Search

Objective: To evaluate aortic function and its relation to left ventricular diastolic function in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both, without coronary artery disease.Methods: Study groups were composed of 27 healthy participants and 25 patients with hypertension, 24 with diabetes, and 18 with hypertension and diabetes. Coronary artery disease was excluded in all of the study participants. Aortic strain and distensibility were calculated from the aortic diameters measured by echocardiography and blood pressure obtained by sphygmomanometry.Results: There were significant differences between the control and the patient groups (hypertensive, diabetic, and diabetic-hypertensive) in aortic strain (mean (SD) 18 (8)% v 11 (7)%, 9 (3)%, and 8 (3)%, respectively, p < 0.001) and distensibility (10 (5.1) v 3.1 (1.5), 5.1 (2.8), and 2 (0.9) cm2/dyn/10(3), respectively, p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, the parameter most closely related to the deceleration time in the control group was aortic distensibility (standardised beta coefficient -0.50, p = 0.002, overall R2 = 0.25). In the patient group, the parameter most closely related to deceleration time was also aortic distensibility (standardised beta coefficient -0.36, p = 0.009, overall R2 = 0.13). Even though the study group variable was entered in to the multivariate model, aortic distensibility was found to be the parameter most closely related to deceleration time (standardised beta coefficient -0.48, p < 0.001, overall R2 = 0.22).Conclusion: Aortic stiffness is increased in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both even after the exclusion of coronary artery disease. Aortic stiffness and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction are also associated in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Herz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The identification of subjects with systemic sarcoidosis at higher risk for sudden death is an unresolved issue. An influence of the autonomic activity on the genesis of ventricular arrhythmias was postulated. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis provides a useful method to measure autonomic activity, and is a predictor of increased risk of death in various conditions. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate HRV in patients with systemic sarcoidosis.Methods: The study included 35 patients with biopsy proven systemic sarcoidosis who were not taking antiarrhythmic medications. Thallium scintigraphy was performed to all patients with systemic sarcoidosis. The cardiac sarcoidosis was accepted in 16 patients as abnormal thallium scintigraphy and normal coronary arteriography. The time-domain analysis of HRV was expressed as the standard deviation of all normal to normal NN intervals (SDNN) detected during 24-hour Holter monitoring. Twenty-four healthy subjects represented a control group for HRV analysis.Results: There were no differences in age (44 +/- 13 years for cardiac sarcoidosis, 42 +/- 15 years for noncardiac sarcoidosis, and 40 +/- 10 years for control group; P = NS), sex (the ratio of female; 63%, 68%, and 55%, respectively; P = NS), and echocardiographic ejection fraction (63 +/- 10%, 67 +/- 8%, and 69 +/- 6%, respectively; P = NS) among study groups. The mean SDNN value of the group with cardiac sarcoidosis was significantly lower than both the group with noncardiac sarcoidosis and the control group (72 +/- 32 ms vs 110 +/- 46 ms and 152 +/- 36 ms; P < 0.05, respectively).Conclusion: HRV is decreased in patients with systemic sarcoidosis compared to the control group. This decreasing is more obvious in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Assessing the Effect of Low dose Dobutamine on Various Diastolic Function Indexes" by S. Gorgulu and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Is it Possible to Use the Acceleration Slope of Mitral a Wave in Assessing Left Atrial Appendage Function?" by M. Eren and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Correlation between doppler derived Dp/Dt and left ventricular asynchrony in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: a study combined using of strain imaging and conventional doppler echocardiography" by A. Yidirim and colleagues is presented.