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.

Value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting left ventricular recovery in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting left ventricular (LV) recovery in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Methods: Patients with PPCM (n = 40), who were admitted to our tertiary reference hospital between 2007 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were followed-up for at least 12 months after the diagnosis.

Severity of periodontitis in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia.

The concept that coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is an inflammatory-related disease has been increasingly recognized. Periodontitis induced low-grade chronic systemic inflammation has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between periodontitis and CAE.

Successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention in a centenarian patient with acute myocardial infarction.

A 104-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department with chest pain. An electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in the anterior leads. He was immediately taken to the catheterisation laboratory for emergency angiography, which showed thrombotic stenosis at the proximal portion of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery.

Is left ventricular diastolic dysfunction independent from presence of hypertension in metabolic syndrome? An echocardiographic study.

Background: It has been shown that left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) develops in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, there is not sufficient evidence in the literature to determine whether this condition is due to increase in blood pressure, which is frequently encountered in MetS. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis whether LVDD in MetS is independent from the presence of hypertension.

Echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular function before and after surgery in patients with pectus excavatum and right ventricular compression.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the effect of surgical repair on right ventricular (RV) function in patients with pectus excavatum (PE) and RV compression by Doppler echocardiography.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-three patients who were admitted to our hospital for surgical correction of PE between 2009 and 2012 were included in the study. After transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation, 16 patients with RV compression were enrolled.

Oxidative stress and severity of coronary artery disease in young smokers with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Cigarette smoking increases the oxidative stress mediated vascular dysfunction in young adults. We aimed to investigate the relation between the oxidative stress indices and coronary artery disease (CAD) severity in young patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Young patients (aged 〈 35 years) who were admitted consecutively to our hospital with a diagnosis of AMI were included in the study.

Coronary calcium score, albuminuria and inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetic patients: associations and prognostic implications.

Aims: To investigate the relationship of coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores with common carotid artery intima media thickness (CCA-IMT), albuminuria and inflammatory factors in type 2 diabetes.

Methods And Results: 128 asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients, with at least one cardiovascular risk factor in addition to diabetes, were included in the study. CAC scores, carotid arteries plaque formation and CCA-IMT were assessed.

Myocardial ischemia in severe aortic regurgitation despite angiographically normal coronary arteries.

Patients with severe aortic regurgitation frequently present with angina pectoris. The exact pathophysiology for angina in aortic regurgitation is not clear. Left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial blood supply-demand mismatch have been the suggested mechanisms to explain ischemia.

Effects of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase genotypes, enzyme levels, and activity on high-density lipoprotein levels.

Background: Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is one of the key enzymes controlling cholesterol homeostasis and plays a primary role in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) maturation.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of LCAT gene polymorphisms 511C/T (exon4), 4886C/T (rs5923), and 608C/T (rs5922) on LCAT enzyme level, activity, and HDL-C levels.

Methods: The study population was selected from consecutive subjects with low (<35 mg/dL) and high HDL-C levels (>65 mg/dL) seen in our lipid clinic.

The effects of blood pressure lowering on P-wave dispersion in patients with hypertensive crisis in emergency setting.

Hypertensive emergency refers to a severe hypertension (HT) that is associated with new or progressive end-organ damage. In these clinical situations, blood pressure (BP) should be reduced immediately to prevent or minimize organ dysfunction. The present study evaluated the diagnostic value of two electrocardiographic indices in detecting patients, who are at risk for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), in the setting hypertensive crisis.

Plasma soluble adhesion molecule levels in coronary artery ectasia.

Background: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as localized or diffuse dilatation of the coronary arteries. There are scarce data about the role of inflammation in CAE. In the present study, the plasma soluble adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) levels in CAE were investigated.

Retinopathy is related to the angiographically detected severity and extent of coronary artery disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an early and frequent marker of other vascular complications of diabetes and its relation with coronary ischemia is known. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between DR and indices of coronary artery disease (CAD) severity and extent determined by coronary angiography. Sixty-nine diabetic patients undergoing coronary angiography for suspected CAD were evaluated.

[Assessment of the efficacy of bisoprolol administration by cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with heart failure].

Objective: It is well known that long-term therapy with beta-blockers reduces morbidity and mortality, improves left ventricular function in patients with heart failure. However the effect of beta-blockade on exercise tolerance in patients with heart failure remains unclear. In the present study we evaluated effects of the addition of bisoprolol to standart therapy with a diuretic and an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor on exercise capacity in patients with chronic heart failure.

[Evaluation of success of mitral valvuloplasty in the early period with cardiopulmonary exercise test].

Objective: It was shown that percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PMBV) has provided symptomatic improvement in cases with mitral stenosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of successful PBMV on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in patients with mitral stenosis early after intervention.

Methods: Twenty-nine patients with mitral stenosis were included in this study.