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Background/Aim. Multidetector computed tomography pulmonary angiography (MCTPA) has emerged as the most suitable method for diagnosing acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in hemodynamically stable patients. In addition to its diagnostic role, MCTPA facilitates the measurement and calculation of certain parameters that can be used as prognostic markers for outcomes in APE. Since the introduction of the method, there have been a lot of studies that pointed out there may be a significant difference in the prognostic value of MCTPA for APE concerning sex. Methods. The study population consisted of consecutive patients with a diagnosis of APE confirmed by MCTPA. Positive MCTPA findings and a diagnosis of APE were established if the patient had at least one segmental artery thrombus. APE severity was estimated using the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI). All-cause and APE-related intrahospital deaths were the coprimary outcomes of this study. Results. In total, 1,612 patients were enrolled in the study (750 men and 862 women). Women with a centrally positioned pulmonary thrombus detected on MCTPA were more likely to die from PE-related death than those without one (10.4% vs. 4.2%, respectively; p = 0.016). Women with a right ventricle (RV) and left ventricle (LV) diameter ratio (RV/LV) > 1 died almost twice as often as those with a ratio ≤ 1 (15.5% vs. 8.6%, respectively; p = 0.017). Women with an RV/LV > 1 detected with MCTPA were significantly more likely to die from PE than those with a ratio ≤ 1 (11% vs. 5.2%, respectively; p = 0.017). Women who died from PE-related causes had a significantly higher value of the embolic burden score system (EBSS) than did the surviving women (18.00 vs. 11.00, respectively; p = 0.025). Independently of age, sPESI, and renal function, the presence of a central thrombus [odds ratio (OR) 2.278, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.050–4.944, p = 0.037] and the RV/LV ratio > 1 (OR 2.015, 95% CI: 1.042–3.893, p = 0.037) were associated with intrahospital PE-related death in women. Conclusion. In women, MCTPA parameters, a centrally placed thrombus, the RV/LV ratio, and the EBSS had prognostic significance for PE-related mortality. The RV/LV ratio had prognostic significance for all-cause intrahospital mortality. In men, the MCTPA parameters had no prognostic significance for both overall and PE-related mortality.

Background/Aim. Patients who were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) and survived ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in the first 48 hrs after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) had, in most investigations, a similar long-term prognosis of the outcome, compared to those patients who did not have VT and VF during the first 48 hrs after STEMI. The aim of the study was to determine the association of myocardial infarction markers: creatine kinase-MB fraction (CK-MB), heart failure marker – B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and systemic inflammation factor – C-reactive protein (CRP) with early VT and VF onset, in relation to patient mortality during the first six months after STEMI. Methods. The retrospective study included 971 patients with STEMI treated with pPCI for ten years. VF and sustained VT (sVT) were detected outside of the hospital and during the first 48 hrs of hospitalization. Results. During the first 4 8 hrs from admission, 1 08 ( 11.1%) patients had life-threatening arrhythmias, of which 75 (69.4%) had VF, and 33 (30.6%) had sVT and were treated with direct current – DC shock and intravenous amiodarone. Intrahospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with VF/sVT in the first 48 hrs compared to patients without VF/sVT (14.8% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.001). BNP level had higher accuracy in the prediction of six-month death than the maximum blood level of CRP in patients without VF/sVT after 48 hrs. However, in patients with early-onset malignant arrhythmias, BNP showed a lower level of accuracy in predicting the six-month mortality, a s did the CRP values, which had almost the same level of accuracy. Admission glycemia had a much lower predictive value in both groups of patients compared to BNP and C RP [ 0.705 ( 0.628– 0.781), p < 0.001 and 0.662 (0.521–0.803), p = 0.046, respectively]. In either of the groups, maximum CK-MB levels were not significant in predicting the six-month all-cause mortality. Conclusion. Our study indicates that STEMI patients with early onset of VF and sVT, treated with pPCI, with a high BNP level, have a statistically significantly higher mortality rate compared to patients with a lower BNP level.

