coronary atheroma burden and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with and without atrial fibrillation. Methods Data were analyzed from nine clinical trials involving 4966 patients with coronary artery disease undergoing serial intravascular ultrasonography at 18-24 month intervals to assess changes in percent atheroma volume (PAV).

A novel association between TGFb1 and ADAMTS4 in coronary artery disease: A new potential mechanism in the progression of atherosclerosis and diabetes.

Objective: Coronary artery disease is characterized by atherosclerosis in the vessel wall. Recently, it has been thought that increasing LDL-binding capacity of subendothelial proteoglycan fragments that are formed by protease activity can be responsible for the initiation of atherosclerosis. ADAMTS4 is a member of the versican-degrading proteinases.

Evaluation of the prevalence of coronary artery disease in patients with valvular heart disease.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate the prevalence of concurrent coronary artery disease in patients who underwent surgery due to severe valvular heart disease. The study also investigated the association of coronary artery disease with the type of valvular heart disease.

Materials And Methods: A total of 241 patients (123 females [51%]), who had underwent single valvular heart surgery, were included in the study.

Sudden death of a pregnant woman in third trimester with no risk factor.

Acute myocardial infarction in pregnancy is rare and life-threatening for both the mother and the fetus. We present the case of a 31-year-old previously healthy woman with no risk factors at 32 weeks of gestation who applied with vomiting, dyspnea and orthopnea. A respiratory arrest developed followed by loss of the fetal viability, cardiac arrest, and failure of resuscitation.

Serum and pleural fluid N-Terminal-Pro-B-Type natriuretic peptide concentrations in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions.

Currently, new biomarkers like N-Terminal-Pro-B-Type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) have been used in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions. In our study, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of NT-proBNP, especially in cardiac originated pleural effusions. Forty-five patients with pleural effusions were included in the study.

[Beyond lowering LDL cholesterol].

Compelling evidence from randomized controlled studies demonstrated the crucial role of lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the prevention of vascular events. However, not all patients with low LDL-C levels show similar reduction in event rates. The residual risk factors associated with ongoing vascular events despite achieving low LDL-C levels remain to be elucidated.

Lowering the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is associated with the beneficial impact of pioglitazone on progression of coronary atherosclerosis in diabetic patients: insights from the PERISCOPE (Pioglitazone Effect on Regression of Intravascular Sonographic Coronary Obstruction Prospective Evaluation) study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with the favorable effect of pioglitazone on atheroma progression.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with accelerated coronary atheroma progression. Pioglitazone slowed progression compared with glimepiride in this population.

Clinical predictors of plaque progression despite very low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize the determinants of plaque progression despite achieving very low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).

Background: Despite achieving very low levels of LDL-C, many patients continue to demonstrate disease progression and have clinical events.

Methods: A total of 3,437 patients with coronary artery disease underwent serial intravascular ultrasound examination in 7 clinical trials.

Comparison of rates of progression of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus versus those with the metabolic syndrome.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and metabolic syndrome (MS) are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, the extent and progression of coronary atherosclerosis for these conditions have not been directly compared. Three thousand four hundred fifty-nine patients with coronary artery disease underwent serial evaluation of atheroma burden by intravascular ultrasound.

Plaque progression in coronary arteries with minimal luminal obstruction in intravascular ultrasound atherosclerosis trials.

The relation among the burden of disease, progression of atherosclerosis, and remodeling in angiographically minimally diseased coronary arteries has not been defined. The present analysis included 1,906 patients who participated in 5 prospective clinical trials examining atheroma progression using intravascular ultrasonography. For the present analysis, the patients were stratified according to baseline quantitative coronary angiographic stenosis: <20%, 20% to 35%, and >35%.

Intravascular ultrasound-derived measures of coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden and clinical outcome.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-derived measures of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular outcomes.

Background: IVUS has been used in clinical trials to evaluate the effect of medical therapies on coronary atheroma progression.

Methods: Coronary plaque progression was evaluated in 4,137 patients in 6 clinical trials that used serial IVUS.

Relationship of insulin resistance in chronic haemodialysis patients with inflammatory indicators, malnutrition, echocardiographic parameters and 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Objective: The relationship between malnutrition, echocardiographic parameters, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) parameters and decreased insulin sensitivity index (ISI-S) in chronic haemodialysis patients was investigated.

Material And Methods: ISI-S and inflammatory indicators were measured. The nutritional state was assessed by malnutrition score.

The metabolic syndrome, its component risk factors, and progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Background: The mechanism that confers adverse cardiovascular prognosis in patients with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unclear. We sought to investigate the association of MetS and its component risk factors with progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of 3459 patients who participated in 7 clinical trials that monitored coronary atheroma progression with intravascular ultrasonography.

Findings of clinical trials that evaluate the impact of medical therapies on progression of atherosclerosis.

Background: Arterial wall imaging has been increasingly employed in clinical trials to evaluate the impact of medical therapies on progression of atherosclerosis.

Scope: A selective overview of major findings from clinical trials that assessed the impact of medical therapies on atherosclerosis progression.

Findings: Targeting established risk factors including LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and blood pressure has a beneficial impact on disease progression.

Future requirement for arterial wall imaging modalities in the evaluation of novel anti-atherosclerotic therapies.

Background: While arterial wall imaging has been used to characterize progression of atherosclerosis, there remain limitations to this approach.

Scope: A selective overview of emerging modalities to image the artery wall and highlight how they may be used to evaluate emerging anti-atherosclerotic agents.

Findings: Ongoing developments appear to enable assessment of composition and molecular properties of plaque in addition to quantitation of burden.

Rationale and approach to evaluation of the impact of medical therapies on progression of atherosclerosis with arterial wall imaging.

Background: Despite the benefit of medical therapies, there remains a substantial residual risk of cardiovascular events. Atherosclerosis imaging has been used to assess new therapies.

Scope: A selective review of current imaging techniques used to evaluate novel anti-atherosclerotic therapies.