Search

In December 2019, in the city of Wuhan, in the Hubei province of China, treatment-resistant cases of pneumonia emerged and spread rapidly for reasons unknown. A new strain of coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 [SARS-CoV-2]) was identified and caused the first pandemic of the 21st century. The virus was officially detected in our country on March 11, 2020, and the number of cases increased rapidly; the virus was isolated in 670 patients within 10 days. The rapid increase in the number of patients has required our physicians to learn to protect both the public and themselves when treating patients with this highly infectious disease. The group most affected by the outbreak and with the highest mortality rate is elderly patients with known cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is necessary for cardiology specialists to take an active role in combating the epidemic. The aim of this article is to make a brief assessment of current information regarding the management of cardiovascular patients affected by COVID-19 and to provide practical suggestions to cardiology specialists about problems and questions they have frequently encountered.

Objective Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a heart valve anomaly that affects a considerable segment of the population. Studies of patients with isolated MVP have shown that aortic distensibility decreased as the aortic diameter increased. The aim of this study was to compare evaluations of aortic distensibility in MVP patients using both applanation tonometry and the conventional echocardiographic examination. Methods A total of 36 consecutive patients with MVP (16 male and 20 female) and 23 healthy controls (11 male and 12 female) were included in this study. The difference in aortic diameter and distensibility was examined using echocardiography and pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured with applanation tonometry. Results According to the echocardiographic measurements, the aortic distensibility was lower in the MVP patients than in the control group (6.2±4.0 cm².dyn⁻¹.10⁻⁶ vs. 10.0±5.2 cm². dyn⁻¹.10⁻⁶; p=0.02). The PWV measured with applanation tonometry was significantly higher in the MVP patients than in the control group (9.0±2.4 m/s vs. 7.2±1.4 m/s; p=0.006). Conclusion The results of this study showed that aortic distensibility was reduced in patients with isolated MVP compared with a healthy control group. There was a moderate negative correlation between the results of both methods.

OBJECTIVES We aimed to compare the efficacy of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI) in patients >=80 versus =80 years. Post-procedural TIMI grade 3 flow was significantly less frequent in the age >=80 years patients (82.1% vs. 91.1%, p =80 years patient group. Overall rates of mortality (40% vs. 9.7%, p =80 years patient group. However, there was no difference between the two groups with respect to the reinfarction/revascularization rates. Analysis, using the Cox proportional hazards model, revealed that age >=80 to was an independent predictor of long-term mortality (hazard ratio 2.17, 95% CI 1.23-4.17, p=0.02). CONCLUSION Age is an independent predictor of mortality after p-PCI for STEMI. Although it seems to improve early outcomes, the efficacy of p-PCI at long-term follow-up is limited in elderly patients.

Objectives: Enhanced matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) activity in the early post-myocardial infarction (MI) period has been related to early remodeling. However, it has been demonstrated that plasma MMP-8 level has a biphasic profle, and the relation between the late plasma levels and remodeling is unclear. We evaluated the plasma MMP-8 levels and its correlates 20±3 months after acute MI. Study design: 58 post-MI patients and 26 control subjects underwent quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and echocardiography. The plasma MMP-8 levels were measured and its correlates were investigated. Results: The MMP-8 levels were signifcantly higher in post-MI patients [median 3.88 ng/ml, interquartile range (1.88-6.43) vs. 0.67 ng/ml (0.34-2.47); p

Objectives We evaluated in-hospital results of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a high-volume tertiary center. Study design We retrospectively evaluated 1625 patients (1323 males, 302 females; mean age 56.0 ± 11.6 years) who underwent primary PCI for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction between January 2006 and April 2008. All coronary angiography procedures were performed using the femoral artery route. In-hospital clinical and angiographic results were recorded. Results On admission, 23% of the patients had diabetes mellitus, 49.6% had anterior myocardial infarction, and 4.9% had cardiogenic shock. The mean duration of pain was 171.2 ± 121.2 minutes, and the mean door-to-balloon time was 31.6 ± 7.2 minutes. Infarct-related artery was the left anterior descending artery in 49.7%, multivessel disease was present in 40.9%, TIMI 2/3 flow was present in 23.6%, and high-grade thrombus was observed in 66.8%. Primary PCI involved balloon dilatation (5.7%) and stent implantation (94.3%). The incidence of angiographic no-reflow was 11.9%. The mean hospital stay was 5.2 ± 3.3 days. All-cause mortality occurred in 71 patients (4.4%). Other in-hospital events were reinfarction (1.4%), target vessel revascularization (1.9%), hemorrhagic/ischemic stroke (0.6%), stent thrombosis (1.2%), major bleeding (3.8%), blood transfusion (4.8%), heart failure (10.5%), atrial fibrillation (4%), and ventricular tachycardia (3.9%). Conclusion Primary PCI is an effective method in achieving complete revascularization of the infarct-related artery. Successful in-hospital results not only depend on the experience and equipment of the center, but also on how rapidly reperfusion is achieved.

Percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair using the MitraClip (Abbot Vascular, USA) system is a promising technique for mitral regurgitation treatment in select high-risk surgical patients. Although the safety and efficacy of the technique have been demonstrated, a few complications of the MitraClip device have been reported. In this report, we present a rare complication that recently occurred during the performance of a MitraClip procedure in a patient with severe functional mitral regurgitation. One MitraClip arm got stuck inside the guide catheter in the left atrium and a decision was made to discontinue percutaneous intervention because the problem could not be resolved.

Perforation of a mitral valve aneurysm is a rare cause of acute mitral regurgitation, and valvular aneurysm formation and its rupture without infectious involvement are unusual. An 80-year-old man was admitted with acute onset and progressive dyspnea. He had no history of chest pain, palpitation, or fever. Laboratory findings did not suggest any signs of infection. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed an aneurysm of the mitral septal leaflet protruding into the left atrium during systole and color-flow Doppler ultrasonography showed severe mitral regurgitation. There was no aortic regurgitation nor evidence for rheumatic involvement of the valvular structures. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure estimated from the tricuspid regurgitation jet was 50 mmHg. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a saccular, thin-walled, mitral valve aneurysm on the atrial surface, expanding during systole and a small tissue defect on the aneurysmatic segment of the mitral leaflet. There were no signs of connective tissue disease. The patient was submitted to surgery. The aneurysmatic and perforated parts on the septal leaflet were resected and an annuloplasty ring was placed. The histopathological examination of the mitral valve tissue showed nonspecific degenerative changes. The postoperative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the fifth postoperative day.