Predictive value of plasma copeptin level for diagnosis and mortality of pulmonary embolism.

Objective: Early diagnosis and risk stratification may provide a better prognosis in pulmonary embolism (PE). Copeptin has emerged as a valuable predictive biomarker in various cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of copeptin in patients with acute PE and to evaluate its relationship with disease severity and PE-related death.

Frailty Significantly Associated with a Risk for Mid-term Outcomes in Elderly Chronic Coronary Syndrome Patients: a Prospective Study.

Introduction: Frailty is a condition of elderly characterized by increased vulnerability to stressful events. Frail patients are more likely to have adverse events. The purposes of this study were to define frailty in patients aged ≥ 70 years with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and to evaluate mortality and prognostic significance of frailty in these patients.

Prognostic performance of copeptin among patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Background: In heart failure (HF), various biomarkers have been established for prognosis. However, little is known about the relevance of copeptin measurements to HF. This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of copeptin for predicting cardiovascular (CV) death or HF-related re-hospitalisation in patients with acute decompensated HF.

Determination of the effects of cryoablation for atrial fibrillation on esophageal functions.

Objective: Periesophageal vagal plexus injury is a complication of cryoablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of cryoablation on esophageal functions and to determine the relationship between esophageal temperature and esophageal motility.

Methods: Twenty patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF who underwent cryoablation were included in this study.

Frailty significantly impairs the short term prognosis in elderly patients with heart failure.

Background: Frailty is a condition of elderly characterized by increased vulnerability to stressful events with high risk of adverse outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between frailty and adverse outcomes including death and hospitalization due to heart failure in elderly patients.

Methods: We included patients aged ≥ 65 years with the diagnosis of heart failure.

Ultrasound Accelerated Thrombolysis May Be an Effective and Safe Treatment Modality for Intermediate Risk/Submassive Pulmonary Embolism.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life-threatening condition and the fact that 90% of PE originate from lower limb veins highlights the significance of early detection and treatment of deep vein thrombosis. Massive/high risk PE involving circulatory collapse or systemic arterial hypotension is associated with an early mortality rate of approximately 50%, in part from right ventricular (RV) failure. Intermediate risk/submassive PE, on the other hand, is defined as PE-related RV dysfunction, troponin and/or B-type natriuretic peptide elevation despite normal arterial pressure.

Electrocardiographic markers of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with left bundle branch block.

Background: Although some patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) have structural heart diseases, some patients with LBBB have "normal hearts". The electrocardiography (ECG) criteria of LBBB in reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have not been defined completely.

Aim: The main purpose of this study was to differentiate patients with reduced LVEF from patients with normal left ventricular systolic function simply by analysing 12-lead ECG.

Conduction characteristics in atrial fibrillation. Predictive value of tissue Doppler echocardiography.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmias observed in clinical practice. The frequency of AF is increased in patients with impaired interatrial conduction. We aimed to investigate whether tissue Doppler echocardiography could be used for the evaluation of atrial conduction characteristics instead of an electrophysiological study, and to examine the predictive accuracy of tissue Doppler echocardiography for the inducibility of sustained AF.

The effect of different atrioventricular delays on left atrium and left atrial appendage function in patients with DDD pacemaker.

Background: Although it has been known that optimization of atrioventricular delay (AVD) has favorable effect on the left ventricular functions in patients with DDD pacemaker, the effect of different AVDs on left atrium (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA) functions has not been exactly evaluated. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of different AVDs on LA and LAA functions in DDD pacemaker implanted patients with atrioventricular block.

Methods: Forty-eight patients with DDD pacemaker were enrolled into the study.

A case of myocarditis mimicking acute coronary syndrome associated with H1N1 influenza A virus infection.

Myocarditis due to H1N1 influenza infection has not been previously described. We report on a case of acute fulminant myocarditis caused by H1N1 influenza A virus infection that mimicked acute coronary syndrome. A 50-year-old man was admitted with dyspnea, fever, cough, vomiting, and atypical chest pain of three-day history.

Diastolic function predicts outcome after aortic valve replacement in patients with chronic severe aortic regurgitation.

Background: Due to eccentric hypertrophy and fibrosis, patients with severe aortic regurgitation (AR) have diastolic dysfunction. Increased fibrosis correlates with increased myocardial stiffness and worsening of diastolic function. Patients with irreversible left ventricular (LV) dysfunction have severe myocardial fibrosis and myocyte apoptosis and do not benefit from aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Relationship between left ventricular geometry and left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in patients with chronic severe aortic regurgitation.

