Search

PURPOSE We aimed to compare the inter-center cranial computed tomography (CT) acquisition rates, CT findings, CT-related radiation dose, and variability of CT acquisition parameters for neurologic events among patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD). METHODS A total of 224 patients (ICD group, n=155; LVAD group, n=69) who had at least one cranial CT scan were enrolled from 3 medical centers (Centers A, B, and C). The variability and effect of the number, indication, and findings of cranial CT scans as well as CT acquisition parameters including tube potential (kV), tube current (mAs), tube rotation time, slice collimation, and spiral or sequential scanning techniques on CT dose index volume (CTDIvol), and total dose length product (DLP) were analyzed. RESULTS The mean DLP value of Center A and the mean CTDIvol values of Centers A and C were significantly lower than those of Center B (P

BACKGROUND Powered transvenous lead extraction (TLE) tools are commonly required to remove the leads with long implant duration due to fibrotic adhesions. However, comparative data are lacking among different types of TLE tools. AIM To compare the efficacy and safety of two different rotational mechanical dilator sheaths in retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent TLE. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 566 lead extractions from 302 patients using TightRail™ (333 lead extractions from 169 patients) and Evolution® (233 lead extractions from 133 patients) mechanical dilator sheaths were performed between July 2009 and June 2018. Acute and long-term outcomes of study groups were compared. There is no statistically significant difference between Evolution® and TightRail™ groups in procedural success (93.9% vs. 94%), clinical success (99.2% vs. 98%), and major complications (3.8% vs. 1.2%), respectively (p > .05). In multivariate regression analysis, lead dwell time, the number of extracted leads, and baseline leukocyte count were found as independent predictors of procedural success (p .05). Chronic renal disease, heart failure, and coagulopathy were shown as independent predictors of all-cause mortality in multivariate regression analysis (p

We aimed to present the long-term prognostic role of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in a cohort of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and noncritical stenosis. A total of 1138 patients who underwent coronary CTA for suspected CAD were included in the study. For the categorization of the coronary atherosclerotic plaque (CAP), the coronary system was divided into 16 segments. For each segment, CAPs were categorized as calcified, noncalcified, and mixed. All-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality data were collected for prognostic evaluation. Coronary CTA analyses showed that 34.5% of patients had noncalcified CAP, 14.5% of patients had calcified CAP, and 11% of patients had mixed CAP. During a median of 141.5 months follow-up, CV and all-cause mortality was observed in 57 (5%) and 149 (13.1%) patients, respectively. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, calcified CAP morphology and the extent of involved segments were significant predictors of both CV and all-cause mortality. The presence of calcified CAP morphology and the higher number of diseased coronary segments via coronary CTA might help stratify patients at risk for adverse CV outcomes during long-term follow-up. Patients with these features at index coronary CTA may be evaluated more closely with aggressive preventive measures.

Pulmonary valvular stenosis is a rare valvular disease; it accounts for 7% to 12% of all patients with congenital heart disease. Patients with mild or moderate pulmonary stenosis (PS) are usually asymptomatic and the stenosis is often detected incidentally with echocardiography performed for another reason. Severe PS typically presents with symptoms related to increased right ventricular pressure and right heart failure. Valvular heart diseases are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in pregnancy due to cardiovascular alterations that occur during the gestational period, such as increased extracellular volume, a faster heart rate, and decreased venous return due to compression of the vena cava inferior by the enlarged uterus. While mild or moderate PS can be well tolerated in pregnancy, severe PS can lead to maternal and fetal perinatal complications. Presently described is the case of a pregnant patient with severe PS who successfully underwent balloon valvuloplasty in the third trimester.

OBJECTIVE To determine the possible alterations of retinal microcirculation associated with right-sided intracardiac pressures in patients with IPAH. METHODS Twenty patients with IPAH and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Hemodynamic data were obtained from the most recent right heart catheterization. Echocardiographic examination was performed within 24 h of ophthalmological examination. For the right eyes of all participants, high-resolution scans of chorioretinal microvascular networks at different depths of the retina were captured via OCT angiography. RESULTS The perfusion of the superficial and deep capillary plexus (SCP and DCP), and choriocapillaris (CCP) flow area were significantly lower than those in healthy control subjects (p

Background The presence of atrial fibrosis has already been known as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) development. Objective We aimed to evaluate atrial fibrosis with previously defined three different methods, which were cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (C-MRI), echocardiographic strain imaging, and biomarkers, and show the relationship between these methods, in patients with AF scheduled for cryoballoon ablation. Method 30 patients were enrolled. Atrial T1 relaxation durations were measured using C-MRI before the procedure of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation. Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) levels were measured at serum derived from the femoral artery (Peripheral FGF 21 and 23) and left atrium blood samples (Central FGF 21 and 23) before catheter ablation. Preprocedural transthoracic echocardiography was performed. The Median follow-up duration for atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATa) recurrence was 13 (12-18 months) months. Results The mean ages of the study group were 55.23 ± 12.37 years and there were 17 (56.7%) female patients in study population. There were negative correlations between post contrast T1 relaxation durations of both posterior and posterosuperior atrium, and central FGF-23 (r:-0.561; p=0.003; r:-0.624; p=0.001; Posterior T1 vs central FGF-23 levels and Posterosuperior T1 vs central FGF-23 levels respectively). The positive correlations were observed between postcontrast posterior T1 relaxation durations and left ventricle ejection fraction (r:0.671; p=0.001); left atrial emptying fraction (r:0.482; p=0.013); peak atrial longitudinal strain (r:0.605; p=0.001), and peak atrial contraction strain (r:0.604; p=0.001). Also negative correlation was observed between postcontrast posterior T1 relaxation durations, and left atrial volume index (r:-0.467; p=0.016). Conclusion Our studies showed that there are correlations between T1 mapping of atrial tissue, biomarkers, and atrial mechanics evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography. Our findings are significant as they demonstrate the compatibility of these techniques for the atrial fibrosis evaluation.

Objective: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a one of the major causes of death in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). In this study, we in- vestigated the impact of updated hemodynamic definition proposed by the 6th PH World Symposium (6th WSPH) on the frequency of PH and its subtypes in patients with SSc. Methods: Patients with SSc admitted between 2015 and 2019 and who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) were included. The frequen- cy of PH and its subgroups based on the hemodynamic definitions of both 2015 European Society of Cardiology/European respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) PH guidelines and 6th WSPH was compared. Results: Of the 65 patients with SSc, 23 (35.4%) had normal mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), 20 (30.8%) had mildly elevated mPAP (21–24 mm Hg), and 22 (33.8%) had PH [pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (n=16, 24.6%), group 2 PH (n=5, 7.7%), group 3 PH (n=1, 1.5%)] ac- cording to the 2015 ESC/ERS PH definition. Based on the updated criteria, 7 (10.8% of total cohort) additional patients were reclassified as having PH [PAH (n=3), group 2 PH (n=3), group 3 PH (n=1)]. Conclusion: The impact of the updated definition on the frequency of PH and PAH in our cohort was greater than previously reported, which may be caused by the difference in screening strategies for PAH.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are established treatment for haematological malignancies. However, cardiac adverse effects, including the reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction and symptomatic heart failure remain clinical problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the left ventricular systolic functions in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia receiving TKIs. A cross-sectional and observational study was conducted of 37 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia receiving dasatinib or nilotinib after imatinib failure. Left ventricular systolic functions were evaluated using four-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography derived global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS), radial (GRS), and area (GAS) strain indices. Mean ejection fraction, stroke volume, cardiac output and left ventricular mass index were similar between control and patient groups and within normal limits. GLS (− 16.7% vs − 20.8%, p

Novel interventional therapies for heart failure patients are emerging like atrial flow regulator (AFR). Our case showed that endocardial ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation could be performed safely by passing through the AFR device lumen without additional transseptal puncture in these patients.

