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PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate prediabetic patients for microvascular changes using optical coherence tomography-angiography (OCT-A) and compare with diabetic patients and healthy controls. METHODS: OCT-A images of 60 eyes of 30 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), 72 eyes of 36 prediabetic patients, and 108 eyes of 54 healthy controls were retrospectively evaluated and compared in this study. A swept-source OCTA (Triton, Topcon) instrument was used for collecting OCT-A images. Duration of the diabetic or prediabetic period, glycated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose level, postprandial glucose (PPG) level, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and creatinine values of all participants were recorded. RESULTS: Microaneurysm, nonperfusion areas, perifoveal capillary disruption, and capillary network disorganization were detected in both prediabetics and diabetics but statistically more common in diabetic patients. Neovascularization and intraretinal microvascular anomalies were detected only in diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: OCT-A seemed to be effective in detecting microvascular changes in diabetic patients. More importantly, results showed us that in prediabetic patients, microvascular changes can be seen before the onset of DM and before or concurrently with neurodegenerative changes.

Left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) is one of the most important complications of myocardial infarction LVA is strictly defined as a distinct area of abnormal left ventricular diastolic contour with systolic dyskinesia or paradoxical bulging. LVA usually results from myocardial infarction. Other rare aetiologies of LVA include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Chagas' disease, sarcoidosis, congenital LVA, and idiopathic However, LVA formation in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is rarely reported, and the incidence, clinical features, and pathogenesis of LVA formation in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is not well understood. Here, we present a 45 years old, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy patient with LVA and normal coronary arteries The pathogenesis of LVA formation in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is not clear. One acceptable hypothesis is that coronary artery emboli originate from mural thrombi, present in some patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, which develop due to local wall infarction and fibrosis. The local myocardial perfusion differences could be seen in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and predominantly found in the anteroposterior axis of the left ventricle. Local fibrosis occurs more frequently on the anterior wall or posterior wall, and less frequently on the lateral or septal wall. In our patient, LVA existed in the septal segments.We could not define the exact mechanism of the septal aneurysm in our patient but we decided to present this abnormal case, which is different from cases thus far reported in the literature.

Piezogenic pedal papules (PPP) are herniations of subcutaneous adipose tissue into the dermis. PPP are skin-colored to yellowish papules and nodules on lateral surfaces of feet that typically become apparent when the patient stands flat on his/her feet. Some connective tissue diseases and syndromes have been reported in association with PPP. Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve, characterized by the displacement of an abnormally thickened mitral valve leaflet into the left atrium during systole. MVP may be isolated or part of a heritable connective tissue disorder. PPP, which is generally considered as an isolated lesion, might be also a predictor of some cardiac diseases associated with connective tissue abnormalities such as MVP. A detailed systemic investigation including cardiac examination should be done in patients with PPP. Since in the literature, there are no case reports of association of PPP with MVP, we report these cases.

Abstract Aims We aimed to determine the use of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and to identify clinical factors associated with their use in patients with heart failure (HF) in a real‐life setting. Methods Real‐world data on Empagliflozin and Dapagliflozin use in patients with HEART failure: The RED–HEART study is a multicentre, cross‐sectional and observational study that included HF patients in the outpatient setting regardless of ejection fraction from 19 cardiology centres between August 2023 and December 2023. Results The study population consisted of 1923 patients with HF, predominantly men (61.2%), with a median age of 66 (range: 19–101) years. Overall, 925 patients (48.1%) were receiving SGLT2is. Among the study population, 22.1% had HF with preserved ejection fraction, 21.5% had HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction, 56.4% had HF with reduced ejection fraction and the use of SGLT2is was 42.0%, 47.9% and 50.6% in each group, respectively (P = 0.012). The use of SGLT2is was 76.6% in patients with HF and diabetes, 19.8% in patients with HF and chronic kidney disease and 26.8% in patients without diabetes and chronic kidney disease (P

Background/Objectives: As an endocrine organ, adipose tissue produces adipokines that influence coronary artery disease (CAD). The objective of this study was to assess the potential value of CTRP5 and chemerin in differentiating coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-confirmed coronary artery disease (CAD) versus non-CAD. Secondarily, within the CCTA-confirmed CAD group, the aim was to investigate the relationship between the severity and extent of CAD, as determined by coronary artery calcium score (CACS), and the levels of CTRP5 and chemerin. Methods: Consecutive individuals with chest pain underwent CCTA to evaluate coronary artery anatomy and were divided into two groups. The CCTA-confirmed CAD group included patients with any atherosclerotic plaque (soft, mixed, or calcified) regardless of calcification, while the non-CAD group consisted of individuals without plaques on CCTA, with zero CACS, and without ischemia on stress ECG. Secondarily, in the CCTA-confirmed CAD group, the severity and extent of CAD were evaluated using CACS. Blood samples were collected and stored at −80 °C for analysis of CTRP5 and chemerin levels via ELISA. Results: Serum CTRP5 and chemerin levels were significantly higher in the CAD group compared to the non-CAD group (221.83 ± 103.81 vs. 149.35 ± 50.99 ng/mL, p = 0.003 and 105.02 ± 35.62 vs. 86.07 ± 19.47 ng/mL, p = 0.005, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that a CTRP5 cutoff of 172.30 ng/mL had 70% sensitivity and 73% specificity for identifying CAD, while a chemerin cutoff of 90.46 ng/mL had 61% sensitivity and 62% specificity. A strong positive correlation was observed between CTRP5 and chemerin, but neither adipokine showed a correlation with the Agatston score, a measure of CAD severity and extent, nor with coronary artery stenosis as determined by CCTA. Conclusions: CTRP5 and chemerin were significantly elevated in the CCTA-confirmed CAD group compared to the non-CAD group, with CTRP5 showing greater sensitivity and specificity. However, neither adipokine was linked to CAD severity and extent, differing from findings based on invasive coronary angiography (ICA). CTRP5 may serve as a promising “all-or-none biomarker” for CAD presence.