Introduction. The left main stem (MS) coronary artery (CA) (MSCA) thrombosis is a rare but potentially lethal manifestation of acute coronary syndrome. The standard approach in treating such patients is the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) or CA bypass graft surgery. In some cases, depending on the morphological appearance of the thrombus, findings and flow rates assessed on coronary angiography (CAn), clinical conditions, and cardiologist’s experiences, another possible method of treatment can be the conservative approach using antithrombotic therapy. Case report. A 37-year-old male was admitted to the emergency room with symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction with an ST elevation in diaphragmal localization. Using an emergency CAn, we have visualized a thrombus at the ostial and proximal part of the left MSCA, with no complete obstruction of the blood flow. Initially, dual antithrombotic therapy (ticagrelor and acetylsalicylic acid) was applied, and in the further procedure, it was decided to introduce glycoprotein IIb/IIIa platelet receptor inhibitor (tirofiban) as an intracoronary bolus (0.3 μg/kg) and later as a continuous infusion (0.1 μg/kg/min). Four days later, a control CAn and intravascular echocardiography were performed, and it was decided to continue the treatment using conservative therapy without a pPCI procedure. The patient was discharged in good condition with no signs of illness on the eighth day after hospital admission for home recovery, with planned frequent follow-ups in the future. Conclusion. In the case of non-obstructive thrombotic masses without significant atherosclerotic stenotic lesions, conservative treatment modality with the use of aggressive antithrombotic therapy may be considered.

Background/Aim. The role of antithrombin (AT) activity in predicting early mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), measured at an early stage of the disease, has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the predictive value of AT activity for all-cause 30-day mortality, measured in consecutive PE patients on admission to the hospital. Methods. This single-center clinical retrospective cross-sectional study followed consecutive patients with acute PE from 2014 to 2021. On admission to the hospital, venous blood was taken from patients for laboratory analyses including determination of AT activity. The basic parameters of the patients were recorded on admission, and through the univariate analysis, their connection with 30-day mortality was tested. The predictive significance of AT values for 30-day mortality was tested through quartile values by comparing the first quartile with all others together. Cox regression model analysis was used in the multivariate analysis where one parameter, marked as significant in the univariate analysis, was added to the basic model (AT, age, and risk affiliation in two groups). Results. A total of 378 PE patients were included in the study. The total all-cause 30-day mortality was 7.9% (30 patients). Patients with AT activity in the first quartile had significantly higher early mortality compared with those having AT activity in the other quartiles combined (log-rank p = 0.001). AT retained a significant predictive value for early mortality in the multivariate analysis despite the comorbidity present, which also significantly affected mortality. Conclusion. Low AT activity measured on admission in PE patients is a significant and independent predictor of 30-day mortality.

It is well known that the presence of different chemical groups in drug molecules influences their pharmacological properties. The aim of our study is to investigate whether newly synthesized derivatives of propafenone, with changes in benzyl moiety, have a different effect upon arrhythmia, compared to propafenone. 5OCl-PF and 5OF-PF are derivatives of propafenone with -Cl or -F substituent on the ortho position of the benzyl moiety. For verification of their antiarrhythmic effect, we used an in vivo rat model of aconitine-induced arrhythmia. 5OCl-PF speeded the appearance of supraventricular premature beats (SVPB) and death more than aconitine. All animals treated with 5OCl-PF developed ventricular premature beats in salvos (VPBS), bigeminies (VPBB) and paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia (PVT). 5OF-PF had a negative chronotropic effect and potentiated atrial excitability (more SVPB). It had a positive effect on the occurrence and onset time of supraventricular tachycardia, VPBS, and PVT. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that newly synthesized propafenone derivatives have no better antiarrhythmic effect than the parent compound. In the future, our research will be focused on the synthesis of different derivatives and examining their antiarrhythmic effects.

