Evaluation of parotid and submandibular salivary glands with ultrasonography in diabetic patients.

Objectives: The main symptom of diabetes mellitus (DM) is hyperglycaemia, and patients with DM often have microvascular complications, such as retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy; macrovascular complications, such as coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and cerebrovascular disease; and oral complications, such as xerostomia, hyposalivation and periodontal disease. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the submandibular and parotid glands in type 2 DM patients and healthy individuals and to determine the changes in the salivary glands caused by diabetes.

Materials And Methods: In this study, the salivary glands of 100 patients (50 individuals with type 2 DM and 50 healthy individuals) were evaluated by ultrasonography (US).

Flow-mediated dilatation facilitates transradial coronary angiography: a comparative study.

Introduction: Radial artery (RA) spasm is demonstrated to be one of the most common complications of transradial approach (TRA).

Aim: We hypothesised that radial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) can be used as a preprocedural method to assess the likelihood of arterial spasm.

Material And Methods: The patients were divided into 2 groups: those with and without flow-mediated RA dilatation.

Percutaneous mitral commissurotomy in women with asymptomatic severe mitral stenosis before pregnancy.

Objectives: Performing percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC) in the women with asymptomatic severe mitral stenosis (MS) who plan a pregnancy is recommended. However the data regarding this recommendation is limited in the literature. We aimed to investigate maternal and fetal outcomes of women with asymptomatic severe MS who underwent PMC before a planned pregnancy.

Characteristics and transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus in patients living at moderate to high altitude in Eastern Anatolia.

Objective: The incidence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is greater among patients living at high altitude. In this po-pulation, the ductal diameter is often larger and pulmonary hypertension is more frequent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic and morphological features of PDA and transcatheter closure procedures performed with various devices in a group of patients living at high altitude in Turkey.

Correlation IMA with TIMI frame count in slow coronary flow: can it be a guide for treatment?

Aim: Coronary slow flow (CSF) is defined as late opacification in epicardial coronary arteries with no significant stenosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) by using Spectrophotometer in CSF.

Methods: Level of IMA was measured by spectrophotometer.

Transradial approach in the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease: a 2-center experience.

Background/aim: To document the safety, success, and complications of transradial coronary procedures.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study consisted of 427 patients who had undergone transradial coronary angiography and/or angioplasty between June 2010 and May 2012. The main outcome measures were the procedural safety, success rate, and complications associated with transradial interventions.

Comparison of inflammatory markers in non-dipper hypertension vs. dipper hypertension and in normotensive individuals: uric acid, C-reactive protein and red blood cell distribution width readings.

Aim: In this study, we investigated the relationship of increased inflammatory parameters (C-reactive protein - CRP), oxidative stress markers (serum uric acid - SUA) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) with non-dipper hypertension (NDHT).

Material And Methods: Among the individuals who presented to the cardiology clinic, 40 patients (32.5% male, 67.

Assessment of right ventricular geometry and mechanics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients living at high altitude.

Degree of increase in pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and adaptive responses in right ventricular morphology and mechanics play an important role in the prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Three dimensional echocardiography and deformation imaging are recent advancements in echocardiography that allow more through assessment of right ventricle. We aimed to investigate right ventricular geometry and mechanics in a stable COPD population living at moderately high altitude.

Epicardial fat tissue thickness is correlated with diminished levels of co-enzyme Q10, a major antioxidant molecule among hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: Accelerated atherosclerosis is the major cause of mortality in patients on chronic maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Epicardial fat tissue (EFT) is a new risk factor in cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between plasma coenzyme Q10 levels (Co-Q10) which is a potent physiologic antioxidant and EFT thickness in HD patients.

Cinacalcet may improve oxidative DNA damage in maintenance hemodialysis patients: an observational study.

Background: Oxidative stress is accepted as a non-classical cardiovascular risk factor in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of cinacalcet on oxidative stress biomarkers, oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine/deoxyguanosine), endothelial function (FMD %) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in HD patients.

Methods: Forty-two chronic HD patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism undergoing 60 mg/day cinacalcet treatment with a follow-up of 6 months and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included in this prospective study.

Association of P wave dispersion and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in non-dipper and dipper hypertensive patients.

Objective: Objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between P wave dispersion and left ventricular diastolic function, which are associated with the increased cardiovascular events in patients with dipper and non-dipper hypertensive (HT).

Methods: Eighty sex and age matched patients with dipper and non-dipper HT, and 40 control subject were included in this observational cross-sectional study. P wave dispersion was measured through electrocardiography obtained during the admission.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio may predict subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis.

Background: Systemic inflammation beyond the skin may provide an explanation of the increased cardiovascular risk observed in psoriasis. It was hypothesized that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are potential predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis measured by aortic velocity propagation (AVP) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in psoriasis.