Amaç: Yüksek kan basıncının karotis arterler üzerinde istenmeyen etkilere yol açtığı iyi bilinmesine ragmen bu etkinin hangi değerden itibaren başladığı net değildir. Bu çalışmanın amacı bunu değerlendirmektir. Yöntem: Çalışma kesitsel planlandı ve toplam 308 birey dahil edildi. Sistolik kan basıncı (SKB) 0.05) ancak grup 3 ile 1 arasında anlamlı fark vardı (p135,5 mmHg olmasının%78,2 sensitivite, %74,6 spesifite, DKB>86,5 mmHg olmasının %79,3 sensitivite ve %71,6 spesifite ile karotis distensibilitesini etkilemeye başladığı bulundu. Benzer olarak SKB>137,5 mmHg olmasının %80,4 sensitivite, %73,1 spesifite, DKB>88,5 mmHg olmasının ise %79,1 sensitivite ve %73,8spesifite ile karotis elastisitesini etkilemeye başladığı gösterildi. Sonuç: Karotis distensibilitesi ve elastisitesi kan basıncının artışı ile azalmaktadır. Yüksek-normal kan basıncına sahip bireylerde belirli bir kan basıncı değerinden sonra karotis hasarı başlıyor olabilir.

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are common cardiovascular diseases. The impact of AF on in-hospital outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is controversial. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of AF among hospitalized patients with ADHF and describe the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of these patients with and without AF. Methods: We examined the multicenter, observational data from the real-life data of hospitalized patients with HF: Journey HF-TR study in Turkey that studied the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of hospitalized patients with ADHF between September 2015 and September 2016. Results: Of the 1,606 patients hospitalized with ADHF, 626 (39%) had a history of AF or developed new-onset AF during hospitalization. The patients with AF were older (71+-12 vs. 65+-13 years; p

Background The aim of this study was to detect the optimal values for Age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and HOMA-IR of obese patients prior to surgery that results in a maximal decrease of visceral fat mass 6 months after bariatric surgery. Method In this study, 33 experimental set-ups were designed. This study was approved by Baskent University Medical and Health Sciences Research Board (Approval number: KA16/281). The study data consisted of 40 obese patients who lost weight through the bariatric surgery between February 2015 and December 2016. The values of BMI, Age and HOMA for the obese patients who lost weight through the bariatric surgery were evaluated in three categories and at three levels; the response variable was determined as the Change in Epicardial Fat Thickness (ΔEFT). Results As a result of CCD analysis, the optimum ΔEFT = 2.571 was determined when Age = 30.52, BMI = 45.30, and HOMA = 34.62. As a result of the BBD analysis, the optimum ΔEFT = 3.756 was determined, when Age = 38.36, BMI = 63.18, and HOMA = 14.95. The optimum ΔEFT was modeled with Contour and Response Surface plots. Conclusion Based on the two surface response models used in our study, the maximal decrease of visceral fat mass as assessed by measuring echography images of epicardial fat thickness can be obtained by bariatric surgery of persons who are between 31 and 38 year old, have a BMI between 45 and 63 kg/m2 and have a HOMA-IR 34 between 15 and 35. Central Composite Design and a Box-Behnken Design of suitable patient data predicted 35 optimal settings of independent variables for the maximal clinical response of an intervention.

Objective: Myocardial infarction is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Fibrinolytic administration is still a life-saving choice in ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), but the rate of successful reperfusion can be inconsistent. Failed reperfusion adds additional clinical risks to rescue percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI patients. The interval between the peak of the T wave and the end of the T wave (Tpe) and the ratio of Tpe and a corrected measurement of the time from the start of the Q wave to the end of the T wave (Tpe/QTc ratio) are relatively new electrocardiogram (ECG) indices and have not yet been tested in STEMI patients treated with fibrinolytic agents. Methods: A total of 177 STEMI patients (mean age: 60.5+-11.1 years; 138 men and 39 women) were enrolled in this retrospective study to evaluate ECG parameters. The Tpe interval and the Tpe/QTc ratio at baseline and at the 90th minute following the administration of fibrinolytic therapy were analyzed. The clinical and ECG findings of successful and failed reperfusion groups were compared. Results: Successful reperfusion was achieved in 119 patients (67.2%). The average Tpe interval on the admission ECG was shorter (91.7 vs. 100.9 milliseconds [ms]) (p