OBJECTIVE In recent years, percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) has gained widespread use. This study is an evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the Figulla and Amplatzer devices for PFO closure, including long-term follow-up results. METHODS A total of 305 patients (43.6% male; mean age: 43.25±10.98 years) who underwent percutaneous PFO closure between 2003 and 2019 were enrolled. The Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score was calculated to predict the recurrence risk of cerebrovascular events due to PFO. Transthoracic echocardiography was used during the procedure. RESULTS The devices were successfully implanted in all patients. The in-hospital periprocedural complications recorded were atrial fibrillation in 1 patient (0.3%), supraventricular tachycardia in 1 patient (0.3%), and femoral hematoma in 3 patients (1%). The procedure time and fluoroscopy time was 21.92±2.93 minutes and 2.19±0.24 minutes, respectively. Recurrent ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) was observed in 7 (2.2%) patients during the median 85.77 months (25th-75th percentile: 10.21-108.00 months) follow-up. The RoPE score was significantly lower in patients with recurrent ischemic cerebral event (stroke or TIA) compared with asymptomatic patients (p

Aim To determine the frequency and define the causes of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA). Method Sixty-four TA patients were evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Having an estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) ≥40 mm Hg by echocardiography or if performed, mean PAP ≥25 mm Hg in right heart catheterization was defined as PH. Clinical, imaging and laboratory results of the TA patients were obtained from hospital files. Result In total, seven (10.9%) patients had PH. Four patients had PH due to left-sided heart disease (group 2 PH), three patients due to pulmonary arterial involvement (PAI; group 4 PH) and one patient due to atrial septal defect (group 1 PH). In one patient, combination of PAI, aortic insufficiency and pulmonary venous return anomaly was present and he was considered to have both group 2 and group 4 PH. PAI was more frequent (42.9% vs 15.7%) in patients with PH but the difference was not statistically significant. The percentage of patients treated with cyclophosphamide and/or biologics was higher in the group with PH as compared to the group without PH (P = 0.015). One patient with group 4 PH had been on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-specific agents for 8 years. Conclusion Pulmonary hypertension is not infrequent in TA patients and all the potential causes of PH should be carefully evaluated. Patients with severe or treatment-resistant disease are prone to have PH. PAH-specific agents may be effective in patients with group 4 PH.

Objective: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) induces structural and electrical reverse remodeling of the failing heart. However, the association between native QRS narrowing and cardiac fibrosis markers has not been investigated in patients with an implanted CRT device. Methods: A total of 41 symptomatic patients diagnosed with systolic heart failure who underwent CRT implantation were included in this study. Electrocardiogram findings and cardiac fibrosis marker levels [galectin-3, growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and procollagen III N-terminal propeptide (P3TD)] were collected before and 12 months after initiation of biventricular pacing. Reverse electrical remodeling was defined as a decrease in 12-month intrinsic QRS (iQRS) duration by ≥20 milliseconds after CRT implantation. Results: The median QRS duration decreased from 155 milliseconds (interquartile range [IQR]: 142–178 milliseconds) before CRT to 142 milliseconds (IQR: 130–161 milliseconds) (p=0.001) after 12 months of CRT. According to the predefined criteria, electrical remodeling was detected in 16 (39.0%) patients. The median galectin-3, GDF-15, and P3TD levels were significantly decreased after CRT implantation in patients with electrical remodeling [27.65 ng/mL (IQR: 24.4–35.2 ng/mL) vs 23.00 ng/mL (IQR: 16.0-36.7 ng/mL), p=0.017; 3104 pg/mL (IQR: 2923–4825 pg/mL) vs 2276 pg/mL (IQR: 1294–3209 pg/mL), p=0.002; 0.43 ng/mL (IQR: 0.23–0.64) vs 0.15 ng/mL (IQR: 0.04–0.29 ng/mL), p=0.034, respectively]. The galectin-3, GDF-15, and P3TD levels were not significantly changed in patients without electrical remodeling [26.80 ng/mL (IQR: 23.9–31.5 ng/mL) vs 28.80 ng/mL (IQR: 23.0–34.8 ng/mL), p=0.211; 4221 pg/mL (IQR: 2709–4995 pg/mL) vs 3035 pg/mL (IQR: 2038–4872 pg/mL), p=0.143; and 0.34 ng/mL (IQR: 0.11–0.68 ng/mL) vs 0.21 ng/mL (IQR: 0.09–0.37 ng/mL), p=0.112, respectively]. Conclusion: The results from the small sample used in this study indicated that electrical reverse remodeling after CRT was associated with a decrease in cardiac fibrosis.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are widely used in Oncology practice. Hypertension may develop during cancer treatment and TKIs are well known drugs that are associated with drug related hypertensive toxicity. TKI related hypertensive toxicity is not always the indicator of worse clinical outcomes and it may be the sign of treatment efficacy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between vitamin D levels in patients with heart failure (HF) and response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Methods: We studied 57 patients (mean age: 60.47+-13.09 years) with New York Heart Association Class II or III heart failure, QRS duration ≥120 milliseconds, and ejection fraction 15% decrease in left ventricular end-systolic volume at 6 months compared with baseline measurements. Vitamin D levels were evaluated before CRT implantation with ELISA. Results: Of the 57 patients, 34 patients (59.6%) were classified as responders and 23 patients (40.4%) were classified as non-responders. Baseline features, laboratory findings, and echocardiographic characteristics were nearly the same in both groups. High vitamin D level was detected in responder group compared to non-responder group (26.17+-7.5 vs 21.15+-5.9; p=0.009). Age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic cardiomyopathy, QRS morphology and duration, and levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and vitamin D were associated with CRT response in our study population. In multivariate regression analysis, preimplantation QRS duration, and BNP and vitamin D levels remained independent predictors (QRS duration Odds ratio [OR]: 1.047, CI: 1.019–1.417, p=0.006; BNP OR: 0.997, 95% CI: 0.994–0.999, p=0.029; vitamin D OR: 1.121, 95% CI: 1.011–1.242, p=0.030). Conclusion: In the present study, preimplantation level of vitamin D was found to be predictor of response to CRT, independent of BNP.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has shown favorable outcomes in patients with severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis who are at high surgical risk or inappropriate for open heart surgery. However, concerns exist over treating patients who have porcelain aorta and familial hypercholesterolemia, due to the potential complications of aortic root and aortic annulus. In this case report, we present a patient with familial hypercholesterolemia, symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, previous coronary artery bypass grafting and porcelain aorta, who was successfully treated with TAVI using a CoreValve.

