The Influence of On-pump Versus Off-pump Surgery on Short- and Medium-term Postoperative Coronary Flow Reserve After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: Although several clinical trials have compared surgical outcomes between off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), whether there is a difference in the early- and medium-term postoperative coronary microvascular functions is not fully understood. We compared short- and medium-term coronary microvascular function after off-pump and on-pump CABG.

Methods: A prospective study of patients undergoing off-pump and on-pump CABG.

Increased morning blood pressure surge and coronary microvascular dysfunction in patient with early stage hypertension.

Morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) is defined as an excessive increase in blood pressure (BP) in the morning from the lowest systolic BP during sleep, and it has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular events in current clinical studies. In this study, we evaluated the association between the rate of BP variation derived from ambulatory BP monitoring data analysis and coronary microvascular function in patients with early stage hypertension. One hundred seventy patients with prehypertension and Stage 1 hypertension who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study.

Impaired coronary microvascular and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background And Aim: Increased incidence of coronary vascular events in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is known. However, the association between coronary microvascular function and IBD has not been fully defined. We aimed to investigate whether coronary flow reserve (CFR) and left ventricular diastolic function were impaired in IBD patients.

Association between serum total antioxidant status and coronary microvascular function in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Coronary microvascular impairment may cause myocardial ischemia and systolic dysfunction in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC).

Patients And Methods: The study included 41 patients with IDC and 33 healthy control subjects. Serum total antioxidant status (TAS), serum interleukin (IL)-6 levels, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels were assayed and coronary flow reserve (CFR) was measured in all subjects via echocardiography.

Effect of masked, white-coat, and sustained hypertension on coronary flow reserve and peripheral endothelial functions.

In this study, we have measured coronary flow reserve (CFR) using transthoracic echocardiography and brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation using vascular ultrasound in 36 subjects with masked hypertension (MH), 62 patients with sustained hypertension (SH), 40 patients with white-coat hypertension (WCH), and 39 healthy volunteers. CFR was significantly lower in the MH and SH groups (2.30 ± 0.

Smoking mentholated cigarettes impairs coronary microvascular function as severely as does smoking regular cigarettes.

Objective: Smoking mentholated cigarettes inhibits the metabolism of nicotine and increases systemic exposure to cigarette smoke toxins. However, the possible effects of smoking mentholated cigarettes on coronary microvascular functions are unknown. We sought to investigate whether smoking mentholated cigarettes impairs coronary flow reserve (CFR) more so than smoking regular cigarettes.

Effects of atorvastatin on coronary flow reserve in patients with slow coronary flow.

Background: Statins improve endothelial functioning in patients with coronary artery disease and hypercholesterolemia, while substantially little is known about induced changes in myocardial microcirculation. However, although previous studies have suggested that microvascular abnormalities and endothelial dysfunction is responsible for slow coronary flow (SCF), there is no study investigating possible effects of statins on coronary microvascular function in patients with SCF.

Hypothesis: We prospectively investigated the effects of short-term lipid-lowering therapy with atorvastatin on coronary flow reserve (CFR) reflecting coronary microvascular function in patients with SCF assessed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE).

Effects of normal blood pressure, prehypertension, and hypertension on coronary microvascular function.

Background: The assessment of coronary flow reserve (CFR) by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography has recently been introduced into clinical practice, and reduced CFR has been suggested to be a sensitive indicator of hypertensive end-organ damage; however, to date, this methodology has not been used to evaluate CFR in subjects with prehypertension. Accordingly, the present study was designed to evaluate CFR in subjects with prehypertension.

Methods And Results: We measured CFR of 40 subjects with prehypertension, 60 patients with hypertension, and 50 normotensive healthy volunteers using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.

Low serum bilirubin concentrations are associated with impaired aortic elastic properties, but not impaired left ventricular diastolic function.

Elevated serum bilirubin concentrations protect from atherosclerotic diseases; however,it is not clear whether higher serum bilirubin concentrations in physiological ranges do the same. To investigate the association of high and low serum bilirubin concentrations with left ventricular diastolic function and aortic elastic properties.We evaluated left ventricular diastolic function and aortic elastic properties of 42 healthy subjects with hypobilirubinemia (total bilirubin 0.

Interrelationship between noninvasive predictors of atherosclerosis: transthoracic coronary flow reserve, flow-mediated dilation, carotid intima-media thickness, aortic stiffness, aortic distensibility, elastic modulus, and brachial artery diameter.

Background: In this study, we searched for a correlation between transthoracic coronary flow reserve (CFR) and well-established surrogates of coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: The study was conducted on 136 healthy subjects (mean age: 39.9 +/- 7.

Nebivolol improves coronary flow reserve in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Impaired coronary flow reserve (CFR) is a significant predictor of poor prognosis in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). Nebivolol reduces mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, including cases caused by IDC.

Objective: To assess the effects of nebivolol on CFR in patients with IDC.

Aortic elastic properties and left ventricular diastolic function in white-coat hypertensive individuals.

Objectives: Although white-coat hypertension may be present in 25% or more of hypertensive individuals, its prognostic significance and predisposition to end organ damage is unknown. To evaluate whether white-coat hypertension is associated with end organ damage, we compared prognostically relevant measures of target-organ damage among 35 individuals with white-coat hypertension and age and sex-matched groups of sustained hypertension and normotensive individuals classified by clinical and 24-h ambulatory blood pressures.

