Effect of Abdominal Corset on Completion of Colonoscopy and Cecal and Ileocecal Intubation Time in Patients with Central Obesity: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aim: This work investigated the effect of an abdominal corset on the colonoscopy completion rate, as well as cecum and ileum intubation time, total colonoscopy time, and pain score in centrally obese patients.

Methods: Patients were randomized into two groups, with 50 patients in each group. A colonoscopy was performed using the abdominal corset in Group 1 and the standard method in Group 2.

SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging identifies myocardial ischemia in patients with a history of COVID-19 without coronary artery disease.

We aimed to examine the effect of a history of COVID-19 on myocardial ischemia in single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in patients who presented with shortness of breath and/or chest pain after recovery. For this single-center retrospective study, patients who presented at cardiology outpatient clinics and had SPECT-MPI were screened. A total of 1888 patients were included in the study, 340 of whom had a history of COVID-19.

Trends in mechanical aortic valve replacement surgery in a large, multi-surgeon, single hospital practice.

Introduction: In recent decades, new high-performance prostheses have been invented for use with small aortic annuli, and they have helped avoid patient prosthesis mismatch (PPM) without the need for aortic annular enlargement. The purpose of this study is to examine the trends in mechanical aortic valve replacement surgery in a large, multi-surgeon, single hospital practice.

Material And Methods: Between January 1999 and January 2008, 1337 consecutive patients underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with or without concomitant aortic annulus enlargement.

Plasma factor XI and XII activity in patients with slow coronary flow.

The exact pathophysiology of slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon, characterized by delayed opacification of coronary arteries during coronary angiography, is still unknown, although endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, vasomotor disorders and atherosclerosis are shown. The present study was conducted to investigate whether there is a coagulation pathway abnormality in patients with SCF measuring plasma factor XI and XII activity. The study included 55 patients with angiographically proven SCF (group I) and 40 individuals with normal coronary flow (NCF, group II).

A case of double coronary perforations and tamponade during left main percutaneous coronary intervention and treatment with stenting and autotransfusion.

Coronary perforation is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. A 60-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma was admitted to our hospital with crescendo anginal attacks. Coronary angiogram revealed significant stenosis in distal left main coronary artery (LMCA).

[Carotid endarterectomy versus stenting: where do we stand today?].

Carotid artery stenosis is the major cause of the stroke associated with ischemic origin and carries increased mortality and morbidity. Since carotid artery endarterectomy (CEA) was first performed in 1950, in conjunction with the advanced technology and increased experience under the guidance of randomized controlled trials, balloon angioplasty and carotid artery stenting, which have similar mortality and morbidity, have become comparable with CEA. Determining the optimal treatment option for each patient is the most important issue in carotid artery stenosis.

P-wave dispersion by 12-lead electrocardiography in carotid artery stenting.

Objective: Although carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an effective treatment for severe carotid stenosis, it has been associated with alterations in autonomic functions during or shortly after the procedure. And, autonomic functions influence P-wave durations. In this study, our aim was to investigate P-wave durations on 12-lead surface electrocardiography after CAS.

Does the surgical technique used in the orthotopic heart transplant affect the results regarding the rhythm?

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the requirement for temporary and permanent pacemaker insertion and the incidence of the problems regarding the rhythm following heart transplantation with the bicaval or biatrial technique in the early postoperative period.

Methods: Sixty-one patients underwent orthotopic heart transplantation between the dates of September 1989 and December 2008 in our clinics were included to the study. The study was designed as retrospective analysis, and all data were collected from hospital records.

Increased right ventricular glucose metabolism in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background And Aims: We aimed to assess the characteristics of glucose utilization in left and right ventricle (LV, RV) myocardium with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) on positron emission tomography in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and to evaluate whether predominance of RV glucose metabolism as compared with that in LV relates to clinical, hemodynamic, echocardiographic, and neurohormonal parameters.

Methods: The study group comprised 23 patients with PAH and 16 healthy controls who underwent FDG positron emission tomography. The ratio of RV uptake (u) of FDG to those of LV was used as a marker for the glucose utilization by RV myocardium.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels in right and left heart failure: an observational study.

Objective: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a novel marker for early detection of renotubular deterioration. Despite the limited data concerning the NGAL in heart failure (HF), significance of NGAL in right-sided HF remains unknown. We assessed serum and urinary NGAL in left and right-sided HF due to non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICMP) and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Long-term exposure to biomass fuel and its relation to systolic and diastolic biventricular performance in addition to obstructive and restrictive lung diseases.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated an increased risk for cardiovascular events and pulmonary disease in patients with biomass fuel exposure (BFE). However, biventricular heart function has yet to be investigated in these patients. Left ventricular (LV) myocardial performance index (LVMPI), which is an index of global ventricular function, incorporates ejection, isovolumic relaxation, and contraction times.

BNP levels in patients with long-term exposure to biomass fuel and its relation to right ventricular function.

Unlabelled: Previous studies have demonstrated a consistent increased risk for cardiovascular events and pulmonary disease in patients with biomass fuel exposure (BFE). However right ventricular (RV) function have not been investigated yet in these patients. In this study, pulmonary function, right ventricular function and their relations with Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) were investigated in non-smoking female patients with BFE.

Rosiglitazone, but not pioglitazone, improves myocardial systolic function in type 2 diabetic patients: a tissue Doppler study.

Objective: Despite many potential benefits, thiazolidinedione (TZD) use has been associated with increased exacerbation rate of heart failure due to fluid retention. In our study, the effect of rosiglitazone and pioglitazone on myocardial function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and normal left ventricular systolic function was evaluated by both conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI).

Methods: Forty patients who were diagnosed type 2 DM according to the American Diabetes Association criteria were included in the study.

Factors associated with long-term survival following cardiac transplantation.

Objective: By improving short and long-term survivals, cardiac transplantation would be a more realistic curative treatment modality. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors associated with the long-term survival following cardiac transplantations in our center.

Methods: Forty-four patients were operated on cardiac transplantation between 1989 and November 2006.

Clinical and procedural predictors of no-reflow phenomenon after primary percutaneous coronary interventions: experience at a single center.

Background: The aim of the study was to identify clinical factors, angiographic findings, and procedural features that predict no-reflow phenomenon (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade < or =2) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods And Results: A series of 382 consecutive patients with AMI underwent primary PCI within 12 h of symptom onset. Patients with ischemic symptoms continuing for more than 12 h were also included.

Assessment of left ventricular functions in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia by conventional and tissue Doppler imaging.

The authors sought to determine left ventricular functions by conventional and tissue Doppler imaging in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia and controls. Peak early (E) and late (A) mitral inflow velocity, E/A ratio, E deceleration time, and isovolumetric relaxation time were obtained. Peak systolic velocity (Sm), diastolic early (Em), and late (Am) velocities were measured by tissue Doppler imaging.

Predictors and clinical significance of angiographically detected distal embolization after primary percutaneous coronary interventions.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate clinical, angiographic and procedural predictors of distal embolization (DE) on angiography after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The impact of DE on outcome in the first 30 days was also assessed.

Methods: Between January 2004 and April 2006, primary PCI was performed in 212 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) of < or = 12-h duration.