Methods: Fifty-one patients with psoriasis taking no antipsoriatic therapy and 37 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were prospectively enrolled.

[Percutaneous closure of secundum atrial septal defects in pediatric and adult patients: short- and mid-term follow-up results].

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the short- and mid-term results of patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) who were treated with percutaneous closure.

Study Design: Seventy-nine patients with secundum ASD (54 female and 25 male; mean age 26.2±17.

Increased plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and myeloperoxidase levels may predict ischemia during myocardial perfusion imaging in slow coronary flow.

Background And Aims: It is unclear whether changes in plasma levels of inflammatory markers could explain the link between ischemia and slow coronary flow (SCF). The aim of the study was to evaluate the plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) during myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in SCF patients.

Methods: The study population consisted of 53 SCF patients and 30 controls.

Decreased serum selenium levels are correlated with diminished coronary flow reserve among hemodialysis patients.

Cardiovascular diseases are the main reason of high mortality among hemodialysis patients. Decreased serum selenium levels may have a role in accelerated atherosclerosis in this patient group. The hypothesis of this study was to show a correlation between decreased serum selenium levels and coronary flow reserve as an indicator of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in HD patients.

Epicardial fat thickness is associated with impaired coronary flow reserve in hemodialysis patients.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Epicardial fat tissue (EFT) is a new risk factor in CVD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between EFT and coronary artery flow reserve (CFR), which is an early indicator of endothelial dysfunction in coronary vessels of HD patients.

Increased QT dispersion and P wave dispersion in major depressive disorder.

Background: QT and P wave dispersion parameters can indicate abnormalities in autonomic nervous system and cardiac functioning.

Objectives: To determine QT and P wave dispersion in patients with major depressive disorder compared with healthy volunteers.

Methods: Fifty newly diagnosed patients with major depressive disorder and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers underwent 12-lead electrocardiography.

[Percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus: short term results].

Objectives: To evaluate short term results of percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure in a cohort of pediatric and adult patients following closure with the Amplatzer Ductal Occluder (ADO-1 and ADO-2) and Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO) devices.

Study Design: A total of 48 patients (17 male and 31 female; range 3 to 39 years) were included in this study. All patients were evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) before intervention.

Troponin and anti-troponin autoantibody levels in patients with ventricular noncompaction.

Ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction is a morphologic and functional anomaly of myocardium characterized by prominent trabeculae accompanied by deep recessus. Dilated cardiomyopathy with left ventricular failure is observed in these patients, while the cause or pathophysiologic nature of this complication is not known. Anti-troponin antibodies are formed against circulating cardiac troponins after an acute coronary event or conditions associated with chronic myocyte necrosis, such as dilated cardiomyopathy.

Serum coenzyme Q10 levels are associated with coronary flow reserve in hemodialysis patients.

Accelerated atherosclerosis is the major cause of mortality in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels and coronary flow reserve (CFR) in HD patients as an indicator of atherosclerosis. Seventy-one chronic HD patients and 65 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included in the study.

Correlations between oxidative DNA damage, oxidative stress and coenzyme Q10 in patients with coronary artery disease.

The correlation of coronary artery disease (CAD) with pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance and oxidative DNA damage was investigated. Seventy-seven patients with CAD and 44 healthy individuals as control were included in this study. The comparative ratios of ubiquinol-10/ubiquinone-10, 8-hydroxy-2(')-deoxyguanosine/deoxyguanosine and the level of MDA measured by HPLC and the activities of GPX and SOD by colorimetric approach in blood samples obtained from patients with CAD were unraveled.

Changes in serum natriuretic peptide levels after percutaneous closure of small to moderate ventricular septal defects.

Background. B-type natriuretic peptide has been shown to be a very sensitive and specific marker of heart failure. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of percutaneous closure of ventricular septal defects with Amplatzer septal occluders on brain natriuretic peptide levels.

Oxidative DNA damage correlates with carotid artery atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients.

Oxidative stress is accepted as a nonclassical cardiovascular risk factor in chronic renal failure patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine/deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG/dG] ratio), oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant enzymes, and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Forty chronic HD patients without known atherosclerotic disease and 48 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included in the study.

Serum cadmium levels are independently associated with endothelial function in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: Hemodialysis (HD) patients are at risk of deficiency of essential trace elements and excess of toxic trace elements. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between the serum levels of some trace elements and heavy metals (iron, zinc, manganese, copper, magnesium, cobalt, cadmium, and lead) and endothelial function in HD patients.

Methods: Forty-eight chronic HD patients without known atherosclerotic disease and 42 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included in the study.