Search

We conducted this study to determine demographic details, and clinical presentations in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCMP) of Turkish origin. The study population consisted of 58 patients with PPCMP treated at 3 major hospitals in Turkey, retrospectively. In this study, demographic details and initial echocardiographic data were recorded and long-term clinical status was evaluated. The mean age for the patient cohort was 31.47 ± 6.31 years. Thirty-eight patients (73.1%) were multigravida and seven patients had multifetal pregnancy (13.7%). The mean follow-up left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction increased from 31 ± 7 to 38 ± 19. A minority of patients were defined as improvers according to our pre-specified criteria. The average survival period after diagnosis of PPCMP was 20.66 ± 14.44 months. Initial values for LV end-diastolic diameter and urea were higher in the deceased patients compared with the surviving patients, respectively. Twenty-eight (48%) patients with PPCMP showed improvement in the follow-up period. Of the 58 PPCMP patients, 9 (15%) died during a mean follow-up of 32 ± 22 months. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Arterial stiffness (AS), the term describes the rigidity of arterial walls, and its hemodynamic results have been shown to be associated with increase in future cardiovascular events. Women with pre-eclampsia in their past pregnancies have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. The goal of this study was to assess AS using a non-invasive and simple oscillometric method in pregnant women with and without pre-eclampsia. Methods: Ninety pregnant women, forty-five of which had pre-eclampsia, were included in the study. The vascular measurements were performed with a Mobil-O-Graph 24 h PWA Monitor, an automatic oscillometric device. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square, independent sample t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson correlation, and linear regression tests. Results: All the vascular function parameters were significantly higher in the patients with pre-eclampsia. The pulse wave velocity (PWV) values found in the pre-eclampsia group were positively correlated with gestational age, maternal age, glucose level, creatinine level, augmentation index, and central blood pressure. Using linear regression analysis, the PWV values were confirmed to be positively correlated with gestational age, maternal age, and central systolic blood pressure. The women with severe pre-eclampsia had significantly higher blood pressures, PWV values, augmentation indices, and cardiac outputs when compared with the patients with mild pre-eclampsia. Conclusion: Oscillometric PWV measurement is already accepted as the most reproducible quick, simple, and inexpensive non-invasive method for the assessment of large artery stiffness. It can be applied to evaluate the AS and also aid in detecting future cardiovascular risk of patients with pre-eclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased epicardial fat thickness (EFT) has been proposed as a new cardiometabolic risk factor. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has predictive and prognostic value in several cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the association between EFT and NLR in patients with pre-eclampsia. Methods: Hundred and eight pregnant patients with a mean age of 30.6 ± 6.3 years were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of pre-eclampsia. All participants underwent transthoracic echocardiography imaging, and complete blood counts were measured by an automated hematology analyzer. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, correlation and logistic regression tests, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Result: The mean EFT value of the pre-eclampsia group was significantly higher than the control group (6.9 ± 0.6 versus 5.6 ± 0.6; p < 0.001), and the NLR value of the pre-eclampsia group was also significantly higher than the control group (7.3 ± 3.5 versus 3.1 ± 1.1; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that increased levels of NLR and echocardiographic EFT are independent predictors of pre-eclampsia. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, a level of EFT ≥ 6.2 mm and NLR ≥ 4.1 predicted the presence of pre-eclampsia with 77.8% sensitivity, 79.6% specificity and 83.3% sensitivity, 81.5% specificity, respectively. Conclusion: Unlike many other inflammatory markers and bioassays, NLR and echocardiographic EFT are inexpensive and readily available biomarkers that may be useful for risk stratification in patients with pre-eclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to investigate sensitivity and specificity of QT dispersion (QTd) as a predictor of hypertensive response to peak exercise stress testing (EST). Fifty-nine patients were divided in to two groups (32 patients with exaggerated blood pressure response (EBPR) to EST group and 27 patients for normotensive group) and the EST was monitored. The QTd and corrected QT (QTc) intervals were still found to be significant predictors of EBPR ( P < 0.05). In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, a level of QTd ≥40 predicted EBPR with 84% sensitivity and 74% specificity. According to the present data, QTd might be an important predictive marker for EBPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Epicardial fat has been proposed as a new cardiometabolic risk factor. Although epicardial fat thickness (EFT) is associated with hypertension, the relationship between diurnal blood pressure profiles and EFT is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between the echocardiographic EFT and diurnal blood pressure profiles in hypertensive patients. Methods. After the ambulatory blood pressures of 123 patients were monitored, they were divided into three groups according to the clinical diagnoses: 41 patients (33.3%) were in the normotensive group, 40 patients (32.5%) were in the dipper hypertensive group and 42 patients (34.1%) were in the non-dipper hypertensive group. All participants underwent transthoracic echocardiography and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to measure the EFT and blood pressure responses. Results. The mean EFT measurements of the dipper group were significantly higher than the normotensive group (6.5 ± 0.6 vs 5.8 ± 0.6; p < 0.0001). On the other hand, the mean EFTs of the non-dipper group were also significantly higher than the dipper group (7.4 ± 0.7 vs 6.5 ± 0.6, p < 0.0001). An EFT of ≥ 7 mm predicted the non-dipper profile in hypertensive patients with 74% sensitivity and 71% specificity (receiving operator characteristic area under the curve: 0.826, 95% CI 0.738-0.913; p < 0.0001). EFT was associated with both dipper (OR 8.9, 95% CI 3.03-26.3; p < 0.0001) and non-dipper blood pressure profiles (OR 12.3, 95% CI 1.75-86.31; p < 0.0001), and this relationship was also independent from all the risk factors. Conclusion. Echocardiographic EFT assessment is independently associated with impaired diurnal blood pressure profiles in the hypertensive individuals. Thus, the echocardiographic assessment of the EFT may be helpful in cardiometabolic risk stratification and therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]