Introduction. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is an important therapeutic option for aortic stenosis (AS) patients who have high surgical risk. TAVR is a complex procedure. Proper preparation of the patient is of significant importance for the final success and affects the morbidity and mortality of the TAVR directly. Pre-TAVR computed tomography is one of the corner stones of these preparation steps, and many patients get some incidental diagnoses. Materials and Methods. In this trial, we have investigated 155 patients who had underwent TAVR between February 2013 and March 2017 at Hacettepe University Adult Hospital Cardiology Clinic. Results. Total number of incidental diagnoses was 541, and 451 of them were the first diagnoses. Total number of cardiovascular findings and noncardiovascular findings was 369 and 172, respectively. The most common cardiovascular finding is atherosclerotic heart disease (139, 89.6%). The most common noncardiovascular finding is pulmonary nodule (41, 26.4%). 143 of 155 patients had at least one incidental diagnosis after the reassessment, and 33 different diagnoses were identified with computed tomography. The mean STS-PROM was 8.38% (range 2.8% to 23%), and the mean STS-PROM was calculated 9.4% (range 3.6% to 23%) after the reassessment of computed tomography. Conclusion. Preprocedural evaluation is one of the most important steps in TAVR. Computed tomography imaging provides extensive information, not only for procedure planning. Our findings emphasize that computed tomography has a crucial role for the preprocedural evaluation of TAVR candidates.

WOS: 000482646600008, PubMed: 31375653, Objective: A well-developed coronary collateral circulation lowers both in-hospital and long-term morbidity and mortality limiting the infarct. Angiogenin (AGN) and osteopontin (OPN) are known to be potent inducers of angiogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between serum ANG and OPN levels and collateral filling grade in subjects with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD). Methods: A total of 122 age- and gender-matched consecutive patients who were found to have total occlusion (n=70) and no significant stenosis in epicardial coronary arteries (n=52) who underwent coronary angiography due to SCAD between January 2015 and July 2017 were included in the study. AGN and OPN levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Coronary collateral circulation was graded using Rentrop's classification of collateral filling. Results: A total of 52 patients (61.60 +/- 11.78 years, 61.5% male) without significant epicardial coronary artery stenosis and 70 patients (62.87 +/- 8.24 years, 65.7% male) with totally occluded coronary arteries were included in the study. Subjects with total occlusion had significantly higher levels of AGN [122.00 (79.00-623.00) pg/mL vs. 98.00 (18.00-160.00) pg/mL, p, Hacettepe University Scientific Research Projects Coordination UnitHacettepe University [845], This research was supported by Hacettepe University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (project no.: 845).

Objective: The present objective was to compare changes in lifestyle between (i) Turkish women and Turkish men, and (ii) Turkish women and European women, after hospitalization for coronary heart disease (CHD). Risk factor management, physical activity, mood, and quality of life (QOL) indices were compared. Methods: A total of 2268 women (25.3% of 8966 patients, mean age: 65.8+-9.0 years) were interviewed using the European Action on Secondary and Primary Prevention by Intervention to Reduce Events III (EUROASPIRE III). In the Turkey cohort, 65 women (mean age: 63.3+-9.9 years) and 273 men (mean age: 59.1+-9.6 years) were interviewed, and underwent clinical and biochemical tests at a minimum of 6 months after hospital admission. Patients completed the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and questionnaires assessing QOL. Results: After hospitalization for CHD, (i) Turkish women have lower participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs and lower physical activity indices than European women, (ii) Turkish women have lower physical activity indices than Turkish men, (iii) HADS anxiety scores and HADS depression scores were higher for Turkish women than for Turkish men, (iv) HADS anxiety scores and HADS depression scores were higher for Turkish women than for European women, (v) QOL indices were lower for Turkish women than for either European women or Turkish men. Conclusion: Turkish women engage in less physical activity, have lower QOL, and have higher rates of depression and anxiety after hospitalization for CHD than either of the other groups assessed. Every effort should be made to increase physical activity, and CR program adherence in general, particularly in female patients.

Several studies have demonstrated that left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and left atrial pressure (LAP), as a surrogate marker of LVDD, were associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence following radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for AF. In this study, we aimed to investigate the individual impact of several left ventricular diastolic function parameters on outcomes of cryoablation for paroxysmal AF using second-generation cryoballoon. One hundred seventy patients who were scheduled for cryoablation with second-generation cryoballoon were included in this prospective study. All patients underwent comprehensive transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic examinations during sinus rhythm a day before catheter ablation. LAP was measured via transseptal sheath at the beginning of the ablation procedure. One hundred seventy patients (57.09 ± 11.80 years, 47.06 % male) were involved in the study. At a median follow-up of 19 months, when blanking period of 3 months was considered, freedom from AF after a single ablation procedure was 84.71 %. Patients with AF recurrence had significantly greater left atrial volume index (LAVI) (p = 0.005) and LAP (p

Aims Among patients undergoing cryoballoon-based atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, in order to reduce access site complications, improve staff efficiency, and decrease length of stay, various techniques have been implemented to achieve immediate haemostasis. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of ‘figure-of-eight (FoE)’ suture when compared with conventional manual compression for immediate closure of 15-French (Fr) calibre right femoral venous access after cryoablation. Methods and results A total of 200 patients (48% female, mean age 55 ± 12.4 years, and 77% paroxysmal AF) with symptomatic AF underwent initial cryoablation procedure. All the patients were anticoagulated with heparin during the procedure. In a sequential allocation, FoE suture (Group 1 = 100) and conventional manual compression (Group 2 = 100) were used in achieving haemostasis at right femoral venous access site following 15 Fr sheath removal. In the FoE suture group, haemostasis was achieved immediately after tying the knot ( n = 95) or within ≤1 min of light pressure ( n = 4). One patient had failure of the stitch as the silk suture snapped during knotting, and haemostasis was achieved by manual compression as per the usual protocol. The median time to haemostasis was shorter in the suture group (0 vs. 14 min, P < 0.001). On immediate and short-term (3 months) follow-up, there was no evidence of minor or major vascular access site complications like haematoma, re-bleeding, fistula formation, or thrombosis at right femoral site in the suture group. Conclusion The ‘FoE’ suture, as a simple, efficacious and likely safe technique, might be an alternative approach to achieve an immediate haemostasis after removal of 15 Fr right femoral venous sheaths in patients undergoing cryoablation.

