Assessment of Genetic Variants Linked to Susceptibility to Mechanical Prosthetic Valve Thrombosis.

Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a critical and life-threatening condition driven by multifactorial etiologies, including genetic predispositions. The study was designed as a single-center retrospective manner. Echocardiographic features and genetic test including factor II/prothrombin (G20210A), factor V Leiden (G1691A), factor V R2 (A4070G), apolipoprotein (Apo) B-100 (G10708A), ApoE (C112R), ApoE (R158C), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, MTHFR A1298C, factor XIII G103T (V34L), β-fibrinogen (455G>A), PAI-1 4G/5G, and HPA-1 GPIIIa (T196C) genotyping variations were assessed.

Resensitization to colistin results in rapid and stable recovery of adherence, serum resistance and ompW in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Background: Colistin resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging problem that limits antimicrobial therapy options.

Materials & Methods: We isolated two pairs of colistin susceptible and colistin-resistant A. baumannii (K1007/K1006 and K408/K409) from two patients diagnosed with carbapenem-resistant A.

Combination anticoagulation strategy in pregnancy with mechanical valves: The KYBELE study.

Background: Optimal first-trimester anticoagulation is still challenging in pregnant women with mechanical heart valves (MHVs) requiring high-dose warfarin. This multicenter prospective study aims to determine the optimal anticoagulation regimens for pregnant patients with MHVs.

Methods: All women were allocated to one of three treatment options during first trimester including lone low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), combination of LMWH + 2.

Management of prosthetic valve thrombosis with unfractionated heparin.

Background: Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a severe and life-threatening complication. Surgery and thrombolytic therapy (TT) carry a high risk, and in several circumstances, optimal anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin (UFH) infusion may be an alternative treatment. This study aimed to assess the results of UFH in patients diagnosed with both obstructive and non-obstructive PVT.

Transcatheter Closure or Surgery for Symptomatic Paravalvular Leaks: The Multicenter KISS Registry.

Background: The optimal treatment of symptomatic paravalvular leak (PVL) remains controversial between transcatheter closure (TC) and surgery. This large-scale study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the long-term outcomes of the patients who underwent reoperation or TC of PVLs.

Methods And Results: A total of 335 (men, 209 [62.

Early Systolic Lengthening Is Associated with SYNTAX Score in Patients with Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: Early systolic lengthening is a echocardiographic strain parameter previously used to determine the lesion severity in patients with stable coronary artery disease. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between early systolic lengthening and anatomic SYNTAX score in troponin (-) and (+) groups among patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: A total of 95 patients diagnosed with non-ST-elevation ACS were included in the prospective, non-randomized, single-center study.

Trends in heart failure between 2016 and 2022 in Türkiye (TRends-HF): a nationwide retrospective cohort study of 85 million individuals across entire population of all ages.

Background: Data on the burden of heart failure (HF) outside western countries are limited, but available data suggest it may present differently in other countries. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence, prevalence, and survival rates of HF in Türkiye, with a specific focus on how these rates vary according to age, sex, comorbidities, and socioeconomic status (SES).

Methods: We harnessed the extensive National Electronic Database of the Turkish Ministry of Health, covering Turkey's entire population from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2022, to identify 2,722,151 cases of HF and their associated comorbidities using ICD-10 codes.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of National Cardiology Congresses Abstracts on the Basis of the 2016 Academic Criteria.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the effects of new academic criteria established in 2016 on the abstracts of the National Congress of the Turkish Society of Cardiology.

Methods: The abstracts presented at 13 consecutive annual congresses were obtained. A literature search was conducted with PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases to analyze whether the abstract was published in a scientific journal.

Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy in the Treatment of Vasospastic Angina Resistant to Medical Therapy.

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical follow-up results of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) in the treatment of vasospastic angina (VSA) resistant to maximal medical therapy.

Methods: A total of 80 patients with VSA who presented to our hospital between 2010 and 2022 were included in our study. Among them, 6 patients who did not respond to medical therapy underwent ETS.

Cardiohepatic syndrome and its prognostic predictive ability in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

With the development of progressive right ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one of the causes of type 2 cardiohepatic syndrome (CHS). Risk assessment, timely and effective management are crucial to improve survival in PAH. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the presence of CHS at diagnosis and its association with prognosis in patients with PAH.

Reappraisal of the Transthoracic Echocardiographic Algorithm in Predicting Pulmonary Hypertension Redefined by Updated Pulmonary Artery Mean Pressure Threshold.

Background: Although an adopted echocardiography algorithm based on tricuspid regurgitation jet peak velocity and suggestive findings for pulmonary hypertension has been utilized in the non-invasive prediction of pulmonary hypertension probability, the reliability of this approach for the updated hemodynamic definition of pulmonary hypertension remains to be determined. In this study, for the first time, we aimed to evaluate the tricuspid regurgitation jet peak velocity and suggestive findings in predicting the probability of pulmonary hypertension as defined by mean pulmonary arterial pressure > 20 mm Hg and > 25 mm Hg, respectively.

