Hematologic Parameters as Predictors of Long-Term Mortality in Infective Endocarditis Patients.

BACKGROUND Infective endocarditis (IE) is an endothelial infection that is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Early and accurate risk prediction is important in patients with IE. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which is one of the hematological parameters that can be performed anywhere and is easily accessible, is a predictor of poor prognosis in many infectious and cardiovascular diseases.

Value of Preoperative Platelet-to-Lymphocyte and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in Predicting Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Lung Resection.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after lung resection.

Methods: After the implementation of the exclusion criteria, 170 patients were retrospectively analyzed. PLR and NLR were obtained from fasting complete blood counts before surgery.

The Effects of Preoperative Coronary Collateral Circulation on Cardiac-Related Events after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: A total of 127 patients who had undergone CABG (2011-2013) were enrolled into this study and follow-up was obtained by phone contact. Patients were categorized into two groups according to preoperative CCC using the Rentrop method.

Fibulin‑1 and fibulin‑5 as rule‑out tests for non-ST‑elevation myocardial infarction in the emergency setting.

Background: Fibulin‑1 and fibulin‑5 are extracellular glycoproteins from the fibulin family. Both are expressed in the vessel wall and protect against vascular damage.

Aims: We aimed to investigate whether fibulin‑1 and ‑5 may be used to exclude non-ST‑segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in the emergency setting.

A new predictor of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: HATCH score.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HATCH score and atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. 369 patients (103 patients with AF and 266 patients without AF) undergoing isolated CABG surgery were analyzed. Complete medical records were retrospectively collected to investigate HATCH score.

Association of Preoperative Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio with Atrial Fibrillation after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 125 patients were retrospectively analyzed. AF was diagnosed using standard clinical criteria, and PLR was calculated as the ratio of the platelets to lymphocytes, obtained from the blood samples that were taken in the fasting state before CABG surgery.

Blood count parameters can predict the severity of coronary artery disease.

Background/aims: Because of the inflammatory nature of coronary artery disease (CAD), both platelets and white blood cells have been investigated for years. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between some prominently hematologic blood count parameters (mean platelet volume [MPV], neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) and the severity of CAD by using Gensini scores.

Methods: A total of 194 patients, who had undergone coronary angiography, enrolled in this study.

Huge saphenous vein graft aneurysm presenting as non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and compressing the heart.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery maintains an important role in the treatment of coronary artery disease. The huge saphenous vein graft aneurysm (HSVGA) is rare and occurs as a late complication after CABG. Here, we reported a case of HSVGA presenting as non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Relationship of anxiety and burnout with extrasystoles in critical care nurses in Turkey.

Objective: To determine the relationship between levels of anxiety and burnout and prevalence of atrial extrasystoles (AESs) and ventricular extrasystoles (VESs) among critical care nurses.

Methods: The sample of study included 51 nurses who worked in the intensive care units of a university hospital located in western Turkey. Beck's Anxiety Inventory and the Maslach Burnout Inventory were used in the study.

Removal of the broken part of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator's electrode causing pulmonary embolism via femoral vein.

A 66-year-old patient with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy underwent transvenous extraction of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. The distal part of the electrode was broken during manual traction through the left subclavian vein. In the present case, we showed a rare complication of transvenous lead extraction and its management.

Association between hematologic parameters and in-hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis.

Early and accurate risk prediction is an important clinical demand in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is an independent predictor of worse prognosis in various cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the value of PLR in the prediction of in-hospital mortality among IE patients.

Comparision of ultrasound-based methods of jugular vein and inferior vena cava for estimating central venous pressure.

Objective: The aim in this study was to compare the ultrasound estimation of the jugular vein diameter (IJVmax, IJVmin) and area (IJVarea), the height of the right internal jugular vein (CVPusg), the vena cava diameter (IVCmax, IVCmin), and the vena cava index (IVCindex) with direct estimation of central venous pressure (CVPinv).

Methods: Ultrasonography was performed on 37 nonventilated and 36 ventilated patients while monitoring central venous pressure. The IJV and IVC were measured during the respiratory cycle and the IJVarea and IVCindex were calculated.

Relationship between severity of pulmonary hypertension and coronary sinus diameter.

Introduction And Objective: We investigated the relationship between coronary sinus (CS) diameter and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and normal left ventricular systolic function.