Background: Several studies have investigated the effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on heart failure (HF), but none have evaluated the pathophysiological pathways involved in a single group of patients. Therefore, this study aims to assess the long-term effects of CRT on six different patho­physiological pathways involved in the process of HF by the use of surrogate biomarkers. Methods: In a group 44 patients with HF, six groups of biomarkers were measured, both at baseline and 1 year after CRT implantation: inflammation (interleukin [IL]-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis fac­tor [TNF]-a, high sensitive C-reactive protein [hsCRP]); oxidative stress (myeloperoxidase [MPO], oxidized low-density lipoprotein [oxLDL], uric acid); extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling (matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]-2 and -9, galectin-3, procollagen III N-terminal propeptide [prokol-3NT]); neurohormonal pathways (endothelin-1, chromogranin-A); myocyte injury (troponin T, creatine kinase MB fraction [CK-MB]), myocyte stress (B-type natriuretic peptide [BNP]). CRT responders were de­fined as patients with ≥ 15% reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume at 12 months post-CRT. Results: At 1-year follow-up, 72.7% (n = 32) of the patients were categorized as CRT responders. In these patients, the levels of IL-6, MPO, oxLDL, MMP-2, galectin-3, troponin T, and BNP were significantly reduced as compared to baseline values. While the biomarkers for myocyte stress (effect size = 0.357; p = 0.001), ECM remodeling (effect size = 0.343; p = 0.015) and oxidative stress (effect size = 0.247; p = 0.039) showed a significant change in the CRT responders during follow-up, the biomarkers for other pathophysiological pathways did not show a significant alteration. Conclusions: In the present study, a significant reduction was only observed in the biomarkers of myo­cardial stress, ECM remodeling, and oxidative stress among all the CRT responder subjects. (Cardiol J 2018; 25, 1: 42–51)

Aims Previous studies evidenced that increased monocyte count or activity and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were associated with more prevalent atrial fibrillation (AF) which attributed to pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant effects. Monocyte-to-HDL ratio ( M / H ratio) is a recently emerged indicator of inflammation and oxidative stress which have been only studied in patients with chronic kidney disease. We aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of M / H ratio on AF recurrence after cryoballoon-based catheter ablation. Methods and results A total of 402 patients (43.5% female, age 53.5 ± 10.9 years, and 80.8% paroxysmal AF) with symptomatic AF underwent initial cryoablation procedure. Patients were categorized into quartiles on the basis of their pre-procedural M / H ratio. Post-ablation blanking period was observed for 3 months. At a mean follow-up of 20.6 ± 6.0 months, 95 patients (23.6%) had developed AF recurrence. Atrial fibrillation recurrence rates from the lowest to the highest M / H ratio quartiles were 7.4, 7.4, 16.8, and 68.4%, respectively ( P < 0.001). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, the preablation M / H ratio (HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15–1.25, P < 0.001), left atrial diameter, duration of AF history, and early AF recurrence were independent predictors of AF recurrence. Using a cut-off level of 11.48, the pre-ablation M/H ratio predicted AF recurrence during follow-up with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 74%. Conclusion Elevated pre-ablation M / H ratio was associated with an increased recurrence of AF after cryoballoon-based catheter ablation. Our results support the role of pre-ablation pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant environment in AF recurrence after ablation therapy but suggest that other factors are also important.

Cardiac Autoantibodies and AF Recurrence Introduction Recent evidence has suggested that autoantibodies may play an important role in the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). The predictive value of preprocedural autoantibodies against beta-1 adrenergic receptor (anti-β1-R) and M2-muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (anti-M2-R) for AF recurrence following cryoballoon-based pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is still unclear. We aimed to determine the predictive value of preprocedural anti-β1-R and anti-M2-R levels for AF recurrence. Methods Eighty patients (mean age 54.25 ± 7.70 years; 40% female) with paroxysmal AF and preserved left ventricular function who underwent cryoballoon-based PVI were included in the study. Preprocedural anti-M2-R and anti-β1-R levels were measured with ELISA. Results At 1-year follow-up after ablation, late AF recurrence was observed in 17 (21.25%) patients. In the Cox regression model, including number of antiarrhythmic drugs, early AF recurrence, anti-β1-R levels >159.88 ng/mL, anti-M2-R levels >277.65 ng/mL, AF duration, and left atrial volume index, only anti-β1-R levels >159.88 ng/mL (HR: 4.281, P = 0.039) and anti-M2-R levels >277.65 ng/mL (HR: 4.313, P = 0.030) were found to be independent predictors of late AF recurrence. Anti-β1-R level >159.88 ng/mL was shown to predict late AF recurrence with a sensitivity of 70.59% and specificity of 90.48%. A cut-off value of 277.65 ng/mL for anti-M2-R level predicted AF recurrence with a sensitivity of 70.59% and specificity of 95.24%. Conclusion Preprocedural serum anti-β1-R and anti-M2-R levels are independent predictors of late AF recurrence following cryoballoon-based PVI in paroxysmal AF patients. Detection of preprocedural anti-β1-R and anti-M2-R levels may serve as a novel method for determination of paroxysmal AF patients who may not benefit from cryoballoon-based PVI.

Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on functional capacity, respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, quality of life, and fatigue and dyspnea perception in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS: Twenty-nine clinically stable PAH patients were included in this study. These patients were randomly assigned to a 6-week IMT program (14 patients) or to a sham IMT protocol (15 patients). Before and after the treatment, pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, functional capacity, dyspnea and fatigue perception, and quality of life were evaluated. RESULTS: There were significant increases in maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (% predicted) and 6-minute walk distance in the IMT group compared with the control group (P < .05). There were significant decreases in the Fatigue Severity Scale score, Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scores, and Nottingham Health Profile emotional reactions subscale in the IMT group compared with the control group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Inspiratory muscle training promotes significant improvements in respiratory muscle strength and functional capacity, thus resulting in a reduction of dyspnea during activities of daily living and less fatigue in PAH patients. Inspiratory muscle training is a clinically practical treatment for PAH without any complications.

