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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Although the virus predominantly causes respiratory system infection, recent reports have shown that it is also associated with many cardiovascular complications. It has been reported that COVID-19 may cause myocarditis, type 1 and 2 acute myocardial infarction, and thrombotic complications.[1] Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare form of coronary artery disease that has recently been associated with COVID-19 in a few case reports. The case reported here is of COVID-19 associated SCAD in a patient with no history of cardiovascular disease.

Associations have been recently recognized between psoriasis and an increased incidence of atherosclerotic diseases. However, there are scarce data on the prevalence of coronary lesions in patients with psoriasis. The aim of this study was to identify the calcified and non-calcified atherosclerotic coronary lesions in patients with psoriasis compared to controls. Forty patients with psoriasis and 42 control subjects matched for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk profile were included in this case-control study. Coronary lesions were evaluated by a 128-slice dual source multidetector computed tomography scanner. Coronary calcification scoring was calculated according to the Agatston score. The prevalence of atherosclerotic coronary lesions (psoriasis: 15%, controls: 16.7%; P = 0.83) and the mean coronary calcification scoring (psoriasis: 9.9 ± 35.2 Agatston unit, controls 2.8 ± 12.0 Agatston unit; P = 0.81) did not show a significant difference between the two groups. Multivariate analysis identified age ≥48 years and fasting blood glucose ≥99.0 mg/dl as independent predictors of coronary artery disease in patients with psoriasis (F = 30.9; P = 0.001; adjusted R(2) = 0.49). Patients with psoriasis had the same prevalence of calcified and non-calcified atherosclerotic coronary lesions as compared to controls. Our results demonstrated the necessity of considering the age and fasting blood glucose of patients with psoriasis in a decision for further cardiovascular evaluation., (© 2014 The International Society of Dermatology.)

Nutritional status and its index (Prognostic Nutritional Index, PNI) is an important prognostic factor for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The present study investigated whether PNI it is associated with no-reflow in patients with STEMI. In this retrospective study, 404 patients with STEMI and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) were consecutively included, between January 2016 and December 2018. No-reflow phenomenon (NRP) was detected in 103 (25.4%) patients. In multivariate logistic regression analysis C-reactive protein (CRP) (odds ratio (OR): 1.693, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.126–2.547, P =.011), left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR: 0.777, 95% CI: 0.678–0.891, P <.001), SYNTAX score (OR: 1.114, 95% CI: 1.050–1.183, P =.001), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (OR: 1.033, 95% CI: 1.013–1.055, P =.002), hemoglobin level (OR: 0.572, 95% CI: 0.395–0.827, P =.003), PNI (OR: 0.554, 95% CI: 0.448–0.686, P <.001) were associated with NRP. The area under curve of PNI was significantly higher than albumin (z = 4.747, P <.001) and lymphocyte values (z = 3.481 P <.001). PNI was associated with no-reflow occurrence and mortality. So, PNI may be useful to predict NRP risk in patients with STEMI before pPCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]