Methods: A total of 155 participants referred for transthoracic echocardiography were included in the study. The study population consisted of 100 patients with chronic PH and 55 control subjects.

Evaluation of left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in bipolar patients during lithium therapy.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mental illness that is associated with substantial functional impairment, morbidity and mortality. Lithium is still considered as a first-line therapy in BD. In this study, systolic and diastolic function parameters were measured with echocardiography in BD during lithium therapy and compared to those of a control group.

Nebivolol to attenuate the effects of hyper-homocysteinaemia in rats.

Objective: This study investigated the prophylactic effect of nebivolol against hyper-homocysteinaemia (hHcy) induced oxidative stress in brain, heart, liver and kidney tissues and histomorphometric changes in the thoracic aorta.

Methods: Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were divided into a control, nebivolol, hHcy and nebivolol+hHcy group. hHcy was induced by oral administration of L-methionine (1 g/kg/day) for 28 days.

Management of a subclavian artery thrombosis causing acute anterior wall infarction and concurrent left arm ischemia in a patient with prior coronary bypass.

We report a 57-year-old patient with acute anterior wall infarction with a history of a coronary baypass graft operation in 2007. He also had concurrent left arm cyanosis and severe pain. He had received diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma one month previously and had had his first chemotherapy in the previous week with gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil.

Predictors of early death in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Aim: We aimed to determine the predictors of early death in the course of acute pulmonary embolism (APE).

Materials And Methods: We included 206 patients who had been admitted to our hospital between January 2011 and April 2013 with the diagnosis of APE. We derived a new model including corrected QT interval dispersion (QTcd) and P wave dispersion (Pd), echocardiographic findings, laboratory markers, and blood cell count indices to predict early death in patients with APE.

A clinical study about contrast nephropathy: risk factors and the role of beta blockers.

Objective: There is still a group of patient that have unpredictable risk for the development of contrast nephropathy (CN). There is also an effort to find more effficient strategies to prevent CN. Carvedilol, metoprolol and nebivolol seem to have theoretical potentials for the prevention of CN.

New markers for ventricular repolarization in coronary slow flow: Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio.

Background: Coronary slow flow (CSF) is characterized by normal or near-normal coronary arteries with delayed opacification of the distal vasculature that it may cause angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, life-threatening arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. The Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio are also known as predictors of ventricular arrhythmogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess ventricular repolarization in patients with CSF by using Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio.

Influence of preoperative coronary collateral circulation on in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery with intra-aortic balloon pump support.

Background: Outcomes in patients requiring coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have been improved with devices such as the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Good coronary collateral circulation (CCC) has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to investigate whether poor preoperative CCC grade is a predictor of in-hospital mortality in CABG surgery requiring IABP support.

The association of serum albumin with coronary slow flow.

Background: A number of inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and fibrinogen have been shown to be associated with coronary slow flow (CSF). Our aim was to investigate the relationship between albumin, a long-acting negative acute-phase protein, and CSF.

Methods: A total of 106 patients with angiographically proven slow coronary flow and 57 control subjects with normal coronary flow were included in the study.

Evaluation of Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Several studies have suggested that the interval from the peak to the end of the electrocardiographic T wave (Tp-e) may correspond to the transmural dispersion of repolarization and that increased Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio are associated with malignant ventricular arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to evaluate ventricular repolarization by using the Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to assess the relation with inflammation.

Study Design: Ninety-six patients (72 females, 24 males; mean age 43.

Prediction of coronary artery disease severity using CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores and a newly defined CHA2DS2-VASc-HS score.

As the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores include similar risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD), they may provide crucial information regarding the severity of coronary artery lesions and the risk of thromboembolism. To increase the likelihood of determining CAD severity, we formulated the CHA2DS2-VASc-HS score comprising hyperlipidemia and smoking in addition to the components of the CHA2DS2-VASc score and male instead of female gender. We aimed to investigate whether these 3 risk scores can be used to predict CAD severity.

Evaluation of atrial electromechanical delay and its relationship to inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate atrial electromechanical delay, inflammation, and oxidative stress parameters, along with to investigate clinical and laboratory characteristics affecting atrial electromechanical delay in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: Forty-three patients with COPD (60.5 ± 9.