Galectin-3 and Left Atrial Remodeling in AF Introduction Left atrial (LA) interstitial fibrosis is known to have a role in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). The role of galectin-3 in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis has been demonstrated in previous studies. We aimed to determine whether serum galectin-3 level is associated with markers of atrial remodeling, including the extent of LA fibrosis detected by delayed enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) and atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) in paroxysmal AF patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) functions. Methods and Results Thirty-three patients (58 [28–74] years, 51.5% male) with paroxysmal AF who underwent DE-MRI prior to cryoballoon-based AF ablation were included in the study. Serum galectin-3 levels were measured with ELISA. LA volume index (B ± SE: 0.424 ± 0.504, 95% CI: 0.560–2.627, P = 0.004) and serum galectin-3 levels (B ± SE: 0.549 ± 7.745, 95% CI: 16.874–47.550, P < 0.001) were found to be independently correlated with extent of LA fibrosis detected with DE-MRI in paroxysmal AF patients with preserved LV function. Correlation analysis between AEMD parameters and baseline characteristics showed that galectin-3 was significantly correlated with intra-left (ρ = 0.432, P = 0.012) and inter-AEMD (ρ = 0.395, P = 0.023). Duration of AF, LAD, and extent of LA fibrosis were also found to be significantly correlated with AEMD parameters. Conclusion This is a hypothesis-generating study pointing out that serum galectin-3 level is significantly associated with atrial remodeling in paroxysmal AF patients with preserved LV function. Further studies are necessary to provide exact pathophysiological mechanisms.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) on the recurrence of stroke and new cardiac arrhythmia using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Holter monitoring. Study design: Patients with PFO had >1 previous stroke or transient ischemic attack documented with MRI in the first event. PFO with right to left shunt was detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transcranial Doppler ultrasound. MRI examinations were performed on patients before and one year after PFO closure was applied. A twenty-four hour Holter monitoring was performed in all patients within 1 month before and 6 months after the procedure. Results: Percutaneous PFO closure was performed on 47 patients (25 female, mean age: 38.7 years) who had cerebral ischemic events detected by MRI. A year after the procedure, TEE showed that there was no residual interatrial right-to-left shunting. After a 14 month follow-up, no new cerebrovascular event and no new lesion on MRI were recorded. The incidence of arrhythmia did not increase significantly after the procedure on Holter monitoring (p=0.917). Conclusion: One-year clinical and MRI follow-up study of patients with cerebral ischemic events and percutaneous closure of PFO showed no recurrent event and no significant complication associated with the procedure. In addition, Holter monitorization demonstrated that the procedure did not increase the incidence of arrhythmias compared with pre-procedural monitoring.

TGF-β1-Mediated FACM and Impact on AF AblationBackground Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 mediated atrial fibrosis plays a major role in the development of vulnerable atrial substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF). Although cryoablation effectively eliminates the triggers for AF, the impact of atrial substrate on the success of cryoablation remains unclear. Objective We aimed to investigate the association of plasma TGF-β1 level with extent of left atrium (LA) fibrosis using delayed-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) and also effects of LA fibrosis on the success of cryoablation. Methods A total of 41 symptomatic lone paroxysmal AF patients (58.5% male; age: 49.2 ± 7.6 years) underwent initial cryoablation. Cardiac DE-MRI at 1.5-Tesla scanner to quantify atrial fibrosis, plasma TGF-β1, clinical and echocardiographic data were collected before cryoablation. Postablation blanking period was observed for 3 months. Results DE-MRI revealed LA fibrosis in 27 (65.9%) patients with a median enhancement of 5% of the LA surface area. A total of 179 pulmonary veins (PV) were successfully isolated without any major complication. At median 18 months follow-up, 32 patients (78.1%) remained free of AF recurrence. Only plasma TGF-β1 level (P = 0.001) was found to be the predictor of the extent of LA fibrosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis pointed out that the extent of LA fibrosis (HR: 1.127, P = 0.007) and early AF recurrence (HR: 1.442, P = 0.011) were the independent predictors of AF recurrence in late follow-up. Conclusion Higher levels of TGF-β1 are associated with more extensive LA fibrosis and extent of LA fibrosis predict recurrences in patients undergoing cryoablation for lone AF.

Pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying lone atrial fibrillation (AF) have not been clearly demonstrated yet. Emerging evidence has indicated that autoimmunity may play a role in the development of AF. Relationship between serum anti-M2-muscarinic receptor autoantibody (anti-M2-R) and anti-β1-adrenergic receptor autoantibody (anti-β1-R) levels and lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) has not been investigated. We aimed to compare anti-M2-R and anti-β1-R levels between lone PAF patients and healthy control subjects. 75 patients with lone PAF (age: 52.80 ± 6.80 years, 53 % male) and 75 healthy control subjects (age: 53.30 ± 6.80 years, 54 % male) were enrolled in the study. Serum anti-M2-R and anti-β1-R levels were measured by ELISA and compared between two groups. Anti-M2-R [142.30 (77.65–400.00) vs. 69.00 (39.48–299.04) ng/mL; p

Aims Catheter-based atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation has become an important therapeutic option in AF patients. Although there has been significant improvent in procedural success, post-procedural AF recurrences are continuing to be a major clinical problem. To the best of our knowledge, the impact of pre-procedural serum uric acid (SUA) level, as a pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory marker, on AF recurrence following cryoballoon-based AF ablation has never been studied before. The objective of this study was to establish whether there is a relationship between levels of SUA and recurrence of paroxysmal AF after catheter ablation. Methods and results A total of 363 patients (mean age 53.5 ± 11.2 years, 52.6% male) with symptomatic paroxysmal AF underwent initial cryoablation procedure. Patients were categorized into quartiles on the basis of their pre-procedural SUA assays and follow-up, and the Kaplan–Meier estimation with a log-rank test was used for the analysis of the influence of SUA on the recurrence of AF. Post-ablation blanking period was observed for 3 months. At a mean follow-up of 19.2 ± 6.1 months, 68 patients (18.7%) had developed AF recurrence. Atrial fibrillation recurrence rates from the lowest to the highest SUA quartiles were 2.9, 7.4, 11.8, and 77.9%, respectively ( P < 0.001). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, pre-ablation SUA level (HR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.49–2.59, P < 0.001), left atrial diameter (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04–1.19, P = 0.002) and early AF recurrence (HR: 4.34, 95% CI: 1.9–9.95, P = 0.001) were independent predictors of AF recurrence after cryoablation. Using a cut-off level of 6.37, the pre-ablation SUA level predicted AF recurrence during follow-up with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 83.7%. Conclusion In this prospective study of patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing cryoablation, increased pre-ablation SUA levels were associated with a higher rate of AF recurrence. Our results support the role of a pre-ablation pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant environment in the development of AF recurrence after ablation therapy but suggest that other factors are also important.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a generalized connective tissue disorder, and SSc patients are at risk of developing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The aims of this study are to evaluate the right ventricular regional systolic function using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D STE) and to determine the predictive ability of peak longitudinal systolic strain (PLSS) at the RV lateral wall for PAH in SSc patients. 80 SSc patients (mean age 51 ± 12 years) were included in the study. Echocardiography and 2D STE were performed at baseline and after 12 months. RHC was performed only in SSc patients with clinical indications. PLSS at the apical segment of the RV free wall was significantly impaired in PAH patients compared with non-PH patients (–14.6 ± 5.9 vs. − 22.2 ± 7.5%, p = 0.034). PLSS at the basal, mid, and apical segments of the RV free wall was lower in both groups at follow-up compared to baseline, but the drop in strain values was statistically significant only in the non-PH group (p

Brugada syndrome is an inherited cardiac arrhythmia condition characterized by coved-type ST elevation and J point elevation of at least 2 mm in at least 2 of the right precordial electrocardiogram (ECG) leads (V1–3). An increasing number of noncardiac agents, including psychotropic and anesthetic drugs, have been shown to induce a characteristic Brugada ECG pattern, predisposing the patient to fatal ventricular arrhythmias. However, there are scarce data regarding the clinical significance. In this case series, a typical Brugada pattern was unmasked by lithium, valproic acid, and thiocolchicoside; however, the clinical scenario was different in all 3 cases, ranging from an asymptomatic patient to sudden cardiac arrest.