Objective: There are various cardiovascular abnormalities in end-stage liver disease (ESLD). In these patients, left ventricular (LV) systolic function is normal at rest but deteriorates during stress. This deterioration may be due to subclinical myocardial dysfunction. This study evaluated global LV and right ventricular (RV) functions using 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking in patients with ESLD. Methods: Forty liver transplant candidates with ESLD and 26 healthy individuals were included in the study. All of the patients underwent conventional echocardiographic measurement. Longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strain measurements, as well as apical and parasternal short-axis image recordings were obtained. All 2D strain measurements were measured with offline analysis using velocity vector imaging (VVI) software. Results: In the apical 4- and 2-chamber measurements, the LV mean longitudinal strain was significantly lower in the patient group compared with that of the control group (-16.0+-3.2% versus -17.6+-2.2%, -16.7+-3.3% versus -18.7 +-2.1 +- 2.1 %; p=0.002, respectively). The LV mean circumfe-rential strain did not differ between groups. The LV mean radial strain and RV longitudinal strain were significantly lower in the patient group (45.4+-10.7 vs. 52.7+-10.8%; p=0.01 and -19.2+-3.5% versus -21.5+-3.6%; p=0.03, respectively). Conclusion: Subclinical impairment of global LV and RV systolic functions was determined in liver transplantation candidates using VVI. This deterioration was detected in longitudinal and radial deformation rather than circumferential deformation mechanics, which is consistent with early-stage LV myocardial dysfunction.

Objective: Diffuse coronary artery disease (CAD) is a challenging issue in clinical cardiology practice. There are limited data about percutaneous revascularization in these patients. Methods: This study was an observational clinical evaluation. The records of patients with diffuse CAD revascularized with new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) were researched retrospectively. Patients treated with multiple, overlapping new-generation DES (at least 60mm in length per vessel) were included. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as cardiac death, stent thrombosis, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization (TLR), at the end of the first year following the index procedure was recorded. Results: A total of 71 patients (with 75 coronary vessels) treated with new-generation DES for diffuse CAD were enrolled in the study. Zotarolimus-eluting stents were used in 48 vessels and biolimus A9-eluting stents were used in 27 vessels. The median total stent length per vessel was 75.0 mm (60.0–106.0) and the median number of stents implanted was 3 (2–4) for each vessel. The cumulative incidence of MACE at the end of the first year was 11.2% (8 patients). The presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) were defined as independent clinical risk factors related to MACE development. Conclusion: Coronary artery revascularization with new-generation drug-eluting stents can be a good choice in the treatment of selected patients with diffuse CAD. DM and STEMI were found to be related to poorer clinical outcomes with this treatment option in our study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between oxidative/antioxidative stress markers and the diagnosis and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with stable CAD. Methods: A total of 145 patients were enrolled in the study. Based on coronary angiography results, the patients were categorized into 2 groups: those without CAD (Group 1) and those with CAD (Group 2). The patients in Group 2 were also categorized into low score and moderate/high score groups according to their SYNTAX score. The serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) levels of Group 1 and Group 2 were compared. Finally, MDA and TAOC levels were compared between the moderate/high-risk and low-risk groups formed according to SYNTAX score. Results: There was a significant difference with respect to both serum TAOC and MDA levels between Group 1 and Group 2 (p=0.036 and p=0.029, respectively). The groups with a SYNTAX score 1-22 and with a SYNTAX score >22 were not significantly different with respect to serum TAOC or MDA level (p=0.582 and p=0.85, respectively). Conclusion: The serum MDA level was significantly higher and the TAOC level was significantly lower in patients with stable CAD compared to those without; however, these molecule levels failed to predict disease complexity in patients with stable CAD.

Objective: The D-SPIRIT registry is designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of dabigatran etexilate in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and to collect data on outcomes in clinical practice. Methods: The D-SPIRIT is a national, prospective, observational, post-marketing registry involving patients with NVAF who have been taking dabigatran etexilate therapy for stroke prevention for a minimum of 6 months prior to enrollment. The registry will collect and analyze data from routine care, enrolling up to 600 patients in 9 centers. Patients will be followed up for 2 years to evaluate effectiveness and safety. A sample size of 600 subjects is proposed based on the following assumptions; Two-sided significance level of 0.05 (1-sided significance level of 0.025), ischemic stroke incidence rate of 0.768%–1.111%, hemorrhagic stroke incidence rate of 0.109%–0.130%, transient ischemic attack incidence rate of 0.722%–0.623%, therapy discontinuation incidence rate of 40% at day 730, and duration of enrollment period of 12 months with non-uniformed enrollment rate. Ethics approval was given by Dokuz Eylül University Ethics Committee of Clinical Research (2014/54) and approved by the Turkish Ministry of Health. Conclusion: Potential results of D-SPIRIT registry will add data from clinical practice to those from the RE-LY trial to expand knowledge of dabigatran etexilate treatment in patients with NVAF.