Background/Aim. Multidetector computed tomography pulmonary angiography (MCTPA) has emerged as the most suitable method for diagnosing acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in hemodynamically stable patients. In addition to its diagnostic role, MCTPA facilitates the measurement and calculation of certain parameters that can be used as prognostic markers for outcomes in APE. Since the introduction of the method, there have been a lot of studies that pointed out there may be a significant difference in the prognostic value of MCTPA for APE concerning sex. Methods. The study population consisted of consecutive patients with a diagnosis of APE confirmed by MCTPA. Positive MCTPA findings and a diagnosis of APE were established if the patient had at least one segmental artery thrombus. APE severity was estimated using the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI). Allcause and APE-related intrahospital deaths were the coprimary outcomes of this study. Results. In total, 1,612 patients were enrolled in the study (750 men and 862 women). Women with a centrally positioned pulmonary thrombus detected on MCTPA were more likely to die from PE-related death than those without one (10.4% vs. 4.2%, respectively; p = 0.016). Women with a right ventricle (RV) and left ventricle (LV) diameter ratio (RV/LV) > 1 died almost twice as often as those with a ratio ≤ 1 (15.5% vs. 8.6%, respectively; p = 0.017). Women with an RV/LV > 1 detected with MCTPA were significantly more likely to die from PE than those with a ratio ≤ 1 (11% vs. 5.2%, respectively; p = 0.017). Women who died from PE-related causes had a significantly higher value of the embolic burden score system (EBSS) than did the surviving women (18.00 vs. 11.00, respectively; p = 0.025). Independently of age, sPESI, and renal function, the presence of a central thrombus [odds ratio (OR) 2.278, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.050–4.944, p = 0.037] and the RV/LV ratio > 1 (OR 2.015, 95% CI: 1.042–3.893, p = 0.037) were associated with intrahospital PE-related death in women. Conclusion. In women, MCTPA parameters, a centrally placed thrombus, the RV/LV ratio, and the EBSS had prognostic significance for PE-related mortality. The RV/LV ratio had prognostic significance for all-cause intrahospital mortality. In men, the MCTPA parameters had no prognostic significance for both overall and PErelated mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The left main stem (MS) coronary artery (CA) (MSCA) thrombosis is a rare but potentially lethal manifestation of acute coronary syndrome. The standard approach in treating such patients is the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) or CA bypass graft surgery. In some cases, depending on the morphological appearance of the thrombus, findings and flow rates assessed on coronary angiography (CAn), clinical conditions, and cardiologist's experiences, another possible method of treatment can be the conservative approach using antithrombotic therapy. Case report. A 37-year-old male was admitted to the emergency room with symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction with an ST elevation in diaphragmal localization. Using an emergency CAn, we have visualized a thrombus at the ostial and proximal part of the left MSCA, with no complete obstruction of the blood flow. Initially, dual antithrombotic therapy (ticagrelor and acetylsalicylic acid) was applied, and in the further procedure, it was decided to introduce glycoprotein IIb/IIIa platelet receptor inhibitor (tirofiban) as an intracoronary bolus (0.3 µg/kg) and later as a continuous infusion (0.1 µg/kg/min). Four days later, a control CAn and intravascular echocardiography were performed, and it was decided to continue the treatment using conservative therapy without a pPCI procedure. The patient was discharged in good condition with no signs of illness on the eighth day after hospital admission for home recovery, with planned frequent follow-ups in the future. Conclusion. In the case of non-obstructive thrombotic masses without significant atherosclerotic stenotic lesions, conservative treatment modality with the use of aggressive antithrombotic therapy may be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. The prediction role of gender in early mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is still debatable. The aim of the study was to examine sexspecific factors in all-cause 30-day mortality in patients suffering from acute PE. Methods. Acute PE subjects (n = 532), 49.6% men, were derived from a "real-life" observational multicenter study. We assessed independent risk factors as predictors for early (one-month) fatal outcome in men, women and total population using univariate Cox regression analysis. Results. Age, obesity, hypertension, renal dysfunction, anemia, community-acquired pneumonia, and smoking history presented statistically significant sexspecific differences. One-month mortality was 13.7%, without significant difference in survival based on sex (Log Rank test; p = 0.324). Tachycardia at admission [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.61, p = 0.004], coronary artery disease (HR = 2.30, p = 0.047), immobilization four weeks prior to a PE episode (HR = 2.31, p = 0.018) and older age (HR = 1.03, p = 0.017) in women, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (HR = 4.03, p < 0.001) and leukocytosis (HR = 1.19, p < 0.001) in men significantly increased one-month mortality risk. Conclusion. Patient's sex did not prove to be the independent predictor for 30-day mortality in PE patients. We found that tachycardia at admission, older age, coronary artery disease and limb immobilization four weeks prior to PE in women, whereas COPD and elevated leukocyte count in men were associated with higher chance of all-cause early mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]