Although cryoballoon based catheter ablation is an effective therapeutic option in atrial fibrillation (AF), a significant amount of patients failed to remain in sinus rhythm at long term follow-up. Appropriate selection of patients for catheter ablation reduces unnecessary interventions and prevents complications related with catheter ablation. The purpose of our study is to propose a new scoring system in the prediction of recurrence after AF ablation with cryoballoon.A total of 236 patients (54% male, age 54.6 ± 10.45 years and 79.6% paroxysmal) with symptomatic AF underwent an index cryoablation. The first 3 months after AF ablation is defined as blanking period. Predictors of AF recurrence after cryoablation were analyzed with multivariate Cox regression analysis. BASE-AF2 score [acronym stands for Body mass index28 kg/m(2) (1); Atrial dilatation40 mm (1); current Smoking (1); Early recurrence (1); duration of AF history6 years (1) and non-paroxysmal type (1) of AF] is identified by the total number of significant predictors of recurrence in each patient (range=0-6).At median 20 (range: 12-30) months follow-up, 74.5% of the patients were free from AF recurrence. Of these patients, 64 (27.1%) patients had a BASE-AF2 score of ≥3. Patients with AF recurrence had a higher mean BASE-AF2 score (3.27±0.82 vs. 1.1 ± 0.95, p0.001) compared to patients without AF recurrence. ROC analysis showed that a BASE-AF2 score of ≥3 well predicted AF recurrence with a sensitivity of 80.8% and a specificity of 91.6% (AUC=0.94; 95% CI: 0.89-0.97, p0.001). A BASE-AF2 score of ≥3 was found to be an independent predictor of AF recurrence (HR: 3.34, 95% CI: 2.34-4.76, p=0.001).BASE-AF2, which was identified as a new scoring system, has well predicted AF recurrence and could be helpful in selecting appropriate patients for interventional strategy.

Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation with cryoballoon is a recently developed technique for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) with acceptable mid-term results in terms of the success and safety. The purpose of our study is to identify the periprocedural complications, mid-term success rates and predictors of recurrence after AF ablation with cryoballoon.A total of 236 patients (54% male, mean age 54.6 ± 10.45 years and 79.6% paroxysmal AF) with symptomatic AF underwent PV isolation with cryoballoon due to failure with ≥1 antiarrhythmic drug previously. Procedural success, complications and follow-up data were defined according to recent guidelines.Acute procedural success rate was 99.5%. Mean procedural and fluoroscopy times were 72.5 ± 5.3 and 14 ± 3.5 min. At a median of 18 (6-27) months follow-up, 80.8% of paroxysmal AF patients and 50.0% of persistent AF patients were free from AF recurrence. In multivariate regression analysis, body mass index (BMI) (hazard ratio (HR), 1.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.18-2.93, p = 0.001), smoking (HR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.36-6.67, p 0.001), non-paroxysmal AF (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.12-2.56, p = 0.024), duration of AF (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.18-2.61, p = 0.015), left atrium (LA) diameter (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.64-5.88, p 0.001) and early AF recurrence (HR, 4.88; 95% CI, 2.86-35.6, p 0.001) were independent predictors of AF recurrence following cryoablation.Our results showed that AF ablation with cryoballoon is effective and safe. Non-paroxysmal AF, duration of AF, smoking, BMI, LA diameter and early recurrence were found to be the most powerful predictors and could be helpful to select patients for appropriate therapeutic strategy.

In addition to the diagnostic performance, coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) can give important data regarding the prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study we aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of coronary CTA in patients with suspected CAD and mild-moderate coronary stenosis.A total of 1115 patients (602 male, 54%; age 58.4 ± 11.4) without previous CAD were enrolled. Patients underwent coronary CTA imaging using dual-source 64-slice CT scanner. For categorization of the coronary atherosclerotic plaques (CAP), the coronary system was divided into 16 separate segments. For each segment, CAPs were categorized as: calcified, noncalcified and mixed.During follow-up of 29.7 ± 13.2 months, cardiovascular events defined as ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (4 patients), non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (5 patients) and unstable angina pectoris (20 patients) requiring revascularization or hospital admission were recorded. Cox hazard regression analysis revealed an association between the severity of luminal stenosis (HR: 4.73, 95% CI: 1.36-16.47, p0.05) and extent (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00-1.22, p=0.051) and the adverse coronary events in the follow-up. Multivariate Cox hazard regression analysis revealed that nonobstructive (≤ 50%) lesions were the only factor causing increased probability of coronary events in the follow-up (HR: 4.77, 95% CI: 1.36-16.74, p0.05).The presence and severity of luminal stenosis shown by coronary CTA were associated with prognosis of coronary events in the follow-up. These results may improve the risk stratification in patients evaluated by coronary CTA and provide strategies for the individualized prevention programs.

Previous studies have shown that cardiovascular risk is increased in premature ovarian failure (POF). To determine the effects of POF on different parameters of cardiovascular health, we investigated the relationship between POF and circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), endothelial function, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and left ventricular diastolic function.We compared 23 female POF patients (mean age; 37.8 ± 10.8 years) with 20 gender and age-matched healthy controls. Circulating CD133(+)/34(+) and CD34(+)/KDR(+) EPCs were determined by using flow-cytometry. Ultrasound assessment of endothelial function by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and CIMT was made. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function was assessed by standard 2D and M-mode echocardiography and tissue Doppler velocities.Brachial artery FMD was significantly impaired in patients with POF compared with CG (6.3 ± 1.9% vs 10.4 ± 3.7%, p0.05). Furthermore, circulating EPCs were lower among patients with POF compared to controls for CD133(+)/34(+) and CD34(+)/KDR(+) cells (p0.05). There was a significant correlation between serum estradiol levels and EPC number (CD 133+/34+) (r=0.329, p0.05). POF patients had increased CIMT compared to controls (0.67 ± 0.17 vs 0.43 ± 0.10, p0.05). When diastolic functions were assessed, patients with POF had lower Epeak, Apeak and mitral CP and higher DT and IVRT (p0.05, respectively).Our findings indicate that endothelial function as well as circulating EPCs, CIMT and diastolic function are significantly affected in young women with POF which may have an adverse long-term effect on cardiovascular prognosis.