Methods: We evaluated left ventricular diastolic function and aortic elastic properties of 35 individuals with white-coat hypertension, 50 patients with sustained hypertension, and 35 normotensive healthy volunteers using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.

Do women with polycystic ovary syndrome really have predisposition to atherosclerosis?

The elastic properties of the aorta were studied in 28 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in 26 regularly menstruating healthy women. In PCOS and control groups, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, aortic systolic diameter, aortic diastolic diameter, aortic distensibility, aortic stiffness index, and aortic elastic modulus were similar. It is likely that PCOS does not have any innate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system if its undesirable metabolic consequences are successfully controlled.

Coronary flow reserve is impaired in patients with slow coronary flow.

Background: Slow coronary flow (SCF) in a normal coronary angiogram is a well-recognized clinical entity, but its etiopathogenesis remains unclear. However, previous studies have suggested that microvascular abnormalities and endothelial dysfunction responsible for SCF. Accordingly, we hypothesized that SCF phenomenon may be a form, at least early phase, of atherosclerosis that involve both small vessels and epicardial coronary arteries, and therefore we investigated coronary flow reserve (CFR) reflecting coronary microvascular function in patients with SCF.

Coronary flow reserve in dipper and non-dipper hypertensive patients.

Background: Failure to decrease blood pressure (BP) normally during night-time, which is called non-dipping, in hypertensive individuals is associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In addition, non-dipping BP leads to structural changes in the left ventricle; however, the effect of non-dipping BP on coronary flow reserve (CFR) has not been studied yet.

Methods: In this study, we measured CFR of 22 subjects with non-dipper hypertension, and 15 subjects with dipper hypertension using transthoracic second-harmonic Doppler echocardiography (Acuson Sequoia C256.

Coronary flow reserve is preserved in white-coat hypertension.

Objectives: To assess the possible influence of white-coat hypertension (WCH) on coronary flow reserve (CFR).

Methods: CFR was measured by means of transthoracic second harmonic Doppler echocardiography in 29 patients with WCH, 32 patients with sustained hypertension and 35 healthy volunteers.

Results: CFR was significantly lower in the sustained hypertension group than in the WCH and the control groups, but it was not different between the WCH and the control groups (2.

Coronary flow reserve and coronary microvascular functions are strongly related to serum uric acid concentrations in healthy adults.

Background: Uric acid is a well known antioxidant; however, the relationship between serum uric acid levels and oxidative stress-caused disorders including cardiovascular diseases is not clear yet. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiographic measurement of coronary flow reserve is a useful tool to investigate coronary flow reserve and coronary microvascular functions. In this study, we investigated the possible association between serum uric acid concentrations and coronary flow reserve in healthy adults.

Do young women with polycystic ovary syndrome show early evidence of preclinical coronary artery disease?

Background: It is thought that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Methods: In this study, we used transthoracic echocardiography to measure coronary flow reserve (CFR) in 28 women with PCOS and in 26 healthy women.

Results: The PCOS and the control groups were similar in terms of age (27.

Cor triatriatum dexter in two adult patients.

Cor triatriatum dexter, in which the right atrium (RA) is divided into two chambers by a membrane, is a very rare congenital abnormality. In this abnormality, there is a high incidence of associated congenital abnormalities, particularly of the right heart. We presented two men with cor triatriatum dexter.

Relationship of serum uric acid to measures of endothelial function and atherosclerosis in healthy adults.

Although uric acid (UA) is considered as an antioxidant, the relationship between serum UA levels and cardiovascular diseases is not clear yet. Higher brachial artery resting diameter (BD), impaired brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), decreased aortic distensibility (AoD), and increased aortic stiffness index (AoSI) and elastic modulus (AoEM) are predictors for development and/or progression of atherosclerosis. In this study, BD, FMD, carotid IMT, AoD, AoSI and AoEM were studied in healthy subjects with UA concentrations in physiological range.

High serum bilirubin concentrations preserve coronary flow reserve and coronary microvascular functions.

Background: Elevated serum bilirubin concentrations protect against atherosclerotic diseases; however, it is not clear whether higher serum bilirubin concentrations in physiological ranges work in favor of the cardiovascular system in younger persons with no cardiovascular risk factors. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of high, intermediate, and low serum bilirubin concentrations on coronary flow reserve (CFR).

Methods And Results: Fifty-two healthy subjects with hyperbilirubinemia (total bilirubin 1.

The influence of circadian blood pressure changes on aortic distensibility and left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive individuals.

Background: Failure to decrease blood pressure (BP) normally during nighttime, which is called non-dipper, in hypertensive individuals is associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In addition, non-dipper BP leads to structural changes in the left ventricle; however, the influences of non-dipper BP on aortic elastic properties and left ventricular diastolic function have not been studied yet.

Methods: In this study, we evaluated aortic elastic properties and left ventricular diastolic function of 22 subjects with non-dipper hypertension, and 15 subjects with dipper hypertension using transthoracic second harmonic standard and tissue Doppler echocardiography (Acuson Sequoia C256).