Methods: Our study group was comprised of the retrospectively evaluated 1300 patients (age 53.

Monocyte to HDL ratio may predict thrombosis in patients with mechanical mitral and aortic valve prosthesis.

Increased inflammatory biomarkers have been reported in prosthetic heart valve thrombosis (PHVT). Monocyte to HDL ratio (MHR) and albumin to CRP levels (CAR) are two biomarkers used widely for systemic inflammation but there is a lack of data on prosthetic heart valves. This study aimed to find out the potential predictive value of MHR and CAR for PHVT.

Relationship between myocardial bridging and fatal ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: the HCM-MB study.

Background: Myocardial bridging (MB) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are associated with the risk of fatal ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). The goal of the study was to determine the relationship between MB and fatal VAs in HCM patients with implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD).

Methods: A total of 108 HCM patients (mean age: 46.

Comparison of Medical Treatments According to the Characteristics of Idiopathic Premature Ventricular Contractions: Beta-blockers or Calcium Channel Blockers?

Objective: Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a common arrhythmic condition. The first approach in patients with symptomatic and frequent PVC is medical treatment, primarily beta-blockers (BB) or calcium channel blockers (CCB), but it is still unclear which of the two should be chosen. This study investigated which drug treatment would be beneficial according to patient and electrocardiography (ECG) characteristics in patients with idiopathic PVC.

Clinical implication of totally occluded infarct-related coronary artery in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the TOTAL-NSTEMI study.

Background: A subset ofpatients found to have total occlusion of the culprit artery (TOCA), present with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and elevated biomarkers. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of the TOCA in patients presenting with NSTEMI.

Methods: This multicenter observational study was retrospectively conducted between 2015 and 2019.

Secondary infections in COVID-19 patients: A two-centre retrospective observational study.

Introduction: We sought to evaluate secondary infections (SIs) in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for COVID-19 with respect to incidence, causative pathogens, and clinical outcomes.

Methodology: In this two-centre retrospective study, we analysed 146 patients (96 males, 50 females; median age, 64 years) admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 between March 26 and December 31, 2020. Inclusion criteria were an ICU admission for at least 48 hours and age beyond 18 years.

Relationship between in-hospital mortality and creatinine/albumin in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction without standard modifiable risk factors.

Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and smoking are associated with coronary artery disease and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, patients without any classic risk factors have a higher mortality rate in the post-STEMI period. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between in-hospital mortality and creatinine/albumin ratio in patients with STEMI without modifiable risk factors.

Metformin and CI-AKI Risk in STEMI: Evaluation Using Propensity Score Weighting Method.

Objective: Discontinuation of metformin treatment is a frequently used approach in clinical practice in diabetic ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients using metformin in order to reduce the risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury. There is insufficient evidence in the literature to support this approach. The aim of this study is to determine whether the risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury is different in diabetic ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients using metformin compared to those not taking metformin.

Eosinophil-to-Monocyte Ratio as a Candidate for a Novel Prognostic Marker in Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Is it a Consumptive Mechanism?

Background: The role of eosinophils in thrombotic processes is well known, and the prognostic value of eosinophil to monocyte ratio had been determined in patients with ST elevated myocardial infarction and acute ischemic stroke in recent studies. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the eosinophil-to-monocyte ratio on short- and long-term allcause mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism, which is another clinical condition closely related to the thrombotic pathway.

Methods: In this study, a total of 212 retrospectively evaluated patients with intermediate-high risk and high-risk pulmonary embolism who underwent catheter-directed therapies with ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis or rheolytic thrombectomy (Angiojet©) and intravenous thrombolytic treatment were included.

Comparison of ceftazidime-avibactam susceptibility testing methods against OXA-48-like carrying Klebsiella blood stream isolates.

Ceftazidime-avibactam exhibits good in vitro activity against carbapenem resistant Klebsiella carrying OXA-48-like enzymes. We tested two hundred unique carbapenem resistant Klebsiella blood stream isolates (71% with single OXA-48-like carbapenemases, including OXA-48, n = 62; OXA-232, n = 57; OXA-244, n = 17; OXA-181, n = 5) that were collected as part of a multicentre study against ceftazidime-avibactam using Etest (bioMérieux, Marcyl'Étoile, France), 10/4 μg disc (Thermo Fisher) and Sensititre Gram Negative EURGNCOL Plates (Lyophilized panels, Sensititre, Thermo Fisher) with the aim of comparing the performances of the Etest and disc to that of Sensititre. Ceftazidime-avibactam MIC was 2/>16 mg/L for the entire collection and was 2/4 mg/L for single OXA-48-like producers.

An outbreak of Ralstonia pickettii bloodstream infection and clinical outcomes.

Introduction: Ralstonia pickettii infections are rare and may be mistaken for other bacteria. This study aims to report a hospital outbreak of R. pickettii at a tertiary hospital, which was initially misidentified as Ralstonia insidiosa, along with its clinical consequences.