Background: Chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) is a form of volume overload inducing left ventricle (LV) dilatation. Myocardial fibrosis, apoptosis, progressive LV dilatation, and eventually LV dysfunction are seen with the progression of disease. The aim of the study was to assess the relation between LV geometry and LV systolic and diastolic functions in patients with chronic severe AR.

Cardiac troponin T as a prognostic marker in patients with heart failure : a 3-year outcome study.

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT), a highly sensitive and specific indicator of myocardial cell death, may be elevated in congestive heart failure (CHF). The aims of this study were to test the hypothesis that decompensated CHF may be associated with an increase in cTnT release and to correlate between cTnT levels and patient outcomes. The authors studied 55 patients aged between 38 and 86 years (30 women and 25 men) who were hospitalized for CHF.

The effect of early statin treatment on inflammation and cardiac events in acute coronary syndrome patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

We investigated the effects of atorvastatin on inflammation and cardiac events during the inpatient period and initial 6-month follow-up in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with low low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level. One hundred and twelve consecutive ACS patients with LDL cholesterol less than 100 mg/dl were included in the study (mean 78.2+/-12.

'Natural Conduit' between two atria associated with atrial septal defect.

Herein, we present a case of 46 years old woman with an extracardiac venous connection between two atria associated with secundum type atrial septal defect (ASD). This interatrial tunnel was not recognized by both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic examinations. Computed tomography suspected a blood flow from right inferior pulmonary vein to inferior caval vein.

Pseudoaneurysm following high lateral myocardial infarction: a case report.

Male patient with a history of high lateral myocardial infarction experienced 45 days before admission was accepted to our clinic with the initial diagnosis of congestive heart failure. Physical examination revealed 2-3 degrees/6 systolic murmur in the mesocardiac region. Telecardiography revealed a mass of 12 x 6 cms in the left hilus.

Lymphocyte subsets in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objective: Although chronic myocardial inflammatory process mediated by viral and autoimmune factors has been postulated in the pathogenesis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), the role of autoimmune mechanisms still remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rates of various T cell subsets and natural killer (NK) cells in peripheral blood in order to see whether they had a role in the immunoregulation of IDC.

Methods: The surface markers of peripheral T and B lymphocytes were detected and percentages of pan T and B cells as well as helper (CD4+) and suppressor (CD8+) T lymphocytes subsets in the peripheral blood and their ratio (CD4+/CD8+) were determined in 27 patients with IDC and in 20 healthy controls.

Renal vascular resistance in progressive systemic sclerosis: evaluation with duplex Doppler ultrasound.

The study was planned to evaluate renal vascular resistance by means of duplex Doppler ultrasonography in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) with or without signs of renal involvement. Twenty-two female patients with PSS (mean age 38.5 +/- 17.

Thromboembolism risk in patients with mitral stenosis.

A total of 168 consecutive patients with predominant rheumatic mitral stenosis were evaluated by transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Of the 168 patients, 35 had previous embolic events (group I) and 133 had no emboli (group II). A total of 77 (45.

Effects of trimetazidine on heart rate variability and left ventricular systolic performance in patients with coronary artery disease after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

Fifty-one patients (mean age 51.6 +/- 7.1 years) with angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD) entered the study.

Hydatid disease presenting as cardiac tamponade. A case history.

Although hydatid disease has been reported in almost all human tissues, cardiac involvement is uncommon. The authors report a case of cardiac hydatid disease presenting with cardiac tamponade. The diagnostic value of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography, and angiography in hydatid heart disease is also discussed.

Decreased glutathione levels in acute myocardial infarction.

Although experimental studies have demonstrated that reduced glutathione (GSH) is involved in cellular protection from deleterious effects of oxygen free radicals (OFRs) in ischemia and reperfusion, there are controversial data on the correlation between the levels of erythrocyte GSH and the ischemic process. To clarify, we determined the erythrocyte GSH levels in 21 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), aged 39-70, who were not given thrombolytic therapy and 21 age- and sex- matched healthy controls. Samples of blood were taken on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 from AMI patients and on the same days from the controls.

A serious complication of percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty: systemic embolism. How can we decrease it? Case history.

Systemic embolism is a potential and severe complication of percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV). The incidence of systemic embolism during PBMV has been reported to be less than 5% and only 0.6% with the Inoue technique.

AA-amyloidosis presenting with chronic diarrhea and cardiac manifestations.

In secondary amyloidosis (AA type), clinically significant cardiac and gastrointestinal involvement are uncommon, in contrast to the primary type. We report a case presenting with chronic diarrhea and cardiac manifestations who was diagnosed as having AA-amyloidosis with unknown predisposing illness based on endomyocardial, rectal and subcutaneous fat tissue biopsies.