The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has recently emerged as better indicator of inflammation and oxidative stress and has been widely studied in several cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the role of the preablation NLR in atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after cryoballoon-based catheter ablation. A total of 251 patients (47.8% women, age 54.12 ± 10.9 years, 80.1% with paroxysmal AF) with symptomatic AF underwent cryoablation. At a mean follow-up of 19.0 ± 6.6 months, 60 patients (23.9%) had developed AF recurrence. The patients who developed AF recurrence had had a greater preablation NLR (3.53 ± 0.95 vs 2.65 ± 0.23, p0.001) and a higher white blood cell count, neutrophil count, and high-sensitivity C-reaction protein levels. On multivariate regression analysis, the preablation NLR (hazard ratio 2.15, 95% confidence interval 1.70 to 2.73, p0.001), left atrial diameter (hazard ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 1.14, p0.001) and early AF recurrence (hazard ratio 2.99, 95% confidence interval 1.71 to 5.23, p0.001) were independent predictors of AF recurrence after cryoablation. Using a cutoff level of 3.15, the preablation NLR predicted AF recurrence during follow-up with a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 75%. Patients with a preablation NLR3.15 had a 2.5-fold increased risk of developing AF recurrence after cryoablation. In conclusion, an elevated preablation NLR was associated with increased AF recurrence after cryoballoon-based catheter ablation. Our results support the role of a preablation inflammatory environment in the development of AF recurrence after ablation therapy but suggest that other factors are also important.

frQRS and Outcomes in ARVC/D Background Fragmented QRS (frQRS) complex, with various morphology, has been recently described as a diagnostic criterion of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D). However, there are little data regarding the prognostic role of frQRS in these patients. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association of frQRS with arrhythmic events in patients with ARVC/D. Methods Seventy-eight patients (51 men, 65.4%; mean age: 31.25 ± 11.5 years) with the diagnosis of ARVC/D according to 2010 modified Task Force Criteria were analyzed retrospectively. Baseline ECG evaluation revealed frQRS complex in 46 patients (59%). Eleven patients with complete/incomplete right bundle branch block were excluded from the study. The phenomenon of frQRS was defined as deflections at the beginning of the QRS complex, on top of the R-wave, or in the nadir of the S-wave similar to the definition in CAD in either one right precordial lead or in more than one lead including all standard ECG leads. Results During 38 ± 14 months follow-up period, 3 patients (3.8%) died suddenly, 36 patients (46.1%) experienced arrhythmic events (32 ventricular tachycardias [VTs] and 4 ventricular fibrillation [VF], 30 in the ICD group). The frQRS was significantly associated with arrhythmic events (P < 0.001). Also, the number of ECG leads with frQRS complex was higher in patients with arrhythmic events (5.08 ± 2.5 vs 1.14 ± 1.7, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion The frQRS complex on standard 12-lead ECG predicts fatal and nonfatal arrhythmic events in patients with ARVC/D. Therefore, large scale and prospective studies are needed to confirm those findings.

Objectives: Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation with cryothermal energy is a recently introduced technique in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). It may reduce procedural times and serious complications associated with radiofrequency (RF) ablation. We aimed to present the baseline characteristics and followup data of our study population undergoing cryoballoon AF ablation. Study design: A total of 236 patients (126 male, 110 female; mean age 54.6+-10.45; range 16 to 78 years) underwent PV isolation with 28 mm cryoballoon due to symptomatic AF. These patients failed with at least one previous antiarrhythmic drug. The postprocedure in the first 3 months was defined as blanking period. Median follow-up time was 14 (3-24) months. Procedural success, complicaitons, and follow-up results were defined according to Heart Rhythm Society guidelines. Results: Acute procedural success rate (≥3 PV isolation) was 99.5%. Mean procedural and fluoroscopy times were 72.5+-5.3 (50-90) min and 14+-3.5 (12-24) min. Major complications were observed in 3 patients (1.2%). At the median 14 month follow-up, 80.6% of paroxysmal AF patients and 49.2% of persistant AF patients were free from AF recurrence. RF ablation was performed in 10 patients with recurrence. Smoking, body mass index, non-paroxysmal AF type, AF duration (years), left atrial size, and early recurrence were the predictors of recurrence in multivariate regression analysis. Conclusion: This study represents the first experience with cryoballoon ablation for AF in Turkey. The efficacy and safety of cryoballoon AF ablation technique was shown due to the acceptable success and low complication rates in paroxysmal AF patients. Particularly, patients with early recurrence should be closely followed-up.

We aim to evaluate the prognostic value of dual-source 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in patients with coronary stents. The study included 173 patients [mean age 59.9 ± 10.1 years, 76.7 % male] with previous stent implantation who underwent MDCT for evaluation of CAD and stent patency. Coronary imaging was performed via dual-source MDCT scanner. Stented vessel segment was evaluated as patent without neointimal hyperplasia (NIH), nonobstructive NIH (50 % luminal narrowing), or obstructive NIH (50 % luminal narrowing). Patients were evaluated for major cardiovascular events (MACEs) to demonstrate association between stent patency and clinical outcome. MACEs that were originating from non-stented segments were excluded. A total of 213 coronary stents were evaluated in our study. During mean of 21.2 ± 13.6 months' follow-up, 25 patients experienced MACEs [1 (4.0 %) cardiac death, 5 (20.0 %) nonfatal MI, and 19 (76.0 %) unstable angina pectoris requiring hospitalization and target vessel revascularization] associated with stented segment of coronary arteries. One hundred of 105 patients (95.2 %) with a patent stent without NIH detected by MDCT had no cardiac event associated with stented segments during mean 2 years' follow-up period. These data indicate that patients with a patent stent without NIH as determined by MDCT have a good prognosis as opposed to an increased rate of events among patients with either nonobstructive or obstructive NIH as determined with MDCT, supporting MDCT as a reliable tool to evaluate patients after coronary stenting.

Cardiovascular complications are the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in acromegaly. However, there is little data regarding cardiac autonomic functions in these patients. Herein, we aimed to investigate several parameters of cardiac autonomic functions in patients with acromegaly compared to healthy subjects. We enrolled 20 newly diagnosed acromegalic patients (55 % female, age:45.7 ± 12.6 years) and 32 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. All participants underwent 24 h Holter recording. Heart rate recovery (HRR) indices were calculated by subtracting 1st, 2nd and 3rd minute heart rates from maximal heart rate. All patients underwent heart rate variability (HRV) and QT dynamicity analysis. Baseline characteristics were similar except diabetes mellitus and hypertension among groups. Mean HRR1 (29.2 ± 12.3 vs 42.6 ± 6.5, p = 0.001), HRR2 (43.5 ± 15.6 vs 61.1 ± 10.8, p = 0.001) and HRR3 (46.4 ± 16.2 vs 65.8 ± 9.8, p = 0.001) values were significantly higher in control group. HRV parameters as, SDNN [standard deviation of all NN intervals] (p = 0.001), SDANN [SD of the 5 min mean RR intervals] (p = 0.001), RMSSD [root square of successive differences in RR interval] (p = 0.001), PNN50 [proportion of differences in successive NN intervals >50 ms] (p = 0.001) and high-frequency [HF] (p = 0.001) were significantly decreased in patients with acromegaly; but low frequency [LF] (p = 0.046) and LF/HF (p = 0.001) were significantly higher in acromegaly patients. QTec (p = 0.009), QTac/RR slope (p = 0.017) and QTec/RR slope (p = 0.01) were significantly higher in patients with acromegaly. Additionally, there were significant negative correlation of disease duration with HRR2, HRR3, SDNN, PNN50, RMSSD, variability index. Our study results suggest that cardiac autonomic functions are impaired in patients with acromegaly. Further large scale studies are needed to exhibit the prognostic significance of impaired autonomic functions in patients with acromegaly.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether serum total bilirubin was associated with the severity and morphology of coronary atherosclerotic plaques detected by computed tomography angiography (CTA). The study population consisted of 1,115 patients (55.2 % men) who underwent dual-source 64-slice CTA for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary arteries were evaluated on 16 segment basis and critical coronary plaque was described as luminal narrowing >50 %, whereas plaque morphology was assessed on per segment basis. Serum bilirubin levels were determined using commercially available assay kits. The critical atherosclerotic lesions were detected in 431/1,115 (38.6 %) subjects by CTA. Serum total bilirubin levels were found to be lower in patients with any coronary plaque (0.62 ± 0.21 vs. 0.70 ± 0.25 mg/dL, p = 0.002). Also bilirubin level was lower in patients with critical stenosis compared to non-critical stenosis (0.57 ± 0.18 vs. 0.70 ± 0.24 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Subjects having primarily noncalcified plaque (NCP) and mixed plaque (MP) have lower bilirubin levels compared to calcified plaque (CP) and normal subjects (0.62 ± 0.20 for NCP and 0.60 ± 0.19 for MP, 0.65 ± 0.26 for CP and 0.71 ± 0.25 for normal subjects, p < 0.001). This independent association was remained for NCP after multinominal regression analysis (OR: 0.76; 95 % CI 0.58–0.88; p < 0.001). Our study demonstrated that serum bilirubin level was significantly associated with the presence, severity and the noncalcified morphology of atherosclerotic plaques detected by CTA. Further prospective clinical studies are needed to clarify the exact physiopathologic and prognostic role of bilirubin in CAD.

There is controversy regarding the role of family history (FH) of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) as an independent risk factor for CAD. Herein, we aimed to assess the role of FH of premature CAD in prediction of coronary atherosclerosis shown by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography.We analyzed consecutive subset of 349 patients in whom MDCT coronary angiography was performed for suspected CAD. All patients underwent coronary MDCT imaging using dual-source MDCT scanner. Coronary arteries were evaluated on 16-segment basis, critical CAP was described as luminal narrowing50%, whereas plaque morphology was assessed on per segment basis.Study population consisted of 202 (57.9%) male and 147 (42.1%) female patients with mean age of 57.8 ± 10.8 years. The presence of CAP was higher in patients with FH of premature CAD in LAD and Cx compared to patients without FH of premature CAD (70.8% vs 58.0%, p=0.013 for LAD; 42.3% vs 30.4%, p=0.021 for Cx; 34.5% vs 29.8%, p=0.348 for RCA).In multinominal logistic regression analysis age, male gender, dyslipidemia and FH of premature CAD seemed significant predictors of primarily noncalcified CAP(OR:1.17, 95% CI:1.07-1.15, p0.001; OR:0.19, 95% CI:0.09-0.38, p0.001; OR:2.26, 95% CI:1.21-4.24, p=0.01; OR:3.32, 95% CI:1.74-6.34, p0.001 respectively) after adjustment for other risk factors.Our study results indicate that FH of premature CAD is associated with severity, extent and noncalcified CAP shown by MDCT. Further investigation is needed to clarify the exact diagnostic and prognostic role of MDCT coronary angiography in subjects with positive FH and suspected CAD.

Previous studies showed that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) significantly reduced the blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. We investigated the predictors of BP change in normotensive patients with OSAS who underwent CPAP. A total of 24 patients with OSAS (19 male; age: 48.7 ± 10.4 years) were enrolled. The 24-hour mean BP (24 hMBP), subjective sleepiness, fasting venous blood samples, and anthropometric measurements were assessed at baseline, 6th week and 12th week of CPAP treatment. The 24 hMBP fell at 12 weeks from 89.2 ± 8.4 to 82.9 ± 7.3 mm Hg ( P < .0001) irrespective of the severity of disease. Also, both daytime and nighttime BP showed significant reduction after CPAP. Male gender, Epworth sleepiness scale, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, and baseline 24 hMPB were the independent predictors of a fall in 24 hMBP. The CPAP therapy may provide benefit even in the absence of overt hypertension by reducing both daytime and nighttime BP.

BACKGROUND Calcineurin inhibitors, mainly cyclosporin A (CsA), are associated with endothelial dysfunction in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Hemorheological disturbances including decreased erythrocyte deformability (ED), increased plasma viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation (EA) have also been reported in CsA-treated RTRs. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between hemorheological factors and endothelial dysfunction in CsA- and tacrolimus (Tc)-treated RTRs. METHODS Thirty-one RTRs and 16 healthy subjects were recruited. The RTR group received either CsA (n = 16) or Tc (n = 15). Endothelial function was evaluated by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. ED and EA were measured with laser-assisted optical rotational cell analyzer, and plasma viscosity by a cone-plate viscometer. RESULTS FMD of the CsA group was significantly lower than that of controls (6.3% ± 5.1% vs. 11.9% ± 5.6%, p = 0.024), whereas, there was no significant difference between the Tc group (8.8% ± 5.4%) and controls. At shear stresses ranging between 0.95 and 30 Pa, EDs of the CsA group were significantly lower compared with controls. In the Tc group, the decrease in ED was significant at shear stresses ranging between 0.53 and 5.33 Pa. ED indices did not correlate with FMD in any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS The degree of endothelial dysfunction and reduction in ED were more remarkable in patients on CsA therapy. Hemorheological factors were not likely to be associated with endothelial dysfunction in RTRs.

Recent studies have shown a strong relationship between testosterone levels and vasomotor actions. The aim of this study is to compare the elastic properties of the aorta in male patients with hypogonadism and eugonadal healthy control subjects.A total of 22 male with hypogonadism (mean age: 35.2 ± 9.5 years, mean disease duration: 5.3 ± 1.8 years) and 25 age-, sex- and weight-matched eugonadal healthy subjects (mean age: 34.5 ± 8.2 years) were enrolled in the study. Aortic stiffness (β) index, aortic strain (AoS) and aortic distensibility (AoD) were calculated from the aortic diameters measured by transthoracic echocardiography and blood pressure obtained by sphygmomanometer.The routinely performed echocardiographic parameters were similar between patient and control groups. There were significant differences between the control and patient groups in β index (1.75 ± 0.44 vs 2.68 ± 1.72, p0.001), AoS (18.52 ± 6.44 vs 12.35 ± 3.88%, p0.001) and AoD (7.56 ± 2.86 vs 3.96 ± 1.24, 10(-6) cm(2)/dyn, p0.001). There were statistically significant positive correlations between the serum total testosterone level and AoD (r = 0.539, p0.001) and AoS (r = 0.372, p = 0.036); moreover, there was a negative correlation between the serum total testosterone level and β index (r = - 0.462, p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, serum total testosterone level was significantly related with AoD, AoS and β index (respectively, RR = 2.88, p = 0.004; RR = 3.45, p = 0.001; RR = 2.64, p = 0.01).The study results showed that aortic elasticity was impaired in patients with hypogonadism. We also have demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between aortic elastic properties and the